Make or Buy control arms?

I soon will be making a front suspension, not sure whether or not I should just try finding a set of control arms for another vehicle like a toyota or if I'll be better off just bending some and making them myself.

I have confidence I can set up the geometry correctly either way. I'm leaning towards buying a set just to trust the strength more. Is toyota probably my best option? I want to keep with a ford ranger/taco 2wd lug pattern for the front since I'll be running an explorer 8.8 in the rear.

Is there a different option i'm not considering?

I could run a front clip but I'm not sure whether or not I'll even need to.

I personally don't like starting with anything more than a spindle because it really limits your possibilities of suspension geometry. If you don't feel confident enough with your fabrication skills then by all means, use someone else's arms, but otherwise that is the only thing that would keep me from telling you to build your own parts.

That's my concern with buying arms is "making" them work rather than designing them to work the best for my application.

I noticed in another thread that you make a drop spindle for tacoma's, do you have any more info about this? Do you have a website with products or do you really only do per customer jobs?

It's a bit tough to explain how the Tacoma spindle thing works. If you are looking for something specific or custom, I can certainly build it, but we must first establish what it is that you need to cure whatever issue it is that you have. IM me if you are interested in something and we'll talk.

One more question that might be helpful others and I think I'll be covered.

If I start with a toyota drop spindle 84-94, can I use a bolt in balljoint? Is there a uniball that is available that I could use with custom control arms?

I don't want to get something machined to use a press in ball joint. So something that could bolt in would be ideal.

toyota and lowers are both bolt in ball joints..

you can also purchase screw in ball joints and sleeves from speedway.

^^^ True and true

Those screw in ball joints are sweet.

any recomendations on arms for a 98+ ranger? i bought a pair off ed cain and they are JUNK