Control arm issues

whats up i don't post much, but i have a question, and hopefully i can get a good response. How come air control arms cost so much? i understand there is cost to everything, but it seems outrageous. now having helped in building cantilever setups and 4-links, and fabbing other random stuff, these control arms look like i could build them in about 2 hours, with a pipe bender farting around to get the angles right. now i have no clue about the price of metal right now, but say a 20ft joint of 1in pipe 1/4in wall is $300??, you can probably make 4 or 5 sets and be rich. i'm aware there is other stuff involved (lower ball joint peices, bushings, etc.) but to me it doesnt add up, i know these shops have cnc machines, jigs and things of that nature...so wouldn't the price be lower? could someone explain?????

Most arms coast about $900 a set for few reasons ... the parts to build the arms aren't cheap ,the time it takes to get all the math right isnt fast and its pointless to build just one set at a time. ill tell u y .. u have to cut the tubing ,bend the tubing,cope the tubing, debur the tubing, jig the tubing up ,fit it ,weld it , check the fitment of the arm cuz they all have to be the same ,perss (most) balljoints and bushings and last but not least ship them out with lube mounting bolts and hardware needed to install them ... oh and i almost fogot the grinding and sanding wheels, the welding wire and gas ,the power it takes to run everything from ur lights to ur welder .. it all coast money .
To build a nice set of well built arms is NOT easy ,if it was everyone would be building them and they would be cheap ..

I hope that helped, im not tryin to speak for everyone im just telling u what ive had to deal with ..

i understand that, but once the first is built, its all copy from there, and hell, even machines can do most of that....

Dude, it sounds like you have it ALL figured out!!! I would produce those 4-5 sets and get rich!!!






Taylor

Taylor is right, he should know he became a millionaire from building control arms....

Edited: 6/22/2011 10:45:39 AM by Chopped Mazda

Im typing this with 100 dollar bills taped to my body. Because i can.

lol



My first clue that you have no idea or even clue as to whats involved in designing and producing a set of control arms, or any other suspension part for that matter, is the fact that you use the word "Pipe". good luck with that!



Taylor

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frenchmydoodle said:

i understand that, but once the first is built, its all copy from there, and hell, even machines can do most of that....

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Give it a shot and post up some pics ... let us know how it works out for u ..

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Chopped Mazda said:

Edited: 6/22/2011 10:45:39 AM by Chopped Mazda

... is the fact that you use the word "Pipe". good luck with that!



Taylor

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Lmao No shit!

I hope nobody is using pipe to build control arms.... Yes CNC machines can make nice accurate parts, but they do take time and tooling/electric/consumables to use.

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Chopped Mazda said:

Edited: 6/22/2011 10:45:39 AM by Chopped Mazda

Im typing this with 100 dollar bills taped to my body. Because i can.

lol



My first clue that you have no idea or even clue as to whats involved in designing and producing a set of control arms, or any other suspension part for that matter, is the fact that you use the word "Pipe". good luck with that!



Taylor

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You beat me to it Taylor!