Anyone out there have opinions on good sources for boxed trailing arms?

Is it best to buy the pieces and have a professional weld them on or buy them outright from someone?

Having been seriously burned buying aftermarket parts, i.e., parts not being what the vendor said, I'd like to have a better experience this time.

Boxed trailing arms? Use UPS. (just kidding).

Hey Randal, are you going to post any picts of your updated racer? You coming out to Marina 8/23-24?

There are several people (including Brad) here that say not to box the arms.

Mine are boxed, but I won't don it again.

Paul

Randal..

If you box the arms.. where does all the load go when you hit a curb with either rear tire ?? The inside control arm ear. I promise it is a lot cheaper for you to replace a bent control arm than it is to replace the inside ear on either side. It also ads weight that the shock and spring have to deal with.

You wont find them on ANY car that I have been involved in.. (Bontempi doesnt run them either in any of his race cars)

Unless you plan on running 12 inch wide slicks in the near future.. save your money.

B

I knew Brad would jump on this subject with both feet.

PS. Don't box 'em.

Paul

Randal has a very nice 4cyl car that he time trials... the last thing he needs in a 4cyl car is boxed arms (even though he has GT flairs) he cant generate enough side load to bend a stock arm.


B

what IS the purpose of the Boxed Arms?

to allow really wide rims/tires? or
are they marketed as a Strength item?

The original argument was to prevent flexing or bending of the arms.

The thing is that on virtually every 914 in existence, the whole car is gonna flex and wiggle all over, unless it's caged, seam welded and so forth. So the boxed arm thing seems kind of silly to me.

I have them on my car, but they were done by the PO. I had to have the welds finished/cleaned up because they weren't good.

BTW these things are heavy too.

Argument is a good word for it..

Porsche "patched" crap... they probably didnt have urethane bushings back in 1970 when they developed the stiff kit for the arms... so they where probably feeling the rubber bushings give and NOT the control arm flex.

A real to life structural engineer out of Texas put a 914 control arm through a ton of structural analysis tests and found the same damn thing I have been saying since day one (stiff kits are worthless).. the arm doesnt twist (which is all the stiff kit would prevent) Its another one of those "upsale" things people get sold..."Yeah..you need them"... BS


B

can we delete this thread before I put my up on the classifieds?

The previous posts are all valid points. I'd just like to ad that I did nearly split my passenger side trailing arm in half, so there's definately some flex happening there. I did box the arms and now I keep a close eye on the suspension ear because I know it's taking more of the stress now.

Yes.. Andy..

I have seen them crack and do other weird things.. 90% of the time the arm was damaged from a previous accident before we owned the car.. or a wife tapped the curb.


B