Beefing Up the Stock Lower Control Arms?

I've searched around a little but didn't find anything on the topic. I'm wanting to strengthen the oem suspension a bit but I don't want to go long travel. I plan on adding a heavy duty UCA from JBA along with some TC coil bucket gussets and spindle gussets. I like the greasable balljoint from the JBA arms because I live where winter weather exists.

So basically my question is, has anyone out there plated up the oem LCA for more strength? I know you can buy built LCA from TC or Dirt King but they are pricey. I'd also like to keep the balljoint versus a uniball because of the weather.

I don't see why you couldn't just cut and weld plates to the LCA, sort of encasing it in a layer of 1/8" or 3/16" steel. Then the weak point becomes the balljoint, perhaps it too can be upgraded somehow...

Any thoughts?

 

@Crom did some minor beefing of the stock LCA I believe. I think it was fairly minimal with only running a weld around where the arm meets the bushing housing...can't recall what else. Thats all ive seen done with a stock LCA.

 

Yes. I had a welder close all the drain holes and reinforce the arm to eye welds with gussets. They're all boxed in now. also Ran a bead around the bump pad too. Pics in my build.

Much better now.

 

Thanks guys! Next summer I'm thinking of removing them and seeing what I can do.

 

Hey @Crom, you remove the bushings I guess to weld the arms to eyes? I'm thinking you'd have to in order to not ruin them. Maybe replace with a polyurethane bushing?

 

I'm just curious because I've never seen it before, but has anybody actually bent/broke a control arm before?

 

Yes. Remove before welding, and yes poly for performance upgrade, or, stock rubber bushing for comfort.

Yes. They'll rip apart at the bushing eye weld.

 

Thanks @Crom!

@livel0veryde that's pretty sweet, dude! Looks super burly!

What about an upgraded balljoint? Anything out there available? Rebuildable would be awesome.

 

whoa! carnage!

 

Holy hell.

:runs to garage:

 

Dang, Dirty Pool. Whats the story behind that?