[Dude-Man]

:scratch:
Well, I called Total Chaos and quizzed them on their Upper Control Arms (UCA). What I found out is that they are NOT heat-treated! Personally, I think that not heat-treating 4130 is simply dumb as you end up with a part that isn't much stronger than 1020 mild steel with brittle weld areas (and it's more expensive to boot). Also, still not to sure about the "1 inch uniballs". The gentleman on the phone said they would last thousands and thousands of miles but the one thing that would wear them out is dirt getting in the ball and that they should be wipped down at every fueling.
I can deal with maintenance on the balls but no heat-treat... I'll pass.

 

[Turtle]

Hey Dude-Man,

Let me first disclaim all info since I'm not a professional welder or metalergist, so I do not claim any fame except reading :blackeye: . I arc weld and understand some about metals, welds, and how heating/cooling can mess with a weld and the surrounding material.
So, just did a little reading on the net. I'm not sure that not heat treating is a bad thing depending on several things that I've read. First, if they are using chromoly rod/filler they definitely need heat treating, if they use one of the regular carbon rod/filler (can't remember the types off hand) then other things depend. Two, if the wall thickness is .120 or less and the first rule applies for not heat treating it will be ok. Third, for the metal to not become brittle as you pointed out the weld must be cooled on its own and not quenched (cooled quicker). It needs to be cooled slowing for best results. Oh, oh, and the last thing is that they are tig welding or very good with mig to make up the difference (a disputed point among fabricators).
For UCA use and not heat treating after welding I as well don't understand why 1020 was not used since the strength gain is minimal I understand. I'm going to guess that the word "4130 Chromoly" sells better even though it cost more. Don't really know.

Ok, my 2 cents minus 1 cent for just reading material :drunken:

Dan

 

[Dude-Man]

Yeah, I think you are right that 4130 cromo simply sounds better in advertising.
Best is to just use some OXWELD 32CMS rod as it heat-treats well with the 4130 (or 4130 welded to 4140 for thicker sections).
I too am not really a welder but I ALWAYS do my homework!

 

[Turtle]

Yup, I agree. Always do homework before buying a product. I drive my wife nuts with that :blob: . I have to know everthing about a product before I'll buy it.
That information that I read about for the 4130 came indirectly from Lincoln Electric's web site on how to weld 4130, so it seems credible. I'm assuming that Lincoln would have to error on the safe side of information in case someone wanted to find them liable for something.
I don't think I would like to clean the ball on those UCA's at every fueling though. For me it would grow old after about a month. Up here in the snow zone with salt in the winter those balls would die a quick death as well. Southwest builders tend to not think of harsh weather conditions in general :rant: . But yes, the structural part is more important as you stated :thumbright: .

Dan

 

[S_e_X-Terra]

Okay you guys are speaking german. Remember i have a degree in economics not any sort of automobile, manufacturing, etc. So that being said do you still recommend that i not buy this product? i was seriously considering it but now i am second guessing myself. Please respond in layman terms. ( i have no clue what 4010 or 1020 or any of that stuff means)

 

[Turtle]

Uh, he said lay man..... J/K

Ok, in my little knowledge I'd say go ahead and get them if you like them. If they followed the almighty wizdom of how Lincoln Electric (they make some of the best welding equipment around and teach techniques as well) they are good to go. I can't see the tubing being thicker than .120 either. Just as long as you don't mind keeping those balls clean you are good I'd think. But, isn't that just good practice anyway :cheers:

Besides, have you heard of any failures from anything the company makes? I would be troubled if I did, but I haven't heard of one.

I would not buy them just because it is so hard to keep items like those.... um... balls.... clean with the harsh winters and road salting that goes on up here. I actually had a JKS swaybar disconnect on my Jeep break because of weathering corrosion and crappy roads here in Ohio. I've never heard of one breaking before.

Dan

 

[S_e_X-Terra]

Thats what i like to hear. clear and to the point!! I dont think i will have too much of a problem with dirty balls living here in houston.

 

[lifeinthesouth]

S_E_X, TC makes a great product... they actually use the same stuff you buy from them on their race trucks(SCORE, CORR) so it's track proven!
And being down in the dirty south you have no cold weather(salt) corrosion issues to deal with.

 

[kokopop]

Thats what i like to hear. clear and to the point!! I dont think i will have too much of a problem with dirty balls living here in houston.

Just call Greg and Jen at PRG and they will give you their opinion. They run in the desert at a 100 mph with TC products. To me that is an endorsement of their quality.

 

[Glucola]

Here's more info about 4130 then you could possibly want.

 

[bigdaddychia]

S_E_X, TC makes a great product... they actually use the same stuff you buy from them on their race trucks(SCORE, CORR) so it's track proven!
And being down in the dirty south you have no cold weather(salt) corrosion issues to deal with.

Hey dont call us the Dirty South. Its clean down here. The Dirty South is in Atlanta.

 

[S_e_X-Terra]

Ahh, its the Dirty south where i used to be from. Lafayette, BR, and New Orleans (Louisiana). Lived in the dirty south for 14 years.

But i wouldnt say that texas is the dirty south. More like its just dirty LOL. naa, i love texas, everything is bigger here.

 

[lifeinthesouth]

Hey dont call us the Dirty South. Its clean down here. The Dirty South is in Atlanta.

Haha! I'm in the USCG in New Orleans and I know that after Katrina Houston is now the Dirty south!!!
Check out those murder stats... it's truly sad news!

 

[Dude-Man]

Yeah, they'll probably be ok. I just wish being how expensive they are that they were fabricated properly...