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5 Things to Look For In Your Pro-Touring Control Arms

How To Choose The Best Tubular Control Arms For Your Ride

If you’re looking to upgrade the suspension on your pro-touring vehicle, you’ve likely come across a variety of options for tubular control arms. However, not all control arms are created equal, and it’s important to know what to look for in order to make the right choice for your ride. Here are five things to keep in mind when selecting tubular control arms.

Low Friction:

To achieve top-notch performance, it is crucial to have smooth operation, which can be achieved by using low-friction bushings and ball joints to avoid binding. QA1 has solved this issue by utilizing ultra low-friction composite pivot bushings that eradicate flex and ensure bind-free movement. Furthermore, QA1's engineers have addressed the problem of misalignment that typically occurs when welding cross-shaft tube ends to the control arm. Their exceptional design tackles this problem by connecting the bushing separately to prevent the tube ends from getting misaligned during the welding process – Something uniquely found to the QA1 design.

Geometry:

To maximize your car's performance on the track, having proper geometry is key. By using a 1'' longer upper ball joint stud, you can improve camber gain and ensure the maximum amount of tire contact with the ground, resulting in unbeatable cornering grip for both street and race use.

Additionally, by increasing the positive caster of your car, you not only boost its steering effort and ability to stay on track, but also enhance its cornering performance and stability when driving at high speeds. This translates to more agile handling on the road.

Ball Joint Design:

When browsing for tubular control arms, you'll come across a familiar sight: many brands opting for traditional, run-of-the-mill ball joints found in your local auto parts store. These lightweight designs tend to suffer from high friction and binding during movement.

QA1’s ultimate ball joint design ensures ultra-low-friction performance, with the ability to adjust and service the ball joint over time. Unlike normal ball joints that typically get thrown away when they wear out, this design allows for adjustment of the tension on the ball, making the ball joint serviceable for years to come.

Image of QA1 racing ball joints

Reduced Weight with Increased Strength:

Okay, so this is technically two things in one, but work together. QA1’s control arms are optimized for strength through unique design features that help reduce weight, such as the stamped steel lower shock mount. This not only looks great but is also lightweight and strong.

The upper and lower control arms are some of the lightest on the market, weighing in at approximately 7 and 9 pounds respectively.

Coil-Over Ready:

Finally, QA1’s control arms come with a double sheer mount that is super strong and perfect for pairing with QA1 double adjustable or high performance MOD Series shocks.

Conclusion:

By selecting control arms that meet these criteria, you can ensure that your ride will be able to withstand the abuses it may see on the track, while also providing optimal performance on the street. Don’t be tempted by ultra-cheap options – choose a control arm you can trust to be the lightest and strongest on the market. Choose QA1 - the best control arms for your GM, Ford, or Mopar application.