Well here we are 3 weeks later and I've just finished the LCA mods, pics below. I decided to do it myself because it wasn't complicated.
Just had to make a checking jig of sorts to make sure I moved them the right amount. Using a V block and a piece of round bar I turned to be a neat fit inside the LCA bushing hole, I marked out on a board where the V block would be and where the original ball joint hole is. Then I used some basic marking out methods to put a point 50mm either side of the original hole center line on the board and mark a 12mm circle. Needed one either side because left and right LCA's needed tweaking in their respective directions (backwards) I know the board and hose clamps are a bit rough
![Roll Eyes (Sarcastic) :rolleyes:](./images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
But none of it moved and I was only doing 2 control arms. If I had to do a heap of them I'd make it out of steel and have it all bolted down, to act as a welding jig as well.
Then I cut a slit in the LCA on the opposite side of the bending direction, leaving one piece of the original metal intact to act as a hinge. Took some careful tweaking (not much movement at the bushing hole equals ALOT of movement at the ball joint end) until the ball joint hole lined up with the marked out hole on the board (later found out I needed to tweak it further than the mark, because the welding pulled it back so much)
Made up some simple re-enforcing pieces out of 2mm steel, top piece wrapping up and over the LCA mount tube and tapering off in the other direction. And a simple U shaped section on the underside to weld all around the slit. As I said I had to over-bend the arms so then the shrink in the weld pulled them back to the right position. I'm pretty confident they are almost spot on 50mm adjusted and if they are 1 or 2mm out in either direction it wouldn't matter since it can be adjusted with the radius rods (coming soon) I'll re-paint these and put the bushings back in, looking forward to seeing the results of this mod (if it even works or not
![Roll Eyes (Sarcastic) :rolleyes:](./images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
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I worked out the original MY arms are swept back from the mount point by about 75mm, and now these L series longer arms are only 50mm so I should still keep a better caster angle. As for this being an "illegal" mod having not been welded by a certified boiler maker dude (big $$$) I'll cross that hurdle if and when I get to it, if it even gets picked up by the inspector (if it even gets inspected underneath)
Pictures speak a thousand words, so here you go
Checking jig business end
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280660_zpsw0ksy4us.jpg)
Marked out circles where the ball joint hole should be
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280661_zpswipifahg.jpg)
Cut a slit in the LCA
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280662_zpsse8b8kg2.jpg)
Adjust the control arm backwards by 50mm
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280664_zpsfc7x1dih.jpg)
Re-enforcement piece, you can also see the lower re-enforcement through the gap, this gap was also fully welded through onto the piece underneath.
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280666_zpsj1bg2usn.jpg)
Hot off the welder after a wire brushing, now time to clean all the crap off and re-paint them
![Image](http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Jefferies991/P2280667_zpsiohav2do.jpg)