MasterSbilt uppers

[Matt49]

I picked up a set of the newer-style upper control arms that require heims to connect the A-arm to the cross member. But when I put the heims on the a-arms, the cross members don't fit...like the heims need to be a bout 1/2" further apart.
Before I go bending these brand new control arms, am I missing something here? Or do I just need to take them back?

[TheJet-09]

I just picked up a set also. I haven't tried assembling them yet, but did notice that the LF seems to narrow significantly as it gets towards the heim ends. Now I'm wondering...

[TheJet-09]

I checked and mine are the same...about 1/2" too narrow at the heims. If you happen to talk to MasterSbilt before I do can you post what they say? Thanks!

[Matt49]

I talked to Keith today and he said they come out like that sometimes because when they get welded up it tends to move the arms around. He said just bend it back out to where you need it.
He was surprised that the ends were too close together and said they are usually too far apart and they just tighten them down with the bolts.
Personally, I'm going to pull them apart and over shoot it and leave about 1/4" gap on each side between the heim and the cross member. Then instead of squeezing them down and potentially putting it in a bind, I'm going to make some thin spacers or just use washers and use that as a caster adjustment.

[7uptruckracer]

Wow I figured they used a jig, then it wont draw when welded.

[Matt49]

Wow I figured they used a jig, then it wont draw when welded.

I was kinda thinking the same thing but...

[TheJet-09]

Thanks for the info Matt49! Now there won't be any surprises when I go to put them on.

[fastford]

sounds like they must be tacking them together in a jig and then taking them out and finish welding them, I designed my jig so I can fully weld in jig and let cool and they hold true, I don't like the idea of squeezing them to gather , if you put a weld under a continues amount of load , it will sometimes prematurely crack, I think matts idea is the best choice here, bend them a little wide and shim them to fit, JMO.

[hpmaster]

Okey dokey. I have owned 3 different maker's chassis and never have I heard just tighten something up to to make up for a 1/2" gap.

[fastford]

im not trying to bash anyone, but im with you on this one HP

[Matt49]

Okey dokey. I have owned 3 different maker's chassis and never have I heard just tighten something up to to make up for a 1/2" gap.

I concur...just repeating what Keith told me on the phone.

I spread out the left upper without much problem with a little heat.
The right upper I wasn't able to get but I didn't apply much heat to it. When I tried to pull on it with a bar, it started spinning my vise before I could get enough on it to move it. Time for a new vice maybe.
I'm honestly thinking about just making my own at this point. I like the design idea of the heims to connect the a-arm to the cross member but I also like the slotted cross members that take a pill for caster adjustment. My idea/design would incorporate both and I would weld them fully in the jig so they don't move. No reason you can't incorporate the cross member itself into the jig and use the heims to hold everything in place.
The cross member would have to be made a little longer (front to back) to allow for the slots to not interfere with the bolts that hold the heims (you'll know what I mean if you look at one).

Sounds like I have a machine shop project in my future.

[7uptruckracer]

If its the kind of heim setup I'm thinking of won't you slightly alter a arm length when you set them or do you still shim the cross shaft for camber/Caster?

[JustAddDirt]

Matt49
once you make a fixture and make the parts right, then you can sell them to Masters.