some_punk

I hit a pothole. So should I get new a-arms? or is this safe?

Greekey

iTrader: (3)

They shouldnt be bending. Are those Umi's?

some_punk

Yes they are.

candidate zero

iTrader: (8)

I wouldn't want bent a-arms on my car...

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Another example showing why aftermarket a arms/k member can't be trusted on a street car.

Except when you only drive to the track and back + baby the car.

some_punk

The car doesnt pull to either side and alignment seems to be fine. So is it still safe to drive?

87formy

This isn't the first time I've seen that very same thing posted on this board, IIRC they have a spacer to go in between the arm and the shock to prevent the bending. I'd say the car is safe to drive like that for awhile, you should do something about it eventually though.

Firebirdfan

^I can't see how any spacer would help prevent the bending. The bent metal they have on those arms is TOO THIN. From the first time I saw different A arms for these cars I knew that this sort of thing would happen. They've got no gusseting for metal that's too thin to hold those sorts of forces.

Like the guy above said. Tubular arms are good for the all out strip car or a show car, but for street use, they will NOT hold up to the forces, the metal is just too thin. I still can't figure out why UMI still sells these things with a flawed design. It'd take maybe 4 hours to modify a CAD drawing try to make a new prototype that would be able to handle street forces.

why me

what is bent. i am lost?

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

the bracket where the bottom of the shock mounts
Johnny

913MOTOR

iTrader: (1)

Its not a flawed design, now it they had a tab hanging off the side of the tube I could see.

I wouldn't be ripping a company that puts time into there parts, no wheres does it state on UMI's website that they are bullet proof or pot hole safe. Ive personally seen alot worse on vehicles in the lowered truck scene still give years of service.

ss1

iTrader: (32)

BMR sells a 1/2" spacer plate that mounts between the lower arm and shock/strut. It should help by evening out the load and preventing the mount from bending in the middle.

BMR shock spacer

BMR Tech2

iTrader: (5)

Its safe to drive for a while. You need to get that shock mount straightened back out. We supplly a plate with our a arms that goes between the strut and the mount that helps support that area.

some_punk

so should I just bend it back and put those spacers in?

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

A faulty design would be a consistent issue with a product... this is a rare occasion and really only the first time we have seen this. This is not the first set... its actually the 5th year of selling the same design making hundreds of sets on the market.

Felix, Jerry will speak you via phone and get you squared away.

Thank you,
Ryan

some_punk

Once again, thanks for the great customer service.

The Alchemist

iTrader: (19)

I'd rather see it bend after hitting a huge pothole than to see a failure and have the shock and entire wheel messed up.

Fact is, when you hit big stuff on the road, even the factory stuff gets messed up. I drove over a 50lb chunch of concrete that had broken out of the roadway and bent my k-member and trans mount among other items.

some_punk

Well I just got the spacers installed and everything fixed up. Thanks Ryan and Jerry for all the help. Turns out the alignment for camber was out but it didnt pull. Got it realigned and everything is now fine and thanks to the spacers it raised the ride height a bit which is what I wanted.