Bottom arm plating?

[Damo]

Right i posted a thread up a few months ago when i fitted my XE an asked if plating the bottom arms was essential and i had various answers saying NO.

But resently someone said that you may have thought i meant the bottom anti-roll bar.

So just to clear up is the plating nessasary?

Any help appreciated.

Damo.

[let_nova]

not rally unless running big power. corsa bottom arms are the same as nova ones and come plated as standard.

[Pistol Pete]

Personal choice i guess. Some people say the engine bay plating isnt needed!! At the end of the day a Nova was only ever designed to take a 1600 motor. Anything you can do to strengthen it up isnt a bad thing IMO.

[Damo]

Personal choice i guess. Some people say the engine bay plating isnt needed!! At the end of the day a Nova was only ever designed to take a 1600 motor. Anything you can do to strengthen it up isnt a bad thing IMO.

True pete like you an let said its down to personal preferance i suppose.

Cheers guys.

[Pistol Pete]

Ive done both on mine. Bottom arms and bay plating. I think most do TBH!!

[mk1nova_rich]

i would definitely for an XE, mine are done on a 1300

[burgo]

But resently someone said that you may have thought i meant the bottom anti-roll bar.


sorry what :confused:

[George g]

Once you strengthen something you move the weak spot. Would you be ok with welding & repairing the ARM mounts if you hit a curb instead of just an arm?

I know it sounds a bit exaggerated, but its what could happen.

[Damo]

sorry what :confused:

Sorry my spelling mistake i meant when i posted my original post you may have thought i meant the lower front antiroll bar.

Hope this makes more sense.

[Damo]

Once you strengthen something you move the weak spot. Would you be ok with welding & repairing the ARM mounts if you hit a curb instead of just an arm?

I know it sounds a bit exaggerated, but its what could happen.

Absolutly true george if the platings not needed then ill leave it.

[Jon_nova1]

Once you strengthen something you move the weak spot. Would you be ok with welding & repairing the ARM mounts if you hit a curb instead of just an arm?

I know it sounds a bit exaggerated, but its what could happen.

and like i said in the previous topic the suspension will take most of the force, if it doesn't then your going far too fast over said kerb, and im sure vauxhall thought the same when they implemented the plated bottom arm for the corsa:thumb:

[burgo]

Sorry my spelling mistake i meant when i posted my original post you may have thought i meant the lower front antiroll bar.

Hope this makes more sense.

not really no as there is no upper antiroll bar so how can there be a lower one:confused: also the antiroll BAR is just a BAR, i dont see why anyone would think about welding some bits of plate to it.

still doesnt matter, you got the answer you were after :d

[craig green]

The std TCA's are prone to flex, blatantly, they are weedy by design.
If they are allowed to flex, you will encounter geometry changes which at the end of the day results in poor grip & less accuracy through the steering wheel. I highly recommend it. Get some 2mm plate, cut it to rough shape around you TCA. Drill the holes for access to the ball joint bolts with your socket. Then weld them on & grind off arounfd the edges for a neat finish.

[MattBrown]

Mine are being done with 3mm plate, dont want any flex in them.

To me the less flex the better, if you hit a curb and bend something to me the only way it will be 100% right is a re-shell job.

If you hit a curb fast, then your going to bend stuff regardless of stiff or sloppy:p

[craig green]

Thats how I see it. 3mm will be more than upto it.

[George g]

As I said, mine was an exaggerated, alternate view, taken by some of the people I know that run fairly Sucessful gravel and forest rally cars. They would prefer to be replacing arms after each even instead of jigging and welding, but a road car is a different beast. If you have hit many kerbs before, its probably best to keep it normal.

Also with the corsa, I have no knowledge of them, but have they got stronger arm mounts to cope with the plated arms?

[Mieran]

I bought these and saved my self the hassle of making them:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Nova-TCA-Strengthening-plates-Laser-profiled-/200465738281?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2eacb06a29 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200463300958&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT)

Made of 2mm metal