In a single paragraph this is the bottom line: Chassisworks will offer to sell you parts that are supposed to fit together. However, Chassiswork's may cause a significant delay in providing the last part you need to make a final assembly. Once you have all the parts together you may then discover that defects in those parts makes it impossible for you to accomplish a safe assembly. However, since it is now past Chassiswork's 30-day return period Chris Alston will refuse to correct the defect or refund your money. You are therefore stuck with hundreds of dollars worth of useless parts. I am a record keeper and I have my claim well documented with names, dates and photos. Suffice it to say that it's like rolling the dice when you deal with non-supporting vendor, Chassisworks.
Beware of non-supporting vendor, Chris Alston's Chassisworks
traveler
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I should have wrote more clearly that Marc said all available ball joints are now made in China and they are all 14mm thread. Hard to believe we've lost that much manufacturing capability but Savitske is supposed to know about those things.
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I had a good experience with Alston Chassisworks - parts and customer service.
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howe racing makes a SAE thread ball joint. they are awesome and have logged over 10000mi with these things and they still look new. thread length was more than adequate and can get different studs with different length. You can request a Auto CAD drawing from them of the ball joint & stud assembly and it will give you all the dimensions you need to check with your current parts before purchasing.
I assume the problem in your case really is the aluminum vs steel spindle. With aluminum the parts need to be thick so that they don't fail in comparison to steel. that said those balljoints were most likely designed around stock steel parts not hi-performance aluminum parts. the thread change from SAE to metric really is more of a piss off but not a deal breaker.
safe to say anyone modifying anything on these cars has probably been screwed at least once by aftermarket parts. I cannot recall how many times for myself but it is a crappy situation.
I have bought and used parts from CA for over 20 plus years. Probably have bought 60k worth of stuff from them. Anytime I had a problem I spoke to Chris and they always helped me even if it was my mistake. I would be tactful and put pressure on them. If it was your fault "admit it" if it was there fault "force" the issue. They have thousands of customers and great reputation.
Now that you mention it I do remember reading about Howe ball joints. I believe they are rebuildable and are relatively expensive compared to the average ball joint. I'm beginning to suspect that what Marc meant was that none of the aftermarket tubular control arms come with anything other than Chinese ball joints. Even if they are too expensive to be included in a competitively priced control arm the sellers could offer Howe joints as an option. Provided the Chinese joints wear at least as well as the original, no longer made American joints, I will be satisfied with them.
The Chassisworks aluminum spindles have relatively thick wall steel inserts that accept the ball joint studs. It appears that the inserts are prevented from becoming loose by virtue of the special flanged castle nuts. Most of the flange sits on the aluminum body of the spindle which captures the insert.
Automobiles are not my only interest and in my 76 years I've had to eat my share of parts that for one reason or another I couldn't use. This is the first time I've spent seven hundred of dollars for a part that was manufactured with a major, dangerous, built-in defect that made the part useless from day one, and yet the manufacturer refuses to make it right. I am certain that there is actionable activity involved here. Fortunately for Chassisworks I prefer to expend what little time I have left on Earth in more productive pursuits.
I purchased the Chassisworks control arms through SC&C and I believe Marc did try his best to reason with Alston. There was no mistake on my part involved. It was Chassiswork's failure to inspect for suitability the ball joints that it installed in my control arms. Marc felt so bad about the way Alston ultimately handled the transaction that he gave me a sizeable discount on the much better made (and more expensive) SPC arms. I do not doubt that Chassisworks has satisfied customers. I have no idea why the one and only time I tried to be one of them I was rejected.
I have the Chassisworks spindles and castle nuts, SPC upper and lower A Arms and Howe Ball Joints.
I had a frustrating experience with Chassisworks on my front coilovers, it took close to 5 months to get them.
Their customers service wasn't the best.
![Image]()
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I had a frustrating experience with Chassisworks on my front coilovers, it took close to 5 months to get them.
Their customers service wasn't the best.
Sent from my SM-T720 using Tapatalk
I have the Chassisworks spindles and castle nuts, SPC upper and lower A Arms and Howe Ball Joints.
I had a frustrating experience with Chassisworks on my front coilovers, it took close to 5 months to get them.
Their customers service wasn't the best.![Image]()
Sent from my SM-T720 using Tapatalk
Close to 5 months is much worse than the nearly 2 months it took to get my Chassisworks aluminum spindles. But when you deal with Chassisworks all it takes is a 31 day delay in discovering a part is defective and you get to eat that part. Such a discovery can easily happen when that earlier delivered part turns out not to properly mate with the delayed part.
That's a great photo of your front suspension. It looks like you've assembled the ultimate combination of hi-performance suspension parts. I don't recognize the hub or the caliper bracket. Which brand are you using there? Which steering box and ratio?
I've read this entire thread, and I must admit that I'm trying to wrap my brain around this entire issue you're having. Maybe for me it's the lack of visual aids such as more revealing pictures. I don't know.
I've purchased these same spindles, but directly from Chassis Works, and I think I only waited two weeks for delivery. But I haven't tried to install them yet. For clarification, please let me know if I'm getting this right, ( I'm not sure that I am)....
Is the fact that these spindles being made of aluminum, and therefore being thicker where the ball joint taper inserts into, creating the need for a ball joint with a longer threaded area? Am I reading you right? And what about these special steering arms that Chassis Works sells for these spindles? Are you using these too? And have you noticed any problems with the steering arms as well????...My understanding is that these special steering arms are supposed to correct, (or prevent) the bumpsteer issue that these spindles would otherwise create if the factory stock type steering arms were used with them....
https://www.cachassisworks.com/p-29...949-chevelle-64-72-a-body-bumpsteer-corrected-steering-arm-billet-aluminum.aspx
I guess I'm getting a little confused about this, because in certain parts of some of your posts in this thread, it sounds to me that you might be implying that the control arms were/are part of the problem, but I had originally thought that it's actually the extra bulk and thickness of the aluminum spindle that is causing the issues you've had. Correct? If I'm getting this correct, then would a special ball joint offering more thread engagement be the solution to the problem? I would be inclined to write or call Chassis Works to complain about this issue since I also have purchased these same spindles as you have, and therefore I am also a customer of theirs. However before I can contact them to complain about this, I need to fully comprehend the problem at hand, as well as what the most logical solution would be. Please explain if you would. Thanks in advance.
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Troy, that is an impressive axle setup.
I wanted the spindle that takes a Corvette hub, I went with the cast iron version from CPP because I wanted the strength of iron over aluminum, it was relatively inexpensive and in stock.
But I had to modify the heck out of it and make a custom plate to accommodate six piston Wilwood calipers and stock 15" wheels.
Viking coilovers, no waiting.
I wanted the spindle that takes a Corvette hub, I went with the cast iron version from CPP because I wanted the strength of iron over aluminum, it was relatively inexpensive and in stock.
But I had to modify the heck out of it and make a custom plate to accommodate six piston Wilwood calipers and stock 15" wheels.
Viking coilovers, no waiting.
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The steering box is a Borgeson 12.7 to 1
The hub and caliper mount is from Baer. Coincidentally, when I ordered the Baer brakes from SC&C I originally ordered four piston front calipers that turned into another waiting exercise (Baers issue not SC&C) but Mark stepped up and gave me a great deal on a upgrade to 14" 6P setup.
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I bought a Schwartz Chassis and things aren't so great with them, either. I had to modify my front upper and lower control arms, remake a caliper bracket and get new lower ball joints. I also had to slot the rack mounts and get offset bushings to correct the terrible bump steer.
I raced oval track for many years, so it was a good thing I am completely familiar with this type of suspension. It was also a good thing I had all of the gauges so I could correct everything.
Racing in Michigan, it was impossible not to know who Howe racing is. All thru the middle 90's to about 2001 both Dina and Chas Howe (owners of Howe Racing) drove my partner and my race cars.
1st pic is my Chevelle suspension after I fixed it....2nd pic is Dina Howe on the right, me in the middle and my partner on the left, taken in front of our super late model about 1998ish.
I raced oval track for many years, so it was a good thing I am completely familiar with this type of suspension. It was also a good thing I had all of the gauges so I could correct everything.
Racing in Michigan, it was impossible not to know who Howe racing is. All thru the middle 90's to about 2001 both Dina and Chas Howe (owners of Howe Racing) drove my partner and my race cars.
1st pic is my Chevelle suspension after I fixed it....2nd pic is Dina Howe on the right, me in the middle and my partner on the left, taken in front of our super late model about 1998ish.
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I believe I can answer your questions. The problem I had was caused entirely by unsatisfactory Chinese ball joints pressed by Chassisworks into their tubular lower control arms - stud was too short. So far the Chassisworks aluminum spindles seem to be satisfactory. I installed both of them today. However, as you suspect, I do believe the thickness of the lower boss is a little excessive. Even with the good ball joints installed by SPC in the arms I'm now using I had to use 90 lbs. of torque to just barely get access to the cotter pin hole (photo).
In other words your Chassisworks aluminum spindles should be fine provided they are fitted to ball joints that have a normal stud length. But you will likely find that you'll have to torque the heck out of the castle nut in order to get access to the cotter pin hole
Yes, I plan to use the bump steer correction Chassisworks steering arms but haven't installed them yet.
Attachments
The steering box is a Borgeson 12.7 to 1
The hub and caliper mount is from Baer. Coincidentally, when I ordered the Baer brakes from SC&C I originally ordered four piston front calipers that turned into another waiting exercise (Baers issue not SC&C) but Mark stepped up and gave me a great deal on a upgrade to 14" 6P setup.![Image]()
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Thanks for the info. I'm familiar with the Borgeson box, having not long ago converted the ancient external power valve and cylinder type power steering (with manual box) in a '73 Corvette. The Borgeson box was one of the best mods I've ever made.
Attachments
OK, now I understand your dilemma. Thanks for the explanation, and for the picture. I'm sorry to hear about these ball joint issues you're going through. I bought upper and lower Global West TLC-42 control arms, ( they're for street/strip cars) but I haven't installed them yet.
So what drew you to the Tall spindles with zero drop in the first place? Did you purchase them for better handling, or are you building a drag car, and wanted the benefit of greater front suspension travel for improved starting line traction that these 1.5" taller offer? ( The latter reason is what motivated me to purchase the spindles).
Would it be possible to safely modify the castle nut by filing down the slots just a tiny bit, so you can get the cotter pin through without over-torqueing the nut? Or slightly elongate the hole in the ball joint stud? Could the nut be retained with safety wire somehow?
Just thinking out loud.....
When I worked at a vehicle engineering facility, the standard was the nut should thread down 1.5 x the diameter of the mounting bolt/stud after all washers and lock washers were in place.
As that sits, I'd say no way.
I just took some measurements of the Chassis Works spindles I have, (they're the same part number that you have, and are the aluminum Tall spindles with ZERO drop). I found that both the top and bottom mounting ears are the SAME thickness as those of the factory stock spindles that I presently have on my Chevelle, (it's a 70 Chevelle). So you and I were both wrong as far as our assumption concerning the Chassis Works tall spindles being thicker in the upper and lower ball joint mounting ears.
Here's something that might be of help to you: since my stock spindles, stock upper and lower control arms, and factory replacement ball joints are still mounted and assembled in my car the way it sits now, I took some other measurements for you for comparison, and they are as follows....
#1. the lower ball joint stud protrudes through the lower mounting ear of the stock spindle by .650"
#2. The castle nut is .500" tall
Over-torquing the ball joint nuts to a whopping 90 ft/lbs is NOT something I would care to do, and you may have even come dangerously close to stripping the ball joint stud threads by doing that. And that's a potentially unsafe condition. I strongly suggest that you measure the height of those castle nuts you have, because I'm wondering if that is actually the problem, or at least one of the problems you have. See if it's any taller than the .500" height that the castle nuts that I have on my car are. And measure how far the ball joint stud protrudes out of the spindle ear.
We cannot rule that out as being an issue until you take these measurements that I have taken. One thing I've learned using aftermarket parts on my cars over the years: You should never assume that the dimesnions of aftermarket parts, nor the dimensions of the hardware that's included with them are correct for your application. Everything should be measured before installation. That includes, bolt hole depths, bolt lengths, nut heights, etc., etc. I hope this helps you.
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