How and Why...

We started out with a .120 wall chromoly box tube, which offers superior strength, yet provides better tire clearance than round tube. Stock control arms are NOT meant for high-speed off-road us. We regulary send out stock control arms from an installation (which would wind up in scrap yard) and provide them to stock full race teams, simply because the O.E.M. product gets destroyed in anything other than light conditions.

Our joints are .250 wall chromoly tube that is custom machined and finally laser cut with a retainer wall on one side and a retainer clip groove on the other. We drop in chromoly ball centers that are hardened to a high rockwell with urethane bushings, interally lubricated with Red Line synthetic grease. Zirc fittings compliment each joint and we have side specific fittings for easy maintenance, you can get your grease gun on the joints with ease.

What you want to watch out for are control arms with rubber, or Delrin style joints. When the Dodge 4-link front end cycles, it isn't a perfectly vertical movement, there is left-to-right geometry as well as forward and backwards movement. What this requires is .25 inch worth of movement. We account for this by housing our hardened chromoly joint with a urethane coupling. If the two points are fixed, there will be excessive bind and any other style joint will eventually wear out and need replacement. Ours are designed to withstand the worst conditions possible, which include the 2007 SCORE International Baja 1000, and performed flawlessly...

Control Arm Options

Our original design was chromoly, making our products from the toughest materials we work with. However, for the majority of our customers, it's overkill. Unless you plan on pounding your truck in the dirt often or are going to race, mild steel would suit your needs just fine. We offer our exact same design and manufacturing process with a lighter material and heavier wall thickness, which means you'll have the same reliability and long term use, with money left over for your adventures. Our mild steel arms are the same price as other providers who use Delrin style joints, which will eventually wear out before the arm does. Our joints are made out of hard steel and won't wear out.

American Made Dodge Ram Suspension Components

Every control arm is hand assembled right here in the Carli Suspension shop. These controls arms consist of being jig assembled and welded, in your choice of chromoly (tig) or steel (mig) construction. Following this is a black powder coating finish and its on to the assembly, adding hardened steel joints, urethane couplers and steel retaining plates and ring.

Control arm joints come pre-lubricated with Red Line Synthetic high performance grease, the best we can get that doesn't break down the urethane couplings. Of course every arm is assembled with a zirc fitting per joint that is positioned for easy maintenance.