A close call and a big-time WARNING!

[David Kirkham]

Tom,

Bummer, hope you get better soon.

Sadly, this is not the first time I have heard about this. This problem has been going on for years. Any ideas on where we could post some of these potential problems to avoid even more serious injuries to our friends and Fellow Car Nuts?

Steve,

We forge our rear uprights out of 7075 T-6 aluminum. Probably the last part on the car to break! I just don't trust castings--especially ones that are made in low quantities where there is not enough time or money to get it right. Casting is still a "Black Art" and no matter what anyone says--I don't like using them. Ford casts millions of things--and pays millions of dollars to the foundry to get it right.

Currently, there are only two castings in our car. The aluminum differential housing (we have made hundreds of them now), and the rotors. (Wilwood has made thousands upon thousands of them.)

Nevertheless, I think all of this mess was caused by a welded control arm. I hate welds too. (You should see some of the original welded control arms! Oh man are they scary!) That is why we are now billeting most of our control arms. (Some simply can't be billeted because of their construction/geometry constraints--but they are TIG welded by a CERTIFIED aircraft welder--with FORGED ends.)

David