Carlie

Sorry I’m new to this second gen stuff. I need control arms for my 1996 2500 4x4, I’m not lifting it, I’m not even leveling it, if anything I’d like to drop it an inch or so but I probably won’t.

Everything I’m seeing on Carlie’s website is saying their arms are for 1-3” lifted trucks, which in my case would push the axle forward some. Anyone done this and how far forward did it push the axle? I cannot stand tires rubbing and or needing to cut fenders. Currently running some Mexican 20” wheels but have a set of factory 4th gen aluminum 17”s I’ll be running a 285/70 on.

I’ve always read that Carlie is the cats meow so that’s why I’m looking at their stuff. I bought the truck with a new cheap track bar and I’d assume replacing it now with a good one would be a good idea.

I’m all ears when it comes to other products. I want a smooth ride (I’m used to first gems so this one is already like a corvette) and to more or less never need to worry about this junk again.

I don’t tow, I don’t off-road, I use the truck occasionally just to drive a truck. It’s a bone stock PP pump truck with an automatic.

The extended control are 1/2" longer than stock. There are Carli or Thuren for high quality joints. Carli are $795 Thuren are $790. Carli stuff tends to be a bit more expensive on stuff but Thuren is just as good on quality. Thuren however is the only one of them who came up with a 2nd gen track bar conversion bracket with a 2nd gen designed bar with it. Synergy is another good company for suspension components mainly their steering linkage but it has gone up in price quite a bit since they came out and are pretty expensive now.

Lot of money for what your intended use is. Can spend less than 200 on a factory style and be fine.

Lowered mine a couple inches and they work just like stock. I have 3rd gen wheels tho so no rubbing problems. Depends on the backspace and width of whatever you are running obviously.

bateman said:

Lot of money for what your intended use is. Can spend less than 200 on a factory style and be fine.

Lowered mine a couple inches and they work just like stock. I have 3rd gen wheels tho so no rubbing problems. Depends on the backspace and width of whatever you are running obviously.

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Cost doesn’t bother me, I like quality and shit I don’t have to worry about. I’d get pimp slapped if most of y’all knew how many very high parts I have in a VE powered engine ;-))

Marq92 said:

The extended control are 1/2" longer than stock. There are Carli or Thuren for high quality joints. Carli are $795 Thuren are $790. Carli stuff tends to be a bit more expensive on stuff but Thuren is just as good on quality. Thuren however is the only one of them who came up with a 2nd gen track bar conversion bracket with a 2nd gen designed bar with it. Synergy is another good company for suspension components mainly their steering linkage but it has gone up in price quite a bit since they came out and are pretty expensive now.

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“Tharen” I think is where I’ll land, I like that track bar they have. I’m gonna start calling around and see who has what in actual stock and that’ll be my deciding factor.

Thanks gents, I’m gonna have more pp pump questions, I’m doing my damn best to keep this amazing forum talking.

Figured I’d update this in case anyone searches it. I ended up going with a company called Apoc, https://apocindustries.com/collections/adjustable-control-arms?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi4Ha26f8-AIVLmxvBB3BYQdrEAAYASAAEgILG_D_BwE . I have about 12,000 miles on them, no problems. I did tac weld the jam nuts after I got my alignment to where I was happy, no they weren’t backing off but I could see how they may so I did it before that started happening. I have room to lower the truck if I end up doing that and they have lots left if a guy wanted to lift his truck. I’m happy with price and quality so far.

tons of control arms out there. if you look at thuren, hes using a heim joint I think. I have had back luck with the longevity of heim joints in areas that take a beating like control arms. I even run cheap generic heims on my heavy duty steering setup since they take impacts better than the heims thuren spec's.
Also had bad luck with straight bushings, they seize up inside over time.
I would try to find some arms with adjustment you can do with a wrench from the center(so one end right hand thread the other left hand), that use johnny joints on both ends. easy to get parts for and you can grease them unlike a heim.
Only one problem I have with the JJ's is a lot of the time I go to grease them and the grease just wont go in unless I take the weight off the joint or flex it.