Interest for development of custom rear control arm fix for toe and camber issues

Interested in custom control arms for toe/camber fix?

  • Yes. I'm interested!

    Votes: 10 71.4%

  • No. I'll pass.

    Votes: 4 28.6%
  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .
nima said:
@Athlon: do you happen to know when we can hear back? I know its not a quick thing..
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I have some good news. So SPL is currently talking to the Austin Infiniti dealership about not only a rear solution but a front solution for the 2009 and up FX35/FX50/FX37/QX70 line as well as other Infiniti models. SPL is looking to gain all the info they can from the Infiniti manufacturer on measurements, specs, etc as well as info from a parts distributor in Atlanta. This way, they can decide on how much R&D needs to be done to modify the existing stock parts or come up with an entirely new design solution. I spoke to Mike about at SPL today and he relayed this info to me. He told me to check in every two weeks to get the latest updates. This obviously isn't going to be a quick turn thing like I had hoped. However, with dealership interest, exposure, and the proper R&D, I think we'll have a winner on our hands soon enough, and this won't loose steam.
 
Thanks for the update. I was also hoping for it to be a quicker thing. By the sounds of it, it'll be about a year before we see a working product.. doesn't help with my decision to go with coilover or replace the OE parts, I think the spring is sagging a bit on the rear because the camber is off, front is only a little better. But OE costs a lot more than BC coils lol
 
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nima said:
Thanks for the update. I was also hoping for it to be a quicker thing. By the sounds of it, it'll be about a year before we see a working product.. doesn't help with my decision to go with coilover or replace the OE parts, I think the spring is sagging a bit on the rear because the camber is off, front is only a little better. But OE costs a lot more than BC coils lol
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I hear you. Hopefully, the cost will be cheaper if it's just a kit that can be made to the existing suspension versus an entirely new component that replaces the existing one.
 
nima said:
Any updates?
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I called SPL and spoke to Mike this past Friday. He said that they're currently working with the Austin Infiniti dealership head service guy, Craig. The plan is to see whether they can use parts on incoming newer model Infiniti's and try retrofit or modify them to the FX. This would be to save on R&D costs. Mike also said that their desk is currently full with other projects that they're trying to complete before devoting more attention to the FX issue. I expressed my concern about how slow the process to a solution would be if they're going to just rely on this head service guy's availability. I told him that if there's no movement on it in about 2 months, I'll just go ahead and pay for the R&D myself to get the ball rolling. Life is too short to wait that long for this. I don't mind dropping off the FX with them for R&D.
 
Anything to push ahead faster would be great. I'd be willing to be guinea pig had I lived over there; not sure how else to contribute and get this thing to completion. They will find quite a bit of interest from FX riders regarding the front and rear adjustable suspension, that should be a motivation. Thanks for the update.
 
I am interested in purchasing rear control arm as the camber is way out and maxed just lowering it 1.2".
 
nima said:
Any developments?
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Don't hold your breath Nima, I went through a ton of talks with SPC about the camber problems and they were going to work on something but it never happened.
I wasted my money on a set of springs.
 
GEE50FX said:
Don't hold your breath Nima, I went through a ton of talks with SPC about the camber problems and they were going to work on something but it never happened.
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Wayne is right, I did as well for years and no one is interested as there really is not a huge market. It has to be all custom in the end which the quotes I have gotten have been ridiculously expensive.
 
Thanks guys. A member on this forum (Larry@ARK.. I think) is selling custom rear camber arms. I wonder if there will be people would be interested if I can replicate them - it shouldn't be so hard to do using a 3D scanner and printer, or scan for a CNC machine.
 
I still have the arms that I did R&D for and actually produced. Sorry to break it to everyone but I've garnered a lot of "inquiries" but no one actually purchased the rear arms. This talk has been going on for years but no ones willing to actually pay for it.

1) All the R&D has been done to provide an adequate amount of fix. First off you need to make a new spring arm so you can change springs but this is only half of it.
2) There is a second arm that needs to be produced in order to achieve even more camber fix, my current arms changed my -4.7 to a -3.3 which saved a lot of my tires
3) Being a one off, just one set of arms costed over $2000 to produce and at my current lower selling price I still get lowballed to sell it lower...tells you a lot about the market

Just an FYI...
 
I spoke to Mike at SPL parts a couple of days ago. They've gotten what they need as far as info from infiniti regarding the control arms for not only the FX but the G37 coupe and sedans. Unfortunately, they are working on a lot of projects and won't even be able to get to it until March/April 2016. I even asked if I could fund it, and they said it would really speed things up. Frustrating to say the least. I'm up for any other avenues.

---------- Post added at 06:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM ----------

I spoke to Mike at SPL parts a couple of days ago. They've gotten what they need as far as info from infiniti regarding the control arms for not only the FX but the G37 coupe and sedans. Unfortunately, they are working on a lot of projects and won't even be able to get to it until March/April 2016. I even asked if I could fund it, and they said it would really speed things up. Frustrating to say the least. I'm up for any other avenues.
 
I hope they come through with it but like I said, don't hold your breath.
 
Im very temped to lower mine & I was actually under my car today wondering how they could achieve to correct a -3 camber issue & it looks like the only way would be a custom upper control arm with slotted inner mounting points & cambolts because the lower one holds the spring & if camber was adjusted with that one alone it would throw the toe way off. & if they did make one its deffinitely gona be very pricey...
 
As mentioned before I have half the solution already. The other half is the lower control arm that needs to be cut and an adjustable bolt has to be put in its place in order to achieve near factory.

I don't want to be a grinch but I don't think it'll be easy to have those manufactured, I have the spring arms readily available and yet no one has pulled the trigger to get it. Imagine if two arms are involved...
 
^it's exactly as Lerry said. Years ago I worked with SPC and after trials and errors, they won't do it. Same reason is that there's no market for it.

The majority of FX/QX owners are regular people who aren't about modifying their cars. They need to sell in thousands to justify the R&D cost.

And here we barely have 100 people willing to put money into a group buy.

Everything I had done for my cars up till now are fully custom and they cost a lot of money. And I can see the same with SPL given the demand. Rear arm may be plausible but front arms are going to be PITA (Trust me, I've worked months on the measurements and adjustments).

I'm having a set (front and rear) made for my own purpose and hate to bring it but we don't plan to mass produce unless people are willing to pay for it. Cost me over 3K for the project.
 
Update: I spoke to Mike today at SPL-parts. He states that they have sent a design for the rear control arms to a fabricator. The fabricator currently has some other projects ahead of ours. Once the rear control arms are fabricated, they will do real-world testing. I asked about the front arms; Mike states they will address that once they finish with the rear ones.
 
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