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Everything you need to know about Upper Control Arms (UCA)

Discussion in 'Suspension' started by csuviper, Mar 29, 2016.

  1. Apr 8, 2018 at 12:06 PM
    #121
    250rdave

    250rdave like I told the guy on ABC DANGER IS MY BUSINESS

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    I realized that it was the bj that you guys were referring to after I hit the post button I am trying to get the picture thing down buy I am old and not techy like you young guys.
     
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  2. Apr 8, 2018 at 12:07 PM
    #122
    250rdave

    250rdave like I told the guy on ABC DANGER IS MY BUSINESS

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    see I couldn't even spell but right
     
  3. Apr 8, 2018 at 8:42 PM
    #123
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Hey guys, new to the forums!

    I just ordered a set of total chaos UCA’s (non adjustable). Hoping it will align okay with the BDS 7” (8” with coachbuilder shims).
     
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  4. Apr 9, 2018 at 7:23 AM
    #124
    trayday

    trayday New Member

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    7" BDS, ADS front and rear, Total Chaos UCA's, CB tie rods
    They won't work. BDS needs heim joint TC uppers. Post #42
     
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  5. Apr 9, 2018 at 12:07 PM
    #125
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    That probably explains why they were so cheap on eBay.

    From what I understand, these arms work on the 2-3” spacer lift kits so well because you aren’t changing out the spindle (Which creates a steep UCA angle). But with the BDS spindles, it’s brought back to factory angles so a aftermarket Control arm is not needed.
     
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  6. Apr 9, 2018 at 12:28 PM
    #126
    trayday

    trayday New Member

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    20180409_122321.jpg 20180409_122256.jpg
    They can be made to work with adding adjustability at the bushings, just kind of a PITA. The upper bolts have to be pulled if the lower arms can't get the alignment correct. A few months ago, the upper bolts had to be cut off for the arms to be pulled.
     
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  7. Apr 9, 2018 at 12:47 PM
    #127
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    It seems that a lot of people get mixed results with different set ups. I was hoping I would get lucky since I have the extra inch with the CB shims. Would cranking up the coils higher change anything? Or is it a completely different issue from that? I understand a lot of suspension components, just not familiar with how the alignments are affected by different brands of UCA’s.
     
  8. Apr 9, 2018 at 2:05 PM
    #128
    Jrmysell

    Jrmysell New Member

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    Seeing some people are having problems, will JBA's work with a 6112/5160 set at 1.9" with diff drop kit?
     
  9. Apr 9, 2018 at 2:17 PM
    #129
    trayday

    trayday New Member

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    I couldn't tell you, I'm pretty new this this scene.
     
  10. Apr 9, 2018 at 2:24 PM
    #130
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Diff drops won’t change anything as far as control arms concern.

    But for compatability I’m not sure, that’s the predicament I’m in now. All aftermarket UCA’s give different alignment specs, which is why having a fully adjustable control arm seems to be the guaranteed alignment. I’m assuming you have factory spindles, and with a 2” lift your angles would probably be steep enough to need UCA’s. But take my opinion with a grain of salt, I’m on my first build and don’t know as much as the tundra veterans on here.
     
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  11. Apr 9, 2018 at 3:35 PM
    #131
    GORDO661

    GORDO661 New Member

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    I will never order anything from Toytec again I order the wrong TC UCA and @trayday told me they wouldn’t work so I called them and this guy named Hugo send it back and will refund your money and I won’t charge you the 15% restocking fee so I did then come to find out as soon as he got it back boom restocking fee lost out on the deal 165 smh
     
  12. Apr 9, 2018 at 4:10 PM
    #132
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    So did you contact them once you saw the $165 charge and explain the situation? Cause if you didn’t, and you’re just bashing them over what could be a simple mistake, then you bitching online about it makes you come off as ridiculous.
     
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  13. Apr 9, 2018 at 6:56 PM
    #133
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Spoke with David at ekstrom designs today. He said the total chaos with standard bushings (not heim joint) would align without issue with my set-up. I guess I will just have to wait and see.:notsure:
     
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  14. Apr 9, 2018 at 8:17 PM
    #134
    GORDO661

    GORDO661 New Member

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    Yes I emailed them Friday after I found out and the called there office on Monday morning spoke with Hugo a sales rep and he told me as soon as the get there ship them right back so we don’t charge you 15% restocking fee but they still charge me the restocking fee and I paid to ship them back so yeah I was burned. Im not bitching just letting guys know on this thread so nobody else gets burned like I did
     
  15. Apr 9, 2018 at 8:32 PM
    #135
    UTTundra

    UTTundra New Member

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    @zcarpenter92 asked if you contacted them again AFTER you saw they charged you the restocking fee. Call them again and talk to Hugo.
     
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  16. Apr 9, 2018 at 8:54 PM
    #136
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    Bingo.
     
  17. Apr 9, 2018 at 9:08 PM
    #137
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    I’ll speak with Hugo in the morning to dig into it and hopefully provide clarity.

    Please see the page.

    ALL refunds carry a minimum restocking fee of 15% from the original purchase price.
     
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  18. Apr 10, 2018 at 7:11 AM
    #138
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    Hi Gordo-

    I spoke with Hugo this morning. 15% is only waived if you exchange the product. You opted for a full refund, so per policy - (see link I previously posted and email exchange between Hugo and yourself) there is a 15% restocking fee that is to be absorbed from the customer. The 15% includes: 5% transaction, 5% restocking, and 5% refund transaction. I hope this provides clarity.

    The RA (Return Authorization) is listed in the email which is needed on the box. Based on you also writing the RA# on the box, you acknowledged the associated fees.

    Thanks-

    Gordo.jpg
     
  19. Apr 12, 2018 at 5:46 PM
    #139
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Old UCA’s came out with no issue, just a breaker bar and a mallet to help guide it out. You have to loosen a few wires on the passenger side.

    Also pulled my 7” coils out, putting a 3” level spacer on top (not to get off topic, but that’s why everything is torn apart). 8DEB85DB-DB9A-4413-BCFB-70CF31ACD61D.jpg
     
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  20. Apr 14, 2018 at 5:17 PM
    #140
    gregfocker77520

    gregfocker77520 New Member

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    none yet!!
    So spc UCAs the way to go with a 3” lift up front?
     
  21. Apr 15, 2018 at 9:38 PM
    #141
    Jsena

    Jsena Trend setter, not a follower!!

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    Read all this UCA wont work with BDS LIFTS, not sure what Heim is but BDS now makes their own UCA. Says it works with 2-3 inch lifts and their own 7 inch lift but not the 4.5 bds or 5 inch Zone.. anyone know anything about those UCA’s01A5624C-75B2-4214-ABF5-948D8195EF0F.jpg
     
  22. Apr 15, 2018 at 9:52 PM
    #142
    Jsena

    Jsena Trend setter, not a follower!!

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    2D5350F7-CFE6-4FA2-B0E7-0841B9457E3A.jpg
     
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  23. Apr 15, 2018 at 9:55 PM
    #143
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    You’re putting 3” spacers on top of Fox shocks?
     
  24. Apr 16, 2018 at 7:29 AM
    #144
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Ended up being 2.5”, I tried using my old 3” from when my truck was leveled. But it offsets the bolts so it won’t mount back up. So I had to order a 2.5” spacer that keeps the bolts aligned. It can (and has been) done, just takes some custom work.

    Apologies for getting off topic.
     
  25. Apr 16, 2018 at 7:59 AM
    #145
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    What I was getting at is it’s not exactly smart to put a spacer on top of an already extended length shock. Shims are one thing, but I’ve hard a few horror stories about broken coilovers with spacers.
     
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  26. Apr 17, 2018 at 6:33 AM
    #146
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    I wouldn’t advise anyone to do it, mostly because the alterations you have to do to make it work, aren’t worth it.

    I haven’t heard of it being “dangerous”, I know stacking spacers is a big no. The biggest reason I’m doing it is so I have enough angle on my UCA’s to justify using a high angle uniball (as pictured earlier). The total chaos arms won’t work unless you have a higher angle from what I’ve found.
     
  27. Apr 17, 2018 at 6:50 AM
    #147
    OBXTundra

    OBXTundra Member

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    Half dozen others to go with and 10x that in opinions. I went JBA. All depends on what your end goal is, how you feel about Uni-ball, how you feel about a proprietary UBJ, each has their own set of benefits or weakness.
     
  28. Apr 17, 2018 at 6:51 AM
    #148
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    If you needed a “higher angle” lift, how is it that there are guys running TC UCA’s with 2-3” or lift without issue?
     
  29. Apr 17, 2018 at 7:03 AM
    #149
    TundraDude772

    TundraDude772 Shake N’ Bake, Ricky Bobby

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    Because a level kit doesn’t change out your spindles like a lift kit does. When you have a taller spindle like the BDS kit uses, it brings UCA angle back to stock. So by adding a level spacer I’m making the angle equivalent to that of a leveled truck.

    This is my first build, and I’m learning as I go. But from what I understand, that’s how it works.
     
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  30. Apr 17, 2018 at 7:23 AM
    #150
    zcarpenter92

    zcarpenter92 Yotas and Yellow Jackets

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    I’m no expert, but I think you’re missing something in this equation bud. I have a 3” lift on my pickup with stock spindles, the only kits that have a replacement spindle are the ones for 2WD’s only. Almost everyone I know that runs TC arms is running aftermarket coilovers for added lift.
     
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