Freedom Off-road UCA bent my spindles?

My freedoms, (while not uninall) have the same gap. Mine were a snug fit to the bushing. I’m leaning towards either over torque of the long bolt, or they used a little to much heat to remove the old ball joint.

 

OP still a no show since opening post.....

 

That truck has seen some air time.

 

Is there a limit to the angle the upper ball joint can move that might cause that? Kinda like trying to compress a turkey wishbone but instead of breaking, it bends?

 

A hard landing at a hard stop for a uca would twist the skinny bit, and wouldnt do ?both?, folding so the spindle moved up and in? Thats a square looking bend. Im also thinking too much heat.

 

Plot twist: OP works for spc

 

Really?

 

ftfy.

 

When the knuckles bend, that’s not normally how they bend. Bent knuckles look like you have massive Camber.

The knuckles are cast steel I believe and I could see them being over heated with a torch trying to remove the old ball joints, and possible weakening the steel.

 

No, but it would be pretty funny if he did

 

Bump to remind us this will be the least satisfying thread ever.

 

My vote is for jumped with no bumpstops.

 

My guess is OP is too embarrassed to admit he doesn't have said bump stops. Hence, the ghosting.

 

In this picture the arm is clearly contacting the shock tower. If it's the same case with OPs arm then that would stop the arm moving up and effectively turn it into a bump stop creating a compression force on the spindle and bending the top.

None of OPs photos look like there'd be a contact issue, but interesting that this photo clearly shows that. Add tolerancing or improper installation or other things and that arm might be slapping the shit out of the shock tower.

 

This was not a jump or a one off. It was a problem at install. Look at the rust pattern.

 

Do you think the person capturing the video was initially thinking, wow he's so smart? Or, this looks bad?

 

They probably thought it was brilliant... until...

 

People too often underestimate the weight of loads ...

 

This one is one of my favorites.

https://youtu.be/WL2iT_jpFYE

 

At least he put down a pallet before dropping a two ton boulder in the back of the truck.

 

What coilovers are you using and do you have extended bumpstops? I doubt the UCAs are to blame...