JBA Upper Control Arms

Impressed so far with the post sale communication. I received a text to expect 4 emails. The first one is below, but it also had links to installation videos and instructions.

Hey xxx

Thank you for investing in our JBA a-arms, your order will be at your door soon. I attached the installation instructions so you can plan out your install. (Link Below)


Please note: The bushing on the ball joint holds the boot in place. It goes between the ball joint and steering knuckle. See video below for more details.
Note: The a-arm Install is the same on the Tundra & Sequoia. The video below about the JBA ball joints is a universal and broad overview. Use the installation instructions for the vehicle specific details.

 

You do realize that everything is made in China, and pretty damn well too. I would trust a Chinese manufactured product over mostly everything else. Almost everything you interact with on a daily basis is made in China lol.

 

Lol. The few Apple products I have are made well, but I can't think of much else from China that I can say the same of. Almost all of the Chinese tools I've bought wear out and break down significantly faster, including kitchen utensils. The next can opener I buy is going to be a vintage one on eBay or something. These newer MIC items wear out and/or rust after a year or so. Regarding tools, it's well known that you only buy things at Harbor Freight that you need one or two uses out of, although I have gotten lucky there with a couple of bigger items holding up well (3T Daytona jack, for one).

The problem is that steel manufactured in China is held to an incredibly poor standard compared to the standards American steel manufacturers must abide by. Remember the issues the Oakland bay bridge had several years ago? That was from sourcing steel from China. Commercial metal buildings made with Chinese steel often offer only a 1 year warranty as opposed to those made with American steel who offer a 50 year warranty. The list goes on and on...

 

Yeah for the most part but when I can buy a product that's superior while supporting an American small business, that's a no brainer for me.

 

Just got my JBA’s today! Noticed you’re from Wisco as well, I’m still waiting on more parts, coilovers and CB shackles but looking for a shop I can trust for install. I’m guessing you did you’re own but if you have any recommendations I’d appreciate it. Thanks

 

How long did it take for them to ship them? My order is still processing, and I ordered almost 2 weeks ago.

 

Mine took about that long.

 

Hi All,

I have JBAs, just haven’t installed them. Anyway, I came across this post on another thread claiming downtravel clearance issues with wider coilovers:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/falcon-shocks-are-coming.34355/page-7#post-2119282

This has me a bit worried because I intend to install them with Fox 2.5 coilovers.

Have any of you with wider diameter coilovers noticed your JBAs hitting the coil spring during downtravel?

 

I have Bilstein 6112 up front. JBA finally shipeed mine, arriving next week so it will be net weekends project along with CB 1/4" spacers. But the Bilstein's are 2" if I recall. Happy to check to check clearance for 2.5"

 

Thanks, PearlPower. I currently have 6112s set at 1.9” with stock UCAs. I believe the 6112s are 2.5” in diameter, or at least their shock bodies are. I’ve read at least one post on here where the stock UCA has hit the 6112 coils at full droop. I haven’t noticed that ever happening on mine since I put them on about 50K miles ago, but admittedly my off-road excursions have been purposefully mild so far.

I got the JBAs to help with alignment and droop with the Fox 2.5s I intend to install. I was just hoping to bolt everything on and go without having to look into limiting straps. Hence, my question for others with JBAs and bigger coilovers. I’m hoping the other post I referenced was a one-off anomaly.

 

I ran mine with icon 2.5s and didn't have any issues with downtravel clearance.

 

Good to hear, CrunchTime! Thanks for weighing in.

 

Please let us know how it goes. My jba’s arrive tomorrow and planning on fox 2.5 as well. Fingers crossed for you.

 

Thanks. And I’ll definitely report when I cycle them after install. I probably won’t install them til this summer, though. I’d like to do everything all at once and neec to get rear shocks and figure out what mild lift to add back there. The 5160s are looking worn and have a mild seep, so it may be sooner, though. Please also let us know how yours cycle when you install them.

 

Mine will be a couple months also. No shocks ordered yet. I’ll report when it happens though. Setup looks good though. I’ve seen it before on here and never heard of an issue. Hopefully a one off problem like you said. I was looking at the 0-3” version.

 

FYI got a fresh answer from another thread. On a Tennessee thread he just installed and I asked about rub at full droop

 

Excellent. Thanks for sharing!

 

Perty. Now have Moog lowers and JBA uppers, install in a few weeks.

 

Mine arrived as well Wednesday. They look good! They are beefy. Now to save up $ for my front shocks. Let us know how the clearance is.

 

Any updates OP with the trigger finger? Decisions??

 

I’m running this set up and they don’t hit. I love them.
6112 with two ships each side and JBA UCA

 

This is a response from JBA when I asked about using my factory wheels back in November—

“Due to our larger ball joint and more robust construction vs. the factory arms you do lose a little clearance, depending on where you`re measuring say 1/4"-1/2" but it doesn`t seem to be a problem for most Tundra customers. Clearance on the Tacomas and 4Runners is tight and we talk to people regularly about fitment and acceptable back spacing etc. With the Tundras it almost never comes up.”

 

Good to know! Thanks for chiming in.

 

Yea JBA's are machined and turned on the lathe right here in America best brand out there for UCA's hands down, SPC is manufactured in China just go with the better quality. and also JBA's ball joint is mounted into the UCA with an adaptor that gets pressed into the steering knuckle better design then anyone.

 

Do you know when SPC moved their manufacturing to China??

Every SPC UCA box I have seen said made in the USA. That goes for every part I have seen from SPC.

 

SPC control arm itself is manufactured here but they are using a Chinese ball joint just like moog its garbage, if u want goo controls arms bit the bullet and just spend the extra money on JBA offroad save u the headache

SPC

 

Not necessarily questioning you, but I’m curious where you found this info.
SPC rep said, everything was U.S. made.
I’m not sure if they were correct, misleading or mistaken.

 

At on point JBA use to get there balljoints from moog then they started making there own balljoints cause there were issues that was like 12 years ago, SPC tho last time I checked they get their balljoints from the same manufacture as moog and that is a Chinese manufacture.

 

Are you saying JBA makes their own in house or sources them from a U.S. distributor?