SPC UCA’s

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
Staff member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
7,959
Age
31
Location
Yucaipa, CA
If the had washers on the inside of the bushings it would help share the forces pushing it back. Come up with a pipe that would slide over the outside of the stock tube the bolt slides thru. Weld a big washer to that. So it would end up looking like a top hat sort of.
That’s exactly what I ended up doing last weekend.

77E639D8-C23E-4B73-A311-1EB2D834194F.jpeg7114A1CF-B333-451A-9156-EA70DD6308F7.jpeg
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
27
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I'm having similar issues. I've been running All-Pro upper arms for 5 or 6 years now and I don't think they've ever worked correctly. Not sure exactly where the problem is, but at this point it seems to be a combination of things. The inner sleeves seem like they're too short. Whether they came like that new, or have worn over time I'm not sure, but I can't get the bolt/nut right enough to "lock up" and allow the bushing to slide on the inner sleeves. Currently all my rotation is between the long bolt and the inner sleeve. This has normally drags the washers against the frame mount which slowly cuts in to the washers, sometimes loosening the nut allowing even more slop. I replaced the washers a year or so ago, and still couldn't get anything work properly. Arms seem like they've spread open as well. You can see in the video below the large gap between the bushing and the washer. This was tight when I put those new washers in a year ago. Without adding even more washers I can't torque the nut down to squeeze the sleeves tight without it deforming the arms and putting so much bind into the bushings that nothing moves nicely.
Some pictures from last time I messed with this. That upper control arm bolt was seized in there and it turned into almost a 24 hour battle to get it out...
https://flic.kr/p/22SyQou Cut the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/EMBeqw After beating and air hammering the section of bolt stuck in the frame
https://flic.kr/p/DgFcLi Welded washers to the bolt stub and with a pipe wrench I was able to twist it out. This is the "front" of the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbWT Tried the same on the rear. Not sure if all the beating made it brittle, or deform so much it was extra stuck. No welding of washers or nuts worked for me
https://flic.kr/p/21QATzY Trying to push it out with a clamp which later exploded in my face when I over tightened it. Removed the "front section" of bolt by drilling halfway through the tube and bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbQk Success??
https://flic.kr/p/DgFaRM
It got ugly. Welded a patch over the hole I made and reinstalled the arm with those huge washers. Forget the measurements but I ended up with like .325" more washer thickness to get everything sitting nice. That was a year or so ago and everything is fucked again.
 

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
Staff member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
7,959
Age
31
Location
Yucaipa, CA
I'm having similar issues. I've been running All-Pro upper arms for 5 or 6 years now and I don't think they've ever worked correctly. Not sure exactly where the problem is, but at this point it seems to be a combination of things. The inner sleeves seem like they're too short. Whether they came like that new, or have worn over time I'm not sure, but I can't get the bolt/nut right enough to "lock up" and allow the bushing to slide on the inner sleeves. Currently all my rotation is between the long bolt and the inner sleeve. This has normally drags the washers against the frame mount which slowly cuts in to the washers, sometimes loosening the nut allowing even more slop. I replaced the washers a year or so ago, and still couldn't get anything work properly. Arms seem like they've spread open as well. You can see in the video below the large gap between the bushing and the washer. This was tight when I put those new washers in a year ago. Without adding even more washers I can't torque the nut down to squeeze the sleeves tight without it deforming the arms and putting so much bind into the bushings that nothing moves nicely.
Some pictures from last time I messed with this. That upper control arm bolt was seized in there and it turned into almost a 24 hour battle to get it out...
https://flic.kr/p/22SyQou Cut the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/EMBeqw After beating and air hammering the section of bolt stuck in the frame
https://flic.kr/p/DgFcLi Welded washers to the bolt stub and with a pipe wrench I was able to twist it out. This is the "front" of the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbWT Tried the same on the rear. Not sure if all the beating made it brittle, or deform so much it was extra stuck. No welding of washers or nuts worked for me
https://flic.kr/p/21QATzY Trying to push it out with a clamp which later exploded in my face when I over tightened it. Removed the "front section" of bolt by drilling halfway through the tube and bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbQk Success??
https://flic.kr/p/DgFaRM
It got ugly. Welded a patch over the hole I made and reinstalled the arm with those huge washers. Forget the measurements but I ended up with like .325" more washer thickness to get everything sitting nice. That was a year or so ago and everything is fucked again.
Damn what a clusterfuck!

Sounds like you need some double shear gussets and maybe some new inner sleeves (or new UCA’s). I bet you can take measurements and get all new bushings with inner sleeves from Kartek or something.
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
27
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Yeah it got ugly and I just hacked and rammed my way through it haha. Funny thing is the bushings looked damn near brand new because they have barely moved. All the movement seems on the inside of the sleeves and the bolt.

If I wasn't considering a SAS down the line I'd be game for new arms. Gussets for sure in the next month or so, see if i cant patch this together for another season. Love the idea of long travel... just not bolted on to factory mounts... or with the factory front diff... factory steering rack... Anyone closer to figuring out how to fit a shortened 9.25 GM in these:D
 

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
Staff member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
7,959
Age
31
Location
Yucaipa, CA
Yeah it got ugly and I just hacked and rammed my way through it haha. Funny thing is the bushings looked damn near brand new because they have barely moved. All the movement seems on the inside of the sleeves and the bolt.

If I wasn't considering a SAS down the line I'd be game for new arms. Gussets for sure in the next month or so, see if i cant patch this together for another season. Love the idea of long travel... just not bolted on to factory mounts... or with the factory front diff... factory steering rack... Anyone closer to figuring out how to fit a shortened 9.25 GM in these:D
I don't think we've made any real progress on the 9.25 AAM IFS diff yet. I need to pick one up and see how I can modify things to make it work. My biggest problem with that project is the amount of time it will take. I don't want to be without a rig for a few months again. That shit sucked last spring/summer. I still really want to try it though. If I can get most of the leg work done before hand, then I think I can make the install happen pretty quickly. I just need someone that is good at CAD to make some sort of mounting ring off of the clamshell bolts, and attach to the crossmember. Maybe I can ship a diff to @eimkeith and he can make something cool for us in a kit? :boink:
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
27
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
It's a badass idea. I've been slowly drawing out our front end in cad (which I'm terrible at and self teaching) for a DIY longtravel. If I ever get anywhere worthwhile I'll post it up. Currently in the read everything phase. The more you learn the more you realize you don't know. Suspension that works right is complicated. Would be nice to design something in the +13" range that holds up to bigger tires.
 

eimkeith

IFSFFS.
Official Vendor
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
816
Age
52
Location
NC
I'm having similar issues. I've been running All-Pro upper arms for 5 or 6 years now and I don't think they've ever worked correctly. Not sure exactly where the problem is, but at this point it seems to be a combination of things. The inner sleeves seem like they're too short. Whether they came like that new, or have worn over time I'm not sure, but I can't get the bolt/nut right enough to "lock up" and allow the bushing to slide on the inner sleeves. Currently all my rotation is between the long bolt and the inner sleeve. This has normally drags the washers against the frame mount which slowly cuts in to the washers, sometimes loosening the nut allowing even more slop. I replaced the washers a year or so ago, and still couldn't get anything work properly. Arms seem like they've spread open as well. You can see in the video below the large gap between the bushing and the washer. This was tight when I put those new washers in a year ago. Without adding even more washers I can't torque the nut down to squeeze the sleeves tight without it deforming the arms and putting so much bind into the bushings that nothing moves nicely.
Some pictures from last time I messed with this. That upper control arm bolt was seized in there and it turned into almost a 24 hour battle to get it out...
https://flic.kr/p/22SyQou Cut the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/EMBeqw After beating and air hammering the section of bolt stuck in the frame
https://flic.kr/p/DgFcLi Welded washers to the bolt stub and with a pipe wrench I was able to twist it out. This is the "front" of the bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbWT Tried the same on the rear. Not sure if all the beating made it brittle, or deform so much it was extra stuck. No welding of washers or nuts worked for me
https://flic.kr/p/21QATzY Trying to push it out with a clamp which later exploded in my face when I over tightened it. Removed the "front section" of bolt by drilling halfway through the tube and bolt
https://flic.kr/p/DgFbQk Success??
https://flic.kr/p/DgFaRM
It got ugly. Welded a patch over the hole I made and reinstalled the arm with those huge washers. Forget the measurements but I ended up with like .325" more washer thickness to get everything sitting nice. That was a year or so ago and everything is fucked again.


YIKES.
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2019
Messages
60
Age
41
Location
Colorado Springs
So I'm running into an issue with my SPC arms. Currently set to F and alignment yesterday came out great. While flexing the truck out with a forklift it appears the ball joint is contacting the shock tower top right. I think the F setting may have the ball joint in the most extreme position as far as contacting the tower but I'm not 100% sure. Has anyone else run into this issue?

315/75r16
4.5 bs wheels
no spacers
1/4 to 1/2 inch of room between tire and ucaIMG_20190319_063214.jpg

IMG_20190319_062046.jpgIMG_20190319_062100.jpg
 

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
Staff member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
7,959
Age
31
Location
Yucaipa, CA
So I'm running into an issue with my SPC arms. Currently set to F and alignment yesterday came out great. While flexing the truck out with a forklift it appears the ball joint is contacting the shock tower top right. I think the F setting may have the ball joint in the most extreme position as far as contacting the tower but I'm not 100% sure. Has anyone else run into this issue?

315/75r16
4.5 bs wheels
no spacers
1/4 to 1/2 inch of room between tire and ucaView attachment 5006

View attachment 5004View attachment 5005
Sounds like you need to readjust some things. Your tire is gonna rub the UCA like crazy. Adjust the UBJ out about .5”-.75”, then adjust the lowers to dial in the alignment.
 
Top Bottom