Caster with Camburg uca w/ball joint

[newbian]

I'm going to post this here as it fits, [MENTION=69789]newbian[/MENTION] and [MENTION=46576]jrob[/MENTION] hope this is helpful...

This past week I installed the Camburg UCA's with moog ball joints (purchased from wheelers, great service as always!). I'll be upfront, I don't know anything and this is purely my opinion, experience, and some speculation maybe.

I paid to have my lift installed given time and lack of experience, high country 4x4 did it as well as alignment. It actually drove just fine with factory UCA's, a little twitchy at high speeds but I don't remember what the alignment was. I have about 2.5" lift up front and with it driving well I figured I'd swap them out when I had time, about a year and a half later...

The install wasn't bad, I had a buddy help but neither of us had ever done it but I did find a YouTube video of a TC install which was good. The hardest part was getting the long bolt through with the washers lined up, not quite as easy as the video of course! We used something on the backside to hold things in place as it went though, made things way easier. Had a little trouble on one side with the castle nut kinda binding but [MENTION=106176]wfo9[/MENTION] coached me on how to fix that (thanks again!)

The alignment showed with the new UCAs that caster started at like 4.8, I have gotta think there is definitely extra caster built in as there is no way it would be that high otherwise? After alignment it was at 3.6, I put 170 miles on it today with almost all of that highway, drives perfect and it's definitely better and more stable, zero complaints on it. I did put new 265 C load duratracs on at the same time FWIW. I don't know if a full 3" up front would further impact caster but for me it seems like the Camburgs were a good way to go. I know people have installed these and not gotten much better caster, I wonder if camburg updated them along the way? Hard to know.

On a side note the LR UCA were never an option, past bushing issues aside, with people posting the rust on them after one winter just didn't have confidence.

Anyway, my 2 cents...

Thanks for the update. These will be my next mod.

 

[wfo9]

Hey, [MENTION=91899]Jhalko[/MENTION],

Why did you go with those as opposed to TC? Thinking about the TC for next year and running the SPC until then (replaced the bushings and ball joints 2 months ago)
but I really like how it drives with 2.6/3 and am scared of losing that.

I'll try to answer for him. LOL. Uniballs are basically designed for racing applications... They are very strong, but they are not anything like OEM in terms of maintenance. How often they will need to be replaced depends on where you live and how you wheel. Some people go 50k with no issues, others need to fiddle with them every 6 months.

The ball joints should last a very long time without making any noise.

I've been running the camburg BJs for about a year/10k and have had no issues and I even have extended travel. However, I feel using them with extended travel is borderline. Plus I'm starting to wheel my truck harder and harder, So, I'm switching over to TC BJ [edit] uniballs [/edit] ucas. I don't mind doing maintenance...

For most people, I think the BJs are a better choice.

 

[Taco04]

I'll try to answer for him. LOL. Uniballs are basically designed for racing applications... They are very strong, but they are not anything like OEM in terms of maintenance. How often they will need to be replaced depends on where you live and how you wheel. Some people go 50k with no issues, others need to fiddle with them every 6 months.

The ball joints should last a very long time without making any noise.

I've been running the camburg BJs for about a year/10k and have had no issues and I even have extended travel. However, I feel using them with extended travel is borderline. Plus I'm starting to wheel my truck harder and harder, So, I'm switching over to TC BJ ucas. I don't mind doing maintenance...

For most people, I think the BJs are a better choice.

I think you mean Uniballs.. :cheers:

 

[Jhalko]

I have 3.7 of castor on both sides of mine the first place I took it to couldn't get more than 2.5 out of it before. Most alignment shops won't waste time getting it right since they will make just make more money by aligning another car rather than getting it set to your specs....

I went to a tire shop that I know does good work, they are not offroad oriented but they have fixed other shops issues in the past so I had some confidence in them.

Hey, [MENTION=91899]Jhalko[/MENTION],

Why did you go with those as opposed to TC? Thinking about the TC for next year and running the SPC until then (replaced the bushings and ball joints 2 months ago)
but I really like how it drives with 2.6/3 and am scared of losing that.

Here is where you are probably better getting someone like [MENTION=68685]Ducmonsta[/MENTION] to provide input as I will just be speculating and providing third hand info. My understanding is that the ball joints require less maintenance through their life, that the uniballs need more maintenance and need to be rebuilt sooner. They have advantages such as being much stronger though, but they cost quite a bit more. In the end cost and maintenance pushed me to try the Camburgs, also knowing I might not need the same increase in castor as those with a full 3" up front. Again this is all just my own speculation and I just took a chance with the information I had, if it hadn't worked out or if they don't last I would go TC in a heartbeat.

I did get the bad@$$ dust covers as well, cuz well they are going to look sweet cruising the malls...

 

[wfo9]

I think you mean Uniballs.. :cheers:

Right, TC does not make a Ball Joint UCA.

 

[Jeremy556]

The newer stainless uniballs are a lot better than the old non-stainless ones as far as maintenance and noise go. They can get a little creaky if I forget to put a couple drops of triflow on them often enough. They are only $45 and can be replaced without removing the upper control arm in less than 30 minutes.

 

[Jhalko]

The newer stainless uniballs are a lot better than the old non-stainless ones as far as maintenance and noise go. They can get a little creaky if I forget to put a couple drops of triflow on them often enough. They are only $45 and can be replaced without removing the upper control arm in less than 30 minutes.

Jeremy you probably know, any difference in travel? The other benefit from upgrading from stock is more down travel right, so does uniball versus ball joint matter there?

 

[wfo9]

The uniballs can provide more travel... BUT

Even with extended travel shocks, the shocks themselves are the limit. That and then you have the limit of the CVs.

With my shocks fully extended the control arms themselves are just a hair away from the spring.

So the simple answer is you will not get any more travel with uniballs.. at least compared to the Camburg BJs (stock UCAs do limit travel....). LT would require uni-balls along with a LT specific UCA..


There are also different sizes of uniballs.. I think the camburg unniballs are .5" bigger than the rest., but this makes the clearance of the spring a bit more of an issue.

 

[Jeremy556]

Agreed. I don't think there is much, if any, difference in down travel between the uniball and aftermarket ball joint arms

 

[Daikon]

reviving this from the dead.

I have kings up front and have adjusted them to about 2-2.25" over stock w/ camburg ball joint uca.

Alignment tech was able to get me 4.3-4.4 degrees in the front. Camber 0.01 both sides and toe 0.10.