UCAs...light racing or uniball for articulation
- Thread starter Dirtluver
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JustSomeName
New member
When purchasing UCAs, I was under this same predicament, I ultimately decided on the Light Racing UCAs for two reason, 1 the caster is adjustable depending on how you "locked" the top nut so it would be easier to get the alignment back to stock settings. And 2, they were cheaper, much cheaper!
To this day, I wonder if I made the right decision or not. I'm stil wondering the pros/cons of the ability of "full articulation" from a uni-ball UCA.
To this day, I wonder if I made the right decision or not. I'm stil wondering the pros/cons of the ability of "full articulation" from a uni-ball UCA.
zopperman
Moderator
At full droop my LR UCAs hit my coils, which is what limits my flex. i don't think a uniball offers more suspension travel over the SPC design, as in the UCA isnt limiting your flex. That being said, Other members have had issues with SPC products. I personally needed them to correct alignment issues due to a bent suspension component - cheaper to get the LR UCAs than to fix it.
LTDSC
New member
i bought the SPC arms because price but also for alignment adjustments as i knew i was going to try to max out possibilities of lift. I bought them mainly because im 90% on the road and the little offroad i do isnt extreme so these do me just fine.
If i find out i hit my coils ill limit strap it.
If i find out i hit my coils ill limit strap it.
BlackWorksInc
New member
How does the Uni-Ball give more articulation than a standard ball joint? Aren't almost all balljoints technically Uni-Balls?
I would pay $600 to not run a SPC product..
BlackWorksInc
New member
To be honest with you I was very surprised when my first set of Light Racing UCA went bad. The bushings tore up completely in just about 2 years from mild off-roading which I haven't seen before. I was a bit upset, but I was aware that they've updated their design somewhat since I purchased them 2 years ago from some threads other members have made.
But I contacted SPC and they were more than happy to ship me a new set of arms and take the old rubber bushing ones back under RMA; supposedly this newest design is 2 revisions newer than the ones I purchased 2 years ago. I really was sold on the pre-set angle plate for their upper ball joint and to be honest other than the bushings going bad the UCAs did their job wonderfully.
We'll see how these new bushings hold-up, they're supposed to be made of some neat new polymer (Delrin I believe?). But to be honest with you, I was very impressed by their customer service; I was only contacting them for new bushings because I didn't think they would warranty my UCAs but after explaining the situation they offered to warranty my old ones.
I'm not trying to puff them up or make them sound like they are better than anyone else. I am just sharing my opinion that while some of their earlier products had issues, they seem to be updating their products and fixing some of those older issues. Not to mention that their customer service (at least in my experience) was top notch and in my eyes that tends to score more points in my book.
Blackworksinc - I am not going to get into details but I have had multiple sets fail on me over the years. Each one of those failures cost me a ton of money in collateral damage with not even an apology from the manufacturer. As you know being a mechanic When a UCA fails at high speed a lot of damage occurs..
BlackWorksInc
New member
I was just sharing my experience from the past month with them, I don't doubt they had issues and I'm somewhat shocked that they blew you off (compared to how I was treated). I just feel sometimes on this forum some companies get a bad rap for past mistakes (not that it isn't justified or deserved), but get overlooked when they make strides to change that (I tend to believe that even the worst company can turn itself around if they can learn from their mistakes and grow/evolve). So I was offering my recent experience as a possible sign that the company is trying to change their ways?
Brutalguyracing
New member
TRUTH
ME TOO
i have personally went through 2 sets of bushings and 3 sets of their bjs....
i would not buy from them again
it gets old quick swapping your arms out every 14 months due to bushing and or bj failure.....
as you stated above the first 3 years they warrantied everything great customer service...
but you have to draw a line somewhere....
i have also seen their arms snap off as the weld broke...and this member did not wheel his truck......
that was a little scary
save a couple hundred now or get something good for life like tc, icon, dsm, ect
just my opinion
H20skier70
New member
Anyone running these? I am making my purchase(s) this week or next. From all my research I would find these to be the best deal. IMO but I haven't found anyone that has really ran them. Camburg makes great stuff, so I am hoping that these will be a great alternative to the LR UCA.
Camburg Ball Joint UCA's
Camburg Ball Joint UCA's
eddiebx
New member
I think it's more about the diameter of the ball than ball joint vs uni-ball...I think I've read on here that the LR UCA uses a way larger ball joint than OE and there's actually more articulation than the TC uni-balls. Look at it this way, with a larger "ball" (and same size diameter center stud sticking out), there's more surface area for the ball to pivot around. That's how you end up with more/less articulation before the joint binds.
HokieRunner
New member
I've run light racing for the last 10k miles and my balljoints are already shot. Needless to say I sprang for new desert product uniballs today. Just don't trust the light racing now.
Brutalguyracing
New member
Truth ^^^^^
Save a few bucks now on a so-so product that will cost you time and money down the short road
Or pay a few bucks extra now and save yourself some cash and a headache down the road
Just my .02
From first hand experience
Save a few bucks now on a so-so product that will cost you time and money down the short road
Or pay a few bucks extra now and save yourself some cash and a headache down the road
Just my .02
From first hand experience
markaidan
New member
What did you chose?
Another great option that splits the gap between the Uni-Ball arms and the Light Racing Ball-Joint arms, is the BJ UCAs by Camburg. We offer them Pre-Assembled and ready to bolt in.
Camburg UCA - 310040 "Ball-Joint" Upper Control Arm Set with Moog Ball Joints Pre-installed
They also offer nice Caps for them now as well:
Camburg UCA - 310040 "Ball-Joint" Upper Control Arm Set with Moog Ball Joints Pre-installed
They also offer nice Caps for them now as well:
