SPC adjustable UCA quality questions

This reminds me that I need to grease mine.

 

I've had mine for about 15K miles now and I now have that God awful squeak. It just randomely started and it's driving me crazy. Not sure what the fix is, short of completely removing and greasing them.

 

What are you greasing it with? I'm due for mine and need to purchase some. I know SPC calls for NLBi #2 grade LB with 3%-5% Molybdenum Disulfide grease but the only one I found is from Lucas Oil for Heavy Duty CAT, mining, and construction grease. I'm assuming this is safe to use but want to get others opinion on what they use.


Link for reference http://lucasoil.com/products/grease/heavy-duty-cat-mining-construction-grease

 

I used to have Lucas Red'n'Tacky and used that. Now I use Mystik JT-6 red
https://www.mystiklubes.com/do/product/OFF_HIGHWAY/665005002

 

Ok cool, thank you! Correct me if i'm wrong, the specs i'm looking for is NLGi#2, Hi temp, and lithium based? Hard to find grease with the 3%-5% molybdenum disulfide.

 

Yea, that about sums it up. There are certain truck applications that say no Moly, so you'd probably be best not worrying about Moly.

 

A spring loaded balljoint that is designed to have up and down movement?

 

Shouldn't have to remove them if you have the zerk fitting no? just use a grease gun with a bendable hose.

 

I've noticed that the grease on mine seems to leak out of the bottom off the boot on both sides, one is pretty bad. Thought maybe I put too much grease in but that diagram says they're supposed to be sealed? Mine definitley aren't sealed...crap.

 

Unfortunately mine do not have the zerk fittings.

 

Has anyone had these and JBAs? I'm leaning toward the standard duty JBA arms just because they seem more "stout ". Am I crazy?

 

"SPC's premium ball joint will still have zero play..."

 

I was all for the SPC uca then I looked into the JBA and have decided that is the direction I will go.

 

Same. I've been in contact with SPC over the past 3 months trying to sort out issues - or what I perceive as issues. It started when I found a bunch of grease at the bottom of one of my boots. I thought it was blown, so I contacted SPC and they were very helpful. They sent me out a pair of their new greaseable balljoints. At the same time I noticed this grease, I was getting some squeaking from the bushings. When I took it to a shop to replace the balljoints, I told them to regrease the bushings as well. Balljoints went on fine, alignment turned out perfect. But a month later my squeaky bushing came back - even worse. After some back and forth with SPC (they're always very nice and helpful) I decided to recruit a friend of mine and we took off the UCA's and greased the bushings ourselves. I'm guessing the shop that did it didn't use the correct type of grease. That was a couple months ago and the bushings have remained silent. You absolutely have to use CV joint grease.

But even after the new balljoints I still find at least some grease at the bottom of the boots. Both sides. So I've just resigned to the fact that this is probably "normal".

When wheeling and flexing hard, I also get a *click* sound from the passenger side front wheel. We checked it and everything looks fine, but deep down I guess I blame the balljoints. Nothing is broken (yet), but the noise is disconcerting at times.

I guess I'm fine with them for now. Unfortunately I live in a climate where I need ball joints, and there aren't a whole lot of options. A friend of mine is on his 4th pair of JBA's, so I'm not really eager to go that route either.

 

This is pretty much why I still have OEM arms. I wish we could get more caster out of the Camburg BJ option. They probably have some significant R&D behind them. In addition, they are the best looking ball joint UCA on the market.

 

Good to know I'm not the only one I guess lol. Mine usually have grease below the boot after offroading, i just wipe it off and put a couple more pumps in. No noises yet, only had them on for a few thousand miles though. Done quite a bit of wheeling in them.

I've had a popping sound coming from my drivers side whenever the suspension compresses, but it was there with the stock UCAs too. 99% sure its my OME coil

 

It's ridiculous to have to pull your UCAs every few months to grease them! The squeak doesn't come from the working part of the bushing, IE, the part that rotates against the barrel of the bushing. It squeaks from contact with the washer at the end, and there is no way to retain grease there.

So here is the fix. Take your bushings to a machine shop that can turn polymers. Have them face off the side that contacts the washer by .060. Buy a sheet of UHMW or HDPE in 1/16 thickness. Use a 1" hole punch to make a center hole that will fit over the steel bushing inserts. Push an insert into a bushing and then push the sheet of plastic over the insert. Use this as a guide as you trim the plastic into a big washer. Assemble the UCAs using this UHMW/HDPE washer sandwiched between the poly face and the steel washer.

Your UCAs will never squeak. If the plastic ever wears (it most likely will last the lifetime of the bushings), you can replace it for pennies. One side benefit is that the binding that normally occurs with a metal on poly interface is eliminated, so your UCAs will have a much faster and smoother response over rough roads.

 

I know the instructions says not to reuse the original dished washers used with the factory uca's, but I did. I didn't like the idea of having flat washers pressed right into the bushings since they're likely to eventually squeak. The dished washers sit pretty close to the bushings, but don't touch the majority of them. It's only been a couple thousand miles since I put them on so it's too early to say how it's going to work out.

 

I like to use graphite/moly grease for just about everything. Grab a tube at napa, its frequently on sale for next to nothing and it's fucking fantastic.


As per OP's original question, I've had spc's for quite a while now and done plenty of stupid without consequence!