SPC Warranty and New UCA Design!

Here is a response from Tom at SPC about the first gen defect and the current unknown release date of these new UCA's.

First, what started all this. I bought my UCA's back in 2012 when they were selling their first design of their arms. I had never had any issues with them at all! A few days ago I decided I might want to sell my suspension. While moving the UCA up after disconnecting the spindle, I noticed one collar had completely snapped off! I was amazed because it didn't look like a very fresh snap due to the rust and thank God the other side didn't snap off or I would have been in a very bad situation. Called SPC and sent them pictures and they immediately told me that it was a known defect in their first design in that the washers cause the bushing to seize and cause the collar of the UCA to twist and snap. They mentioned they had sent a notice to distributors to email customers who had them in a sort of recall, but obviously they couldn't make sure we all got the notice like me and I am sure others. Would be a good idea to get it replaced!

Obviously, SPC is known for having good customer service and they did excellent, even going beyond that due to being backordered on the current design UCA, so they offered me a set of the new design that hasn't been distributed yet. I oddly asked if they had been fully tested.

Fast forward to today, these look very nice! Big improvement vs the first design I had!

• One piece casting without any welds!(looks damn clean!)
• Greaseable Ball Joint(not new I'm sure)
• xAxis Sealed Flex Joint Bushings

Also attached some pictures of it and a video about xAxis if you haven't heard of it.

 

Interesting, i too have the originals before they went to the polys'. Mine havent posed an issue yet but had to switch to the polys not long ago since the bushings cracked.

Do you know the name of the individual you talked to about this over the phone?

 

Nice!!! I wonder it this will speed up production/lower cost since it is cast and not welded?

 

I talked with Tom on Monday but not sure who I had initially talked with on Friday. I wonder if cracking of the bushing would signal anything. Looked like the collar was rubbing against the bushing on mine, but the bushing was just fine.

I assume other than the money required to buy the machine to do it, it takes welding out of the equation, which is good for strength and time in manufacturing. Is the second gen cast or welded? if anyone knows.

 

well, thanks for posting -- ill keep an eye on mine

the new bushing design looks like it went back to the original annoying bushings with the pressed metal collars, those are a bitch to cut/punch out like I had mine. Tho how they did the sleeve is interesting -- still bonded tho and thats where mine cracked and failed

 

Spoke with Tom,

Here is his response, it seems the spc arms with the original bonded sleeves are not affected, only the early spec ride bushings with the washers on both sides are affected. The kit I used to replace my bushings have only the large washers on the outside. So the OP lucked out with the new bushings since any warranty replacements are the original arms with the corrected bushings that have one washer

quote from tom:

Jonathan,



I believe the bushing collar failure of these arms was not with the original, bonded rubber bushings, but the first generation of the Spec-Ride bushings which had a large flat washer on BOTH sides of the bushing. If your arms now have the Spec-Ride bushings with ONLY ONE large washer on the outside of each bushing, then you do not have the bushing set which was the cause of those failures. Please confirm. Only the bushings were changed, the arms themselves are interchangeable through out the whole life of these arms.



Neonlazer had one of those "in the right place at the right time" circumstances. His bushing collar failure combined with the back order of the current 25470 arms led us to provide him with the next generation arm, of which we only have a few. Once the current 25470 arms are back in stock, those will be used for both sales and warranty purposes until those supplies are exhausted. The timing is unsure at the moment how long that will take.



So, to reiterate, any sales and warranties for 24570 arms will be with the current style arms as long as they are available with only a rare exceptions.



Thanks, Tom

quote/

 

And that's why I just emailed Tom and said he needs to be a rep on TW to let us know these things. I was remembering what I was told on Friday but now that he provided clarification via text it's more understandable what's the issue and what can fix it. Older ones just need new bushings not a new arm. As far as mentioning the new design, well, I forgot human tendency to go..CAN I HAZ ONEEEE?!

 

Can we get some installed pictures of the new style arms? Please

 

=(

 

Is the Mevotech’s UCA same product than SPC/Light Racing:
http://partsonline.mevotech.com/Showdetails.aspx?pn=CMS861197
This looks like the current version of SPC’s (not the one which is in the OP’s post).

 

looks to be

 

old bonded bushings dont apply if you are past warranty time period, this applies only to the poly spec ride bushings with spacers on each side so 4x

 

....atleast yours didnt fall apart at 65mph on the highway.

 

the new ones only have large washers on the outsides

 

Holy thread revival but I had this same issue happen to me except mine was driving down the road. I hit a pretty decent sized pot hole head on and snap. After two calls to Soc and one picture which I offered the pic they didn’t ask for it they are sending me out two new arms. Very good customer service and I’m just thankful the other side Of that arm didn’t fail at the same time. It was enough to destroy my alignment to the point of barely driveable though. Hopefully the new ones get here quick so I can have my truck back to full drive ability.