Replacing UCAs and have a question.

Lifting the truck with a buddy.

On the Gen 3, it looks like you have to bend the inner fender to take out the UCA bolt. Is that correct or is there a trick?

 

I cut both bolts and replaced them with new. If i remember correctly one faces front and the other faces rear. We put them back in on both sides from the rear.

 

You are correct, you have to bend it a bit to get it to fit. The passenger side was worse for me had to cut a bit to get it through.

 

The both should be facing the rear (nut toward the rear), really should put them back in they way they came out. If......one were to come loose the bolt wouldn't fall out

 

I also just cut mine out, because I wanted to avoid bending the metal, weakening it. Put it in backwards and torqued down with loctite and you'll be good to go.

 

One was facing forward and one was rear from the factory. Put them both in the way that they went in without cutting the truck.

 

This!!!
At the factory these get installed before the body is lowered so bending is the only correct way. Cutting a perfectly good and expensive to replace bolt is not only stupid it's also total hack because then when re-installing you have to put them on the wrong way to avoid bending again. If the nut comes loose on the hwy then the bolt will fall out and the results could be catastrophic

 

No, seems like somebody messed with your truck before if that's what you found or a factory worker really fucked up

 

I got two bolts and two nuts from gunny for $22 shipped. Not exactly expensive.

 

Sure, those $22 must have really burned a hole in your wallet... and I hope you at least went to town with thread locker...
Hey I'm not saying $22 is a ton of money but for 2 bolts it is and it's also a total stupid waste

 

Too much Kahlua in the morning coffee for that worker.

 

Bending the sheet metal is cake and it doesn't weaken the truck. Get some big ass 16"+ channel lock pliers at harbor freight. 5-minute job to move it outta the way. Also, for safety's sake, bolt should be installed in the correct factory orientation.

 

I laugh at people saying "well what if it comes undone and the bolt falls out?"

Well WTF makes this bolt/nut any more susceptible to come apart than any other nut/bolt on our trucks? The answer is nothing.

Not necessarily. There was a LT member on here whose sheet metal started cracking where he bent for the UCA bolt. He specifically mentioned this as the reason for the crack.

 

It's the same on gen 2. As @Crom said big channel locks are the ticket. Just make sure you removed the wire harnesses behind our of harms way

 

And long travel trucks sure don't get any abuse that could cause this hey? And cracked sheet metal worries you but loose suspension components do not... Alright dude. Done arguing with you. Hope that you'll stay safe in your rig

 

Had to bend mine to remove the bolts (2nd Gen), bent it back when finished, it gets covered up by that 4F flap. Oddly enough, I had more trouble with the driver's side, ended up removing battery and a hose/bracket that was mounted to the side of tray, made it much easier.

Good luck

 

Ok. Thanks for all the input. We'll bend since we didn't get extra bolts. Stay tuned!

 

Sorry, but that's a bunch of nonsense. Every long travel truck that gets used ends up with a cracked and collapsed core support, and cracks everywhere. And for that matter just off-roading on washboarded roads and no long travel causes destruction as well. The only difference is that long travel exposes the weaknesses in our trucks faster.

Trust me, bending the sheet metal a few mm aint gonna hurt it.

I question your sincerity when you ask the question what if the bolt falls out. It could be catastrophic at speed for starters.

 

So cutting a pair of bolts that together cost 25 bucks and reinstalling them so that i don't have to bash and bend and cut the truck itself makes me a hack. Ok then. I guess I'm the hack.

 

Yes .

Edit: I didn't like the bending sheet metal much either but it's safer and cheaper and the only truly correct way would be to lift the body out of the way but who the hell wants to do that