JBA high caster

I will be reusing the factory bolt. If it seems like too much of an issue I'll slap it back together and order a bolt but I've seen lots do it with success so I'm not too worried about it.

 

Yeah you can get it done for sure either way. Pretty simple install. Just takes a bit more time. You'll seriously wonder why you haven't done them sooner if you're anything like me haha

 

Ya, I have a 3rd gen and had the same experience. I wasn't worried about banging up the wheel well at all, there was just no way to get at some of the parts with channel locks. Even with a punch and a sledge hammer we couldn't get a good angle on it. It was a fight the whole way on one side, and the other wasn't much better.

If it was at all easy for some people the only thing I can think is some UCAs might be at a slightly different angle and don't hit the sheet metal under the battery, etc.

 

Well if I do have a problem what is the best way to cut the bolt? Would I need to remove the shock assembly?

 

Yeah, plus I have a second gen. I keep just seeing interesting threads on the home page and wanting to try and help and then realize halfway through I'm in the wrong forum

 

Def good to do it right away but if you read up on how to do a home grown alignment. A tap measure and a few hand tools you can get it to be drive-able. I drove for a week after but we did do a manual alignment before hand.

But like other said. Schedule an alignment then swap it before hand. A few days or so. Most UCAs have castor built in so depending on tires size some rubbing could be going on.

 

We ran into that. We grabbed the area it was hitting and bent it out away and it was much easier then bent it back.

 

Nope, if you do have to I'd just take the nut off, tap it out to one side, clamp it with vise grips or something to steady it, and cut it carefully with an angle grinder so you don't accidentally catch an ABS or VSC wire. You could use a sawzall too but it seems a bit more risky.

 

Doesn't the bolt angle downwards when facing in the stock orientation towards the rear, so would that be bad to face t upwards in the event that the nut comes loose?

 

I guess it could be, yeah. Never thought about that...

 

Go ahead and remove the nut and try to pull that bolt out with the weight of the truck on its wheels... ain't going to happen. Plenty of responsible modders on TW run with the bolts in reverse. No one has ever lost one, aside from some hearsay stories. If you're really worried, put a paint mark on the nut/bolt and check it occasionally.

 

This is silly. I pulled the bolt from a couple trucks now in a couple minutes. You literally just use a pair of channel locks to bend the fender then use a screwdriver and hammer to tap it out.

When installing you just tap it back in with a screwdriver and hammer and bend the fender back as if nothing happened.

On the passenger side you loosen a couple bolts as some hoses are in the way and you just tap the bolt around them.

One of my buddies was having a heck of the time getting the bolt out and I went over and had it out in under a minute.

It seems harder than it is and most people overthink it or are intimidated by using a little elbow grease. It’s just a bolt.

 

Yeah I'm sure it's better on the 3rd gens but where my bolt hit the sheet metal was exactly in the middle of the bolt. I had to almost crease the sheet metal just to make a ramp for the head to slide against on the way out.

 

Third gen is the same way. You guys that claim it’s so difficult, did you try and take the washer up with it? Make sure the washer stays and you’re only sliding the bolt up.

 

Completely fucking agree. Taking that old bolt out was a bitch. Wish I had bought new bolts

 

Yeah I just took the bolt out. Trust me, there was a lot of hammering and bending on the driver's side. The passenger side metal was easier, just had a hose in the way.

 

They are easy to install. Take your time. I also marked the [alignment] cams to try and get it as close to possible to where it was when I started.
It's nice the ball joints are cerakoated now.

 

How come you loosened the cam bolts?

 

Definitely can be done with the original bolt. It's just a lot more of a headache. Plus the replacement OEM bolt is like 10 bucks so it only makes sense. If that bolt was like 80, then I'd definitely say reuse the original

 

For just UCAs, you shouldn’t.