JBA Offroad Upper Control Arms And Suspension MEGA Thread BS thread

I’ve got a pair of high caster jba’s running 2-2.5 lift
These are the specs I got without them, obviously shops are generally morons. I’m assuming they maxed out and ima need to toss these in to get better specs? 1.5 caster seems low..

 

General question: if these have built in caster of 3 degrees, how come when installed they actually bring the wheel back towards the cab mount? Sorry if a stupid question; I always thought having more caster brings the wheel away from the cab. What am I missing?

 

No, it'll push them forward from the cab mount towards the front of the truck.

 

So if you do some research around, you'll see that when people go from stock UCA to aftermarket with caster built in... it actually brings the wheel closer to the cab mount because of the positioning of the balljoint. However, when you then get them aligned and ask for 3-4 degrees caster, it brings it away from the cab mount. I've seen multiple people say this along with my 4WD shop who explained it to me today. I said "I have JBA UCAs, why am I rubbing more than people with stock UCAs". And then he explained it. I was asking why this is because like you, I thought merely installing these UCAs would bring them further from the cab mount.

 

Let me clarify this a little more. The JBA's are not made with "Built In 3 degree caster", they are engineered to open up the stock range of caster to be moved to a wider caster more than a stock UCA. With stock UCA's, you would not be able to achieve that level of caster. So yes, you are correct. Ask the alignment guys to set your caster in between 3-4.

 

Thanks. So without setting the caster higher in the alignment shop, the JBA's will actually bring the wheel closer to the cab mount then? Thats what my offroad shop was saying, and I read a few posts where people needed a CMC only AFTER they installed aftermarket UCAs.

 

They are correct in a way that the aftermarket UCA's would bring the tire closer to the cab mount if it is set on 0 degrees. Because of the engineering of the JBA's it allows a bigger range of caster to be given. Regarding the stock UCA's, this will depend on the 3rd vs 2nd gen. Your 3rd gen will already be 1 inch higher than a stock 2nd gen. This will greatly effect the tire hitting the cab mount with a stock UCA. If the guys need a CMC only after they switched to a JBA over stock, then the likelihood of the person not making sure the have there alignment set to 3-3.5 degrees at the shop, then I can see that happening. If they did get it set at that degree and they still needed a CMC, this maybe the aspect of each specific tire that they used. Some tires have a more aggressive sidewall than others which will effect rubbing as well.

 

Did you notice a difference with the 1/4" spacer? Thinking of doing the same on mine.

 

No difference in ride but yeah it’s about 3/8”-1/2” taller.

 

I installed the 1/4 spacer on driver side for the driver side lean and did not change the ride at all and it gave me 3/8 of lift.

 

I installed my jbas yesterday, first off every installation i’ve read and watched there isn’t a washer between the nut and the spindle, only between the ball joint and the spindle. Where does the extra washer go? Also the passenger side boot seems to be at a steeper angle than the driver side, i feel like if i pump full of grease it might leak, first pic is driver and second passenger. should i worry?

 

Did you ever find an answer for this? I didn’t put that second washer on the bottom since I don’t think there are enough threads.

 

I did not, i figured the washer wouldn’t make that much of a difference so i left it. Got it aligned the day after that post and it aligned fine and what not. 400 or so miles since install and everything seems fine.

 

I don't think I had enough threads to fully engage the nylon on the lock nut, so I left it off. Nut seems big enough to spread over the hole just fine.

 

do these ever go on sale or is there anywhere to get em at a discount? im looking to buy a set for my first gen

 

I don't believe they ever do, or at least I have never seen them go on sale. They are one if the best UCA'S in the business with a lifetime warranty and quality loke that is worth the price.

 

cool! thanks for the info!

 

Has anyone I stalled the ones with the new style bushings? What kind of feed back if so ?

 

Yessir, makes greasing them simple and quick. Pump grease until you see it come out between washer and bushing.

 

I do but I only installed last week. Greased the bushings with the nut fully tight and grease purged out no problem.