New Bushings for Light Racing UCA's.

SPC has revised the Light Racing UCA's with these new "Spec Ride" Bushings. They are a typical pivot bushing with some differences. It is a one piece bushing and pivot sleeve as opposed to two bushing halves and a metal pivot sleeve. The bushing is to be pressed into the UCA and is meant not to move once seated. The inside of the bushing has a grid surface to it which seems will stop the pivot sleeve from squeaking on the bushing. SPC claims that the "Spec Ride" bushing should never require grease maintenance. I was ready to tap in some zerk fittings until I seen these. I don't have to now!



Heres the How to:
Tools required:
Vice
Reciprocating saw with bi-metal blade
Big screw driver
hammer
Drill
5/16" drill bit
Thick rubber sheets (if you want to protect the UCA paint when in the vice)
1/2"x5" bolt with nut
Steady hand

How to remove the old bushing:
1. Put the UCA on the vice. Protect it with some type of rubber between the vice and UCA if you don't plan on repainting.
2. Drill holes in the rubber portion of the bushing with 5/16" bit. Drill as much as possible to get the reciprocating saw blade between the inner bushing sleeve and outer bushing ring.

3. Insert the reciprocating blade into the hole you just drilled and cut the remaining rubber bushing out. The inner metal sleeve will fall out. Chuck it!

4. Take the recuperating saw and cut the outer bushing ring. BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND TAKE YOUR TIME. YOU CAN EASILY CUT THE UCA BUSHING HOUSING RING. IF you cut too much, you're screwed and will have to weld it for reinforcement.

5. Take the screw driver and the hammer and work the bushing ring out. It should be fairly easy to come out. I few hits around the ring and its out. If its still not budging, you didn't cut through enough of the ring with the saw.



How to Install the new Spec Ride bushings:
1. Put UCA back on the vice.
2. Take some dish soap and lightly coat the inside of the UCA bushing housing and the smaller end of the bushing lip.
3. Take the 1/2" bolt and feed it through the old UCA washer, New Bushing, UCA, a piece of rubber, another old UCA washer and the 1/2" nut. If you don't value the paint on the UCA, don't bother with the rubber. The SPC logo will face out on the bushing.


4. Start tightening down so the bushing goes in on an angle. One of the UCA housings have a vent hole on the inside. Be sure the angle the bushing lip away from the hole so the hole doesn't slice the bushing as its being pressed through. Tighten the bolt assembly until the bushing pushes through. Do not try pressing the bushing in straight as you will tear it.

5. Hammer and the rest of the bushing through. It should only take one or two solid hits.
6. Take the supplied lube and coat the inside of the bushing where the pivot sleeve will go.
7. Push the pivot sleeve in with a couple light taps with the hammer.


Now go and install the new set-up with the supplied washers. Do not use the old washers. Their last job was installing the new Spec Ride Bushings.


While you have everything apart, I would remove the ball joint boot and clean all the old grease out. Load up the ball joint with enough new grease to fill the void of the boot. Then reinstall the boot.

The replacement bushings are now on SPC's site. It seems there are two different UCA's so there are two different part numbers, you may want to check with SPC as to which one to order if you don't know. The part numbers are 25466 and 25476. You can plug them into this web page > SPC They also have the installation instructions listed as well > Install Instructions A lot better than mine.

They also have the replacement boots available as well. That part number is 25477.

The Bushing kit ended up pricing at $25 and the ball joint boots are $6 for the set with NO shipping charge on them! SPC is a great company to deal with.

 

Subbed

Thanks Pap , let us know how it goes

 

I'm guessing press the rubber portion in first, then push the metal through the center of the rubber

Either that or a BFH

 

Mine lasted 70k miles. I think most of the problems happened due to improper installation. The bonded rubber bushings required the bolts to be tightened after the truck is put back on the ground. If not, premature wear. Either way, these are a major improvement and make these UCAs perfect in my eyes.

That's correct. Lube with dish soap, and press in with a vice. There is a smaller end that goes in first. Then push the metal sleeve through.

 

I installed these at the same time I did my spindle lift... So if I tightened the bolt with it in the air 300 miles ago can I loosen and retighten on the ground and be ok?

 

Yes you can. Do it ASAP. Jack up, loosen, set on the ground and tighten up. Good luck.

 

What would the difference be of just loosening and tighten vs jacking up first? sorry for all the questions.

 

Thank you.

 

Probably not too much. Think of those bushings as coil springs. When you tighten in a certain position then twist them, they are wound up ready to spring back. Right now, on the ground they are wound up and will spring back to the neutral position once you loosen the bolt. It's not going to have a catastrophic effect on the bushing but nice to play it safe.

 

And this ^^^

 

Wonder why they don't get any grease? I would think grease would make them last longer as long as it's not attracting dirt.

 

From what I know, they are self lubricating. Time will tell I guess.

 

subed
Just bought a pair of LR UCA's with my toytec ULK...should i wait til I get these to install my lift?

 

Your LR UCA's won't have the new bushings. I wouldn't worry about the bushings yours come with, it'll probably be a long time before they fail and will need replacing. If you want to wait though, I'll buy your LR's off you and you can wait for the next generation to come out

 

Yeah I just recently put on a new set of these too I got from the MetalTech GB, doesn't look like these new bushings so hope they last a long while...

 

They are finally out hey. I've been waiting since Sept. for these to come out. My bushings had rips in them after less than 8,000 kms/ a year. Hopefully this will fix the problem.

 

good to know, subd

 

SPC replaced both my arms for worn ball joints and play in the bushings. One side had severe play in the bushing. I didn't pay for a thing, just had to do the install myself. Took no time at all though.

Dunno if I got the new spec ride bushings but I was told the ones I got had be revised from the originals. Not sure how many revisions they've gone through. Also noticed the BJ boots were much better, fit tighter, and had no open portions. Wish they'd put a zerk on those though.

 

If you had them replaced within the past two weeks, they should be the Spec Rides. SPC said yet had a pair in there they were replacing with the new bushings.