Icon UCA issues/problems, are any other brands better?

I haven't posted anything (hadn't had any issues, but gave up on this one). I have a 2013 Tacoma with the Stage 3 Icon lift. It's been on my truck for 2 years now, but I've only put 6,000 miles on it since the install (I just don't drive far to and from work, around town etc...). The first few days it was on before I could get it aligned it was a quiet ride. Once I got the alignment (or I never noticed it prior) the truck makes a loud sound (like the UCA bushings aren't lubed enough).

I've checked the bolts, lubed sway bar bushings, lubed uni ball with everything imaginable, used only super lube to the UCA's (where I can watch it push out the old grease and replace with new). I've jacked the truck up, removed the nut so the UCA bolt slides free, pumped with lube, sat and bounced truck back down and torqued to spec while at ride height. I've tried everything with no luck on the noise.

I can say I confidently feel it is lubed. I can't fit any more lube in the UCA bushing area.

When I installed them, they are such a tight fit that I was cursing at whoever welded/designed them because the inner UCA pivot washers were a pain in the rear to get into place. I *FEEL* like the noise is from those 2 bushing areas on each side as it's just super tight. The only way I can grease them is to put a pry bar between the UCA and the shock tower and pry them open while pumping the grease gun.

I've watched the Total Chaos video and the installer on those seems to install them with little fuss, to the point where I'm wondering if another brand (camburg or total chaos or even open to others) goes on easier to where that inner pivot may not cause or be a noise problem? I'm just at the end of trying to get rid of the noise. It is on both arms, both sides, and makes the same sound. I notice it more when it's warm out vs. when it's cold, but it's always there & never goes away.

Any help/ideas/suggestions would be great. I'm open to try about anything to stop the noise. At this point I've started looking for anything under there that would be making noise since lifting but can't find a whole lot of choices.

 

TC were the first control arms I've ever heard of for Toyota trucks. If I was in the market for tubular uniballs that would be my choice.

Are you sure it's the uppers and not anything else? Design of the top mount on the shock?

It sounds like you narrowed the noise down to the bushings.

I just got Dirt King tubular ball joint uppers and plan on using a Icon coilover. The bushings have some kind of lube I forget what. I guess all UCA bushings use this lube perhaps uninstall, lube the bushings and reinstall?

As far as other choices for UCAs the uniball DK arms look nice.

I wasn't sure which arms to try was leaning toward Camburg, or JBA, went with Dirt King since I couldn't decide between the other two.