SPC uca preload?

Recently installed some spc control arms. Did not think I needed to preload the arms. Should I have? How do I do that? Also when I tightened them with no load on there was some play in the arms from the long bolt. Is this normal?

 

You should tighten the UCA bolt, with the wheels on the ground, to 85 ft/lbs I believe but you should double check the torque spec

 

oh I see. Full weight on the wheels?

 

Yes.

Basically you want the suspension components in the location that it will be most of the time before tightening the bolts, i.e. ride height.

A piece of cake on our Tacomas.

 

For just about any component you do need to have weight on wheels. With the “newer” SPC UCAs they can be torqued without the weight being on the ground. If you have an older set that don’t have the xAxis bushing they would need to be on the ground. I’m not sure that it hurts anything if you do put the wheels on the ground first.
FWIW, I don’t remember having any play in mine when I installed them. So you have the washers in right?
https://www.spcalignment.com/instructions/25480-INS_WEB.pdf

 

This is only applicable to rubber bushings, so OEM suspension or any aftermarket suspension that uses rubber bushings. This doesn't apply to polyurethane bushings.



OP, the SPC instructions state you can torque the long bolt while the truck is up on jack stands. If you torqued it to 85 ft lbs (OEM spec) then it shouldn't have any play.

 

I took this video today chasing the issues.

 

Yeah that doesnt look/sound right. I got mine well used, and they are snug as can be on the mount.

 

The only set of SPC uca's that had to be tightened at ride height was the original ones with BONDED rubber bushings (where the center collar was bonded to the rubber of the bushing and the outer sleeve - same style of bushing as the stock UCA's).

Lots also mess up this exact thing with the LCA to frame mounting locations (stock LCA's have bonded rubber bushings) as well as your typical 5100 installs up front (lower shock eye has a bonded rubber bushing that should be torqued at ride height)

 

That does not look right. I would send the video to custserv@spcprod.com

 

yeah I did. But I got them second hand so not sure how much they could help.

 

If you need and invoice for purchase lmk.

 

Thread revival.
i’m in the process of installing a rough country lift kit, and I had to change the lower control arms out. Shouldn’t they all be tightened with the weight of the vehicle on the ground? Just want to be sure before I build everything back up and have to do it again

 

We will need to know what style bushings are in the uca to determine when they should be torqued

 

They are rubber bushings. so I swapped out the LCA Oon the driver side and had to get new hardware also. The hardware had zerk fittings in them. I took it into the alignment shop and this was the result. I installed a Rc 3.5 kit with lift blocks and UCA. I wonder what could be done about this?

 

Any rubber bushings should be tightened up with the weight on the vehicle on them poly or heim can be tightened in any position

 

Good deal thanks for the info.

 

Looks like new hardware and a new LCA could be in your future for the passenger side as well. Get it aligned at a different shop and aim for 3-3.5° caster and 0.5° camber. Aftermarket cam bolts shouldn't scare a good alignment shop at all.