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My SPC UCA experience. It's not good.

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by IvanhoeTaco, Sep 15, 2019.

Page 3 of 7
  1. Sep 30, 2019 at 2:49 PM
    #41
    JeffBoyardee

    #41
    JeffBoyardee Well-Known Member

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    I love mine. They don't make noise, they ride great, and supposedly more articulation than a uniball.

    Marlin shipped mine bare, and I got them powdercoated black for $60. I thought the yellow and teal of Dobinson's might clash with the red, haha.
     
    JeffBoyardee, Sep 30, 2019
    #41
    Xrs-fsho, DarkMark340, IvanhoeTaco[QUOTED][OP] and 1 other person like this.
  2. Sep 30, 2019 at 2:55 PM
    #42
    IvanhoeTaco

    #42
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks guys I will definitely look into them now
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #42
  3. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:07 PM
    #43
    Dragons Taco

    #43
    Dragons Taco Well-Known Member

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    100k on my SPC's. When you said that you loosened the main bolt and the noise went away? Not sure how that is even possible.
    SPC has been around for a long time, their Patent on the UCA is from 2004, and they have sold thousands of pairs.
    I've been happy with their performance, and the extra flex they have. They aren't some high dollar fab'd race parts, but they deliver for the price.
    Before you jump into another product, make sure that they are indeed SPC parts, and if you bought them new see about their warranty.
    Otherwise they do have replacement bushing and ball joint kits.

    The Ball Joint needs to be torqued to 150 ft/lbs according to the installation instructions. 80lbs will not cut it (though good for stock wheel lugs)

    SPC Tacoma UCA Parts and Warranty INFO and INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS
    SPC UCA Patent

    One more thing, have been rock crawling with another member who's SPC ball joint came loose. That castle nut needs to be torqued correctly since it's the only thing that keeps the friction up and your camber setting in place. He gave up on the SPC, I took it as a warning to check it's torque before major OR trips.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2019
    Dragons Taco, Sep 30, 2019
    #43
  4. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:08 PM
    #44
    gotoman1969

    #44
    gotoman1969 Well-Known Member

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    3" ToyTec coilovers, JBA UCA's, Bilstein 5100's
    In second this!!!
     
    gotoman1969, Sep 30, 2019
    #44
    Xrs-fsho likes this.
  5. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:20 PM
    #45
    IvanhoeTaco

    #45
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    When the main bolt is loosened it allows bushing to rotate on the bolt, no load is applied. When the bolt is tight it forces the bushings to rotate inside themselves. When bolt is tight makes noise and chunks. When bolt is loosened noise goes away, indicating that the noise and clunk is from those bushings internally. I wish I had gotten a good pair, I really do like them but SPC themselves told me they have the exact same problem I described and the diagnosis for the problem is to loosen the main bolt and see if it goes away.
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #45
  6. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:37 PM
    #46
    Dragons Taco

    #46
    Dragons Taco Well-Known Member

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    What did they tell you the solution was?

    Mine are the older style    , with out the internal ball in the bushings.
    Maybe that has something to do with it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2019
    Dragons Taco, Sep 30, 2019
    #46
  7. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:48 PM
    #47
    magneticwhite88

    #47
    magneticwhite88 Well-Known Member

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    Been running spc uppers for 50k miles on original ball joints no issues for me, finally bought some camburg univalve UCA’s last week though
     
    magneticwhite88, Sep 30, 2019
    #47
  8. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:52 PM
    #48
    IvanhoeTaco

    #48
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yea I think the older style bushing is good, mine is the X axis bushing. Like a sealed heim joint basically
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #48
  9. Sep 30, 2019 at 3:52 PM
    #49
    IvanhoeTaco

    #49
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I wonder if I could press the older style bushing in place of mine
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #49
  10. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:23 PM
    #50
    Musubi3

    #50
    Musubi3 Well-Known Member

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    This right here is the same situation I was in with my SPC arms, getting fed up with their alternatives, and going to something else (not that you have yet). In short, I ended up going TC arms knowing the uniballs may squeak. I've had my TC's for over a year now, going to dusty places and no squeak. I do shoot water into them and wipe the area when I wash and re-lube. No issues and no problems.

    I was willing to just buy the damn bushings and replace mines on my dime, but the bushings at the time were all sold out in all the places I looked. TC's bushing's were widely available should I encounter any issues.

    So, what I did was buy the TC's, take my SPC's off and send them in. SPC gave me a new set in the mail and I immediately sold them to recuperate. I still lost out because of the alignment costs, install costs, and shipping costs that SPC doesn't cover.

    For most people I know, SPC's don't give issues. Reading through this thread, I didn't realize how many others were affected.
     
    Musubi3, Sep 30, 2019
    #50
    IvanhoeTaco[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  11. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:33 PM
    #51
    JeffBoyardee

    #51
    JeffBoyardee Well-Known Member

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    IMG_20190930_193353.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    JeffBoyardee, Sep 30, 2019
    #51
    IvanhoeTaco[OP] likes this.
  12. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:36 PM
    #52
    IvanhoeTaco

    #52
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    How much caster do these arms give. I need at least 3+ to get where I need to be alignment wise
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #52
    2011trdsportmg likes this.
  13. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:43 PM
    #53
    Dragons Taco

    #53
    Dragons Taco Well-Known Member

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    Good question. A sealed heim joint shouldn't have the play to clunk unless it's moving in the outer housing. Yeah, I'd see what they will do for warranty myself.
    It would be interesting to carve into those things and see where the issue is.
     
    Dragons Taco, Sep 30, 2019
    #53
  14. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:45 PM
    #54
    Dragons Taco

    #54
    Dragons Taco Well-Known Member

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    Sorry to hear that, guess I'm a lucky one. :rolleyes:
     
    Dragons Taco, Sep 30, 2019
    #54
  15. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:55 PM
    #55
    IvanhoeTaco

    #55
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    SPC said there is a high spot inside there that causes the noise.
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #55
  16. Sep 30, 2019 at 4:58 PM
    #56
    Dragons Taco

    #56
    Dragons Taco Well-Known Member

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    Ugh, no fixing that with out having replacement bushings.
     
    Dragons Taco, Sep 30, 2019
    #56
    IvanhoeTaco[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  17. Sep 30, 2019 at 5:13 PM
    #57
    JeffBoyardee

    #57
    JeffBoyardee Well-Known Member

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    Mine is at about 3.5
     
    JeffBoyardee, Sep 30, 2019
    #57
    IvanhoeTaco[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  18. Sep 30, 2019 at 5:17 PM
    #58
    IvanhoeTaco

    #58
    IvanhoeTaco [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Are yours the standards or the heavy duty?
     
    IvanhoeTaco, Sep 30, 2019
    #58
  19. Sep 30, 2019 at 5:18 PM
    #59
    JeffBoyardee

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    JeffBoyardee Well-Known Member

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    Standard. I'm in FL. lol. Didn't figured I'd need the HD.
     
    JeffBoyardee, Sep 30, 2019
    #59
  20. Sep 30, 2019 at 5:19 PM
    #60
    EatSleepTacos

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    EatSleepTacos Well-Known Member

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    The JBA clean up nice when painted black.

    i wire wheeled off all the powdercoat and rattle canned them.

    47D08A6F-E21F-4A0D-AC51-684985489101.jpg
     
    EatSleepTacos, Sep 30, 2019
    #60
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