SPC 25470 Upper Control Arm, '16 Tacoma

sorgon82--this video isn't germane to this discussion. This video covers installation on an 05 Gen 2 Tacoma. I've done the install on Gen 2, the inner fender/fenderwell configuration is different than on the Gen 3 Tacoma.

Thanks for the interest though.

 

I've always assumed they would bend the fender, but it's a good question. Since the whole upper arm is replaced for a ball joint this has to be done often by now. Perhaps it was overlooked when they designed the 2nd but it's odd to me that Toyota didn't notch the fender on the 3rd for clearance.

FWIW, I cut & installed backwards and used a double nut. I've heard people say it could loosen and walk out backwards but never actually known anyone or seen that with my own eyes. If it was possible for a torqued nut to loosen it would happen either way you install the bolt and having gravity hold it together isn't a permanent solution, so you should be checking things periodically anyway. These get inspected every oil change along with a few other critical things while I'm waiting for the oil to drain.

 

Thanks for the FSM attachment. Honestly I did rather expect it to say just what it said......"remove bolt." ROFLMAO Yeah, I suppose they didn't want to waste ink or paper somehow. I think it would be interesting to hear what the mechanics do here. I've worked on a ton of vehicles, used a ton of FSMs, but so many of them just simply gloss completely over steps such as this that show the person writing or editing the manual has likely never touched a wrench of has gone home with skinned knuckles or grease under their fingernails. "Remove Bolt." Priceless.

However.........do they specify a torque parameter for that nut/bolt? I would guess based on size it would be in the 85-95 ftlb range, but could you take a peek a few steps down and tell me the actual torque value per Toyota??

 

Is it really. I used this video step by step including the wire behind the fender well and it worked perfect for my spc install. Good luck tho dude

 

On 2nd gen that nut is 85 ft-lb according the FSM. I don't know if that should or should not be adjusted for poly bushings in aftermarket, but that's what I used on my Camburg UCAs.

 

Yeah, sadly somewhere real early in the video he says it's an 05 Tacoma. Having done this on an 07, and looking at my '16 I see a great deal of similarities, but the overlap on the fenderwell is much greater on the Gen 3 and really covers that bolt head.

It looks like @DaveInDenver has done a shout out to someone who could be a Toyota mech who might have experience in this. I really doubt they re-install the bolt backwards. I don't mind doing that though. Rather than other options for preventing unthreading, I may just spot weld the nut to the bolt threads. Should I ever need to remove, it's pretty simple to grind that spot weld off.

 

It seems SPC has done a few upgrades/redesigns on their UCA over the past several years, though it retains the same PN for our application. Rather than a hybrid concoction of tubing w forged center section for the ball joint, the entire thing is now a forging. Additionally, it no longer uses "push in" sleeves into a poly bushing, but is a redesigned joint. Photos help of course.



"Inside"



"Outside"

 

No problem. I actually have the torque specs in a spreadsheet I reference when I go back and retorque everything. Ignore the Fox specific specs.

 

Torque specs, Sweet!

 

Dude. Im re torqueing this weekend and was in the process of going through my note. This is awesome!!!

 

Either or i used BIG channel locks and bent it out. Then tapped it through the tight head end from the opposite end. Then awkwardly tapped it back in from the engine bay. Its doable by yourself especially if youve done a 2nd gen

 

Toyota probably doesn't do anything. The UCA are designed to never be replaced really. So after initial production they likely have no real plans to fix an UCA. I'm sure they just bend it out and pull. If you look at my picture it's not even noticeable.

 

Well, if we have a poll on "how to remove UCA pivot bolt," my vote is for cut the head off and feed in new bolt retrograde. It was pretty easy to do. Of course, there are a few hazards to be aware of with cutting, like on the Driver's side there is a ground wire in jeopardy of an errant swipe with the cutoff wheel/angle grinder, and on passenger side, an AC line. Neither of which you really want to cut BTW. Fuel lines on Driver's side as well as brake lines on both sides move out of the way easily with removal of a few mounting bracket bolts. No biggie. I cut the bolt head off just under the head flange with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel, likely about 30 seconds each side. Made a little cardboard spatter shield for the spark stream. Bolts then pushed out front-to-back easily enough. Few swear words expended here. Just make sure you put the big washer on the new bolts BEFORE you thread them in. For some reason, I had a challenge with that step but got over it.
I'm a car guy, so I looked at a few other trucks at my leisure today--Nissan has 2 separate pivot bolts for the UCAs rather than the Toyota long single bolt. Both of the Nissan bolts are threaded in retrograde so to speak, whereas if the nut falls off, the bolt will fall out. Doesn't seem to concern them much. I suppose if I could find one of those "pinch" nuts, that are so much bettern' Nyloks since they are steel and the last thread or 2 is pinched down so it is a bitch to get them off, and they'll never come off by themselves would be an option. I went with Red Threadlocker on the nut on my pivot bolts, and once alignment is all done and I get bored again, I may spot weld them in place w the Mig, but really I tend to think that step is pole vaulting over mouse turds. This thing isn't coming off by itself. 85 ft lb of torque and threadlocker red; yeah, make my day.
At any rate, they're in, but honestly I was hoping someone obscure would post in and say, "oh yeah, if you just do this....." and it's a piece of pie and you cut and bend nothing. Right, I suppose that was a pipe dream. New bolts were cheap enough though in my opinion; just cut them and never look back. New bolts and part numbers shown. They are just about a metric RCH shy of 14" long. I spent about an hour per side fiddling round with this installation. Could do it much faster next time, but it would get in the way of beer drinking and pee breaks if I did it faster. Besides, I was dealing with Hurricane Hector beating on me for cryin' out loud.

Alignment tomorrow. If anyone asks me, it's cut and replace the bolts.

 

Good write up but the hell with that process. Bending was a piece of pie as you say and took like 10 seconds. Only took a couple hours to replace them both.

 

yes I did my SPC uca install exactly as you described

i suggest getting some red loctite and using it on the reinstall when putting the bolt up through the bottom. I also marked all the bolts with torque seal paint so any movement is obvious at a glance. I havent had anythibg budge at all since I installed everything.

 

I do the torque seal paint as well. Will keep an eye on it. Threadlocker Red hasn't failed me yet in my career. Also put it on that big top Nut that secures the adjustable ball joint to the control arm to make sure it doesn't slide any and not get noticed.