SPC Light Racing UCA issue

I've been running a set of these UCAs for a couple of years now.

I believe I have the newer "spec ride" bushings as they appear to be one solid piece with some checkered pattern on the inside.

From the reading I've done, these are supposed to be installed with only a single washer on the outsides of the arms.

The issue I have is that the UCA can slide front to back about 1/4". I took the whole assembly apart and assembled just the bolt, washers and metal spacers. I'm not running out of threads on the bolt before that assembly gets tight so that's not the issue.

I'm thinking that the only way for the UCA to be able to slide fore and aft would be if the distance between the mounting point of the arms is too narrow.
Could I have bent these arms (squished them together) somehow?

 

Here's a picture of the driver's side. Note the gap between washer and bushing.

 

Is it sliding on the internal metal sleeve or is the arm sliding on the bushing?

 

Bushings are sliding on the internal sleeve.
Bushings fit around the standoff from the frame where they mount.
Bolt,washers, sleeves and nut form a tight, torqued assembly. Bushings and uca slide fore and aft over the sleeves.

 

Seems like there should be another washer, with a larger hole to fit over the sleeve and support the bushing.
You mentioned a difference in design...

 

This seems wrong to me, that seems like it would leave the inner bushing unsupported.

But either way you're not the only one I guess with this issue:

 

Did some reading and it seems they changed from having washers on the inside to eliminating them and only having washers on the outside. Something about the inside washers binding up the ucas and causing them to fail at the welds.

In my mind though, the uca shouldnt be able to slide fore and aft because as it moves away from one outside washer it should be retained by the other outside washer.
The fact that there's play makes me think that the two ends of the uca have been squished together slightly.

 

This means their jig is wack and they aren't building the two bushing cups parallel or bores aligned. Leaving the inner washer off would help that but then the shoulder of that bushing isn't doing anything to actually hold the UCA in place either. In theory the two outer washers should keep the UCA from sliding but then you're also only using half the support, too.

 

Mine have one washer on outside only
No gaps
Maybe you have older bushing?
Did they not have a gap when first installed or you didn’t notice?

 

Yes

 

If they have a gap new, and can slide back and forth, it'd take that to be a manufacturer defect. Contact them, they have a limited lifetime warranty.

 

i had the old style with washers on both sides of the bushings. following for the outcome

 

I just put my new ones on today that I got in the last GB several months ago and it only came with the 4 washers 2 for each side

 

might be helpful to get an out to out measurement on a new set and compare to what @teamhypoxia currently has.
Or maybe the bushing itself has worn away.

 

i think it needs washers on all sides of the bushing

 

SPC instructions say 2 on the outsides. If there is an issue of the arms bending in closer it should be covered under their warranty. No need to over think it and add other washers.

 

Not the case. Bushing has lettering on the outside and some molded- in lines on the inside. They look perfect to be honest.

 

where did you get the bushings?

 

Why wouldn't you contact the manufacturer then? Are you going to try to warranty them now?

 

with the bushing not being worn, wouldn't this imply that there was a space on the inner side when they were first installed?
I could see this causing play if the arms themselves have bent.
But if they were originally tight on both sides of the bushing, that may point to another problem.