SPC upper control arms

UPDATE: I recieved and installed the new style spc arms and shipped the old ones back to them. I recieved my credit of $430 making the new arms a $200 upgrade! Looking at the old ones I believe there was some binding in the bushing due to using the wrong metal washers. My frontend was always fairly jarring over bumps that I thought was due to the 5100s, but these new arms have bushings that pivot differently than traditional bushings and it makes a noticeable difference in ride quality. As for the swapout program with spc I just emailed them with pictures and they asked when I bought them. I told them around 2014-15 since I couldnt remember when exactly and the guy I emailed said I qualified. Not sure on the specifics other than that.



Was looking at my UPC's today and and noticed the following in no particular order:
Doesnt look like there are any cracks right now, but that is where the cracks start at the toe of the weld. I bought them used from someone off craigslist about 4 years ago, so they could be the old ones. Thoughts? First thing I'll try is to contact SPC, but not expecting to get far.

 

looks fine, i see no problem, those are not cracks in the weld IMHO

 

Yeah I updated the original post, I dont think there are any cracks either but that is where the cracks start and the rust isnt helping

 

yes it is where the cracks where coming from on the first version of spc arms

i have the arms pictured and have those same marks as well, been keeping on eye for years now and nothing has changed, i went deep into the topic with spc, contact them and ask for Tom, he is very helpful and will go into detail about this
tomp@specprod.com

 

Cool, Thank you

 

i think technically the arms you and i have are the second generation
half is forged and the other half is that round steel piece

i believe the first version, the one known for crack, was all round steel, no forged part at all

the new version available now is fully forged, and no more round steel at all

tom helped explain this in detailed emails and phone conversations

i ripped these pics off google, i think these are the 3 diff styles


round on both ends version 1 known for cracks




version 2, the ones you and i have, round on one side forged on the other




and lastly the new version available now, forged on both ends

 

Gotcha, that clears is up. Ive installed the last version on 2 buddies trucks and they seemed like quality pieces. Was looking into replacing with JBA if it came to that, but I think I would have rubbing issues with the +3* of caster already built into the arms. When I set my SPC's up initially I put the ball joints at the 3* setting and the tire hit the back of the wheel well.

 

in case you guys aren't aware, SPC has an upgrade program. purchase the new forged SPCs with the new bushing design at full price, send in your old ones, and on inspection you'll get a full credit back minus $200. so, a $200 upgrade. that worked out for me brilliantly, the newer bushing design has helped with articulation noticeably. and the forged arms are pretty nice. contact SPC directly for more infos.

 

i tried this, and they wouldnt
perhaps i should try again.. when did you do this??
i think they told me they would only do that if i had the arms that where round on both ends, not the round on one side and forged on the other side like i have currently

i also tried to get the new bushing kit as i have the older one in their, but did not have luck there either

 

i bought my new forged units early this year, then they sat on the garage floor for a few months before i could redo the whole front end (complete replacement of all that stuff so i had to get it all arranged in advance). i sent back the old units for credit i think 7 months after purchasing the forged ones. two weeks later they credited me $430.

the contact is Todd Emmons. if you have an unmatched set then i'm not sure you'll get it worked out. they do have a paid bushing upgrade kit, but i don't know the details of fitting the new style on older arms. they include a specific press tool to do it, and replacing bushings is replacing bushings, which is exactly why i didn't do that and opted for a full swap.

this is a link to the xAxis upgrade kit for the older style: https://www.spcalignment.com/index.php?option=com_spc&task=part_description&pid=25022

 

yea I know Tom that is who i spoke with, but this was early in 2019 so maybe i will try again, thanks!

 

Not sure how much of a stickler they are but remember SPC warranties the UCAs to original purchaser only.

Tons of people run them without issues, but I wouldn’t pay much for them secondhand. Lot of vendors selling them below MAP, which is often less than people are selling used versions for (even when they’re never installed).

 

this might have been why i didnt get them now come to thinking
i didnt have the receipt, because i got them off the classifieds here on TW off a member who had them new in a box never used...

tom was very nice to deal with though, ill give spc that for sure

 

I did read that on their warranty policy, but figured it couldnt hurt to call and ask about the upgrade or replacement.

 

Thanks for telling me about this. This is an email from SPC:

"You do qualify for the swap program. The way that the program works is you pay $629.95 when we do the order when we get your old arms back, we will credit you $429.95."

 

nice! good luck.

 

@AKTacoParty
What version arms did you have?

 

I have the 2nd version. Half forged half tubular

 

So after taking my old ones off and comparing I had the 2nd version of arms but they had the 1st version style bushings, maybe that made a difference in the swap out.

 

yea pretty sure that is exactly what I have as well, after going back and forth with Tom at SPC that is what he said as well about the bushings I currently have.

so at the moment I am considering just putting the new bushing into my arms to fix some pesky squeeks, but ideally would love to just swap them out for the new current version...

I should reach back at to Tom at SPC and see what comes of it. but not being the original purchaser was the hang up I had so assuming I will be in the same boat as early last year