UCA Installation/Removing the Bolt

Take the battery out and get the wiring and brackets loose from the inside of the fender well under the hood. You can then see how much you need to bend to get the driver's side bolt out. I just used a crescent wrench, closed it down on the metal and kept bending it back until I had enough room. It will come out. I bent it back after replacing the bolt. Passenger side is a little easier, just get the stuff out of the way that is attached (some A/C lines or something are attached to a bracket there if I recall).

 

Thanks! I guess it makes sense to remove the batter it does seem to obstruct the path and definitely obstruct visibility. When you reinstall the bolt did you need to tap it with an extension at all or it went back in fairly easy?

 

While you can get it with the battery still in, taking it out will make things a little easier. There is a wire mount bolted at the bottom of the tray and that has to be removed for the bolt to come out.

I had to tap the bolt to get it passed on point that couldn’t be bent. I also removed the brake line mounts near the nut so I could torque the nut. I used loctite too.

I just replaced my SPCs last week due to play in the bushings. About 20 min for the passenger and 45-60 min for the drivers side. I also
Got new bolts and nuts. Under $20 from rock auto, in case you needed them.

last thing I’ll offer, the new ball joint has more space between the boot and spindle arm.

Take a look at this comment from @UMC

 

When 4wheel parts installed my SPC they never put the bolt back on that hold that small wiring harness so that's already off. But I keep seeing people having to cut it and flip it on the other side or grinding one side of the bolt. Why did you get new bolts and nuts?

 

With the play in the bushings, I didn’t know if they have worn any of the bolt. I also couldn’t remember if I scratched the coating removing it/installing them last time. I also didn’t want to reuse the nuts, even with the loctite.

There was a little corrosion on the bolt shank when I got them out but they could have been cleaned and used again.

 

Cool that was my follow up question if you ended up needing the new bolts. And I'm actually gonna get my bushings and ball joint warrantied but I decided to move on from SPC...they're on their 5th redesign and still having issues i don't want to be chasing warranties.

 

I was not aware that they are having issues on this latest design. SPC told me they have not had any issues with the latest redesign and no warranty claims. This new ball joint has only been out for 3 to 4 months.
Also SPC tells me they have only redesigned the ball joint twice. Is there customer service ignorant or lying?

 

Their bushing redesign still has issues, the new ball joint only time will tell

 

Yeah that's the new redesign of the ball joint I don't have that one yet but I will when I get my warranty. Now their bushings you can find endless amount of people having issues with the bushings

 

Yes I completely agree many issues reported mine as well. I was just really trying to understand if this new design had issues. Which so far does not. I hope it last a long time. I had also thought about Moving on but did not want to spend the money and I really hate removing the whole control arm.

 

Same here I didn't want to remove and have to get the new bushings pressed in and them re install and just the fear of th going bad 15k miles later again so i decided to just go with another brand I will probably sale my SPC as soon as I get them removed