Front Upper Control Arm options

[toymaster]

If there is a thread with a list of front control arm options I haven't found it. Going to start one here....

Looking at high end ones that are adjustable and larger joint; I've an aversion to cam bolts. Looking to get rid of the factory eccentric camber bolts and just use the top to adjust camber.

Please add any not listed and reviews encouraged.



Bach Built
21+ Ford Bronco Upper Control Arms – Bach Built Off-Road (bachbuiltoffroad.com)

Baja Kits
2021+ Ford Bronco Stock Width Billet Upper Arm (bajakits.com)

Camburg
Camburg Ford Bronco 21-23 KINETIK Billet Uniball Upper Control Arms

Foutz
2021 - up Bronco Billet Aluminum Upper Arm Kit - Stock Length - Foutz Motorsports LLC

ICON
21-22 BRONCO BILLET UCA DJ PRO KIT 21-22 BRONCO BILLET UCA DJ PRO KIT - Icon Vehicle Dynamics

RPG
RPG Off-Road 21-23 Bronco Billet Upper Control Arm Kit (rpgoffroad.com)

SVC
SVCOFFROAD 2021 + FORD BRONCO BILLET UCA'S – SVC Offroad



Most of the above also make non-adjustable ones with rubber bushings, ball joints, most appear to be steel, along with what looks like to be half dozen other companies that make the lower end units.

Non-adjustable list:

https://jbaoffroad.com/jba-upper-control-arms-for-ford-bronco-2021-plus.html



Cam lock out choices

BDS 123302 2021-2022 Ford Bronco Alignment Cam Lockout Plates | Jack-It (jackit.com)

https://www.foutzmotorsports.com/co...o-lower-arm-pivot-gusset-kit-with-fixed-holes

Sponsored

 

[Tricky Dick]

Last I heard the Icon has the most range of motion in their joints and that swayed me towards them, but I went for the tubulars.

Look at high end ones that are adjustable and larger joint; I've an aversion to cam bolts. Looking to get rid of the factory eccentric camber bolts and just use the top to adjust camber.

That sounds like the best way to hold an alignment but adjusting must be a miserable experience since it looks like you have to remove the UCA in order to thread the ends in/out.

 

[toymaster]

........

That sounds like the best way to hold an alignment but adjusting must be a miserable experience since it looks like you have to remove the LCA in order to thread the ends in/out.

The positives of usage outweigh, IMO, the negative of PITA adjustment. They stay where you put them and can take a pounding. A set it and forget it thing.

 

[AccuTune Offroad]

SPC, Total Chaos, AccuTune Offroad eventually

 

[Cajun Czar]

JBA is another:

https://jbaoffroad.com/jba-upper-control-arms-for-ford-bronco-2021-plus.html

 

[toymaster]

Just a little more info for those researching how to spend their money.

I did my wheel alignment last night. Used Eibach springs on the factory SAS and have heavy bumpers, skid plates, and winch. Front springs gave ~2" lift; with factory springs the LCA's were horizontal. One can judge from the picture below how much lift was achieved. It was actually way more than I really wanted, but anywho...

The point of the post is to show that all the adjustment is taken up and I still have positive camber, some where near 1 degree. The spec I found was zero +/- 1 degree. Also, having positive camber is better then having negative; allows for suspension loading and diving, and plainly looks better than negative camber.

Given my results I would say anything 3" range or over you need adjustable uppers to get camber correct. If you try and save a dime by going non-adjustable then you are placing a lot of faith in the designer/company they have a middle of the road length so you can adjust with just the lowers. Middle of the road works but is never optimal. I would strongly suggest, for those that care about such things, to push out the lowers all the way and then fine tune with uppers.

 

[toymaster]

A bit about cam bolts and why most don't like them. The problem is they move on you, on the up side for the manufacturer they are cheap and effective way to fine tune the masses. For those that want to submit their equipment to more abuse, the better way is to go with a threaded adjustment, preferably large diameter theads and locking nuts.

Usually with a cam, where the adjustment needs to be is on a slope and the clamping force of the bolt holds it in place. As we all know intuitively, placing something on a slope is less stable than on flat ground. Any vibrations or jarring hits will move the adjustment to where it is not wanted.


Yesterday I was searching for cam bolt replacements, some fixed blocks, or something similar, to lock a bolt in the slotted factory hole. Found nothing commercially available so my mind turned to machining something. Then I did my alignment and saw the light. If you place the cam in the position below, the flat edge effectively locks the bolt in place, to keep with the analogy, the adjustment is sitting in a valley, better then even on flat ground. Any vibrations or jarring will tend to keep the setting where it is instead of moving it.

 

[Jdyount]

Given my results I would say anything 3" range or over you need adjustable uppers to get camber correct. If you try and save a dime by going non-adjustable then you are placing a lot of faith in the designer/company they have a middle of the road length so you can adjust with just the lowers. Middle of the road works but is never optimal. I would strongly suggest, for those that care about such things, to push out the lowers all the way and then fine tune with uppers.

It is well documented that if you lift your SAS Bronco (more than say a 1" leveling kit) you will need UCAs to be in alignment specs. I went with tubular (non-adjustable) Icon UCAs. They are specifically designed to fix alignment issues. I do trust that, and it proved to be correct (I have Eibach Coilovers and 37s).

Obviously if you're going to 40"+ tires you probably should look at fully adjustable UCA's. But for 37s and a 2"-3" lift, it's fairly predictable what you need so there isn't any reason to spend all that extra money unless you just want to.

I get your cam bolt argument, but getting rid of them likely means you're doing your own alignment moving forward. I just accept the fact that I'm probably going to have to align my Bronco 2-3 times a year for as long as I have it and off-road.

 

[toymaster]

.......

I get your cam bolt argument, but getting rid of them likely means you're doing your own alignment moving forward. I just accept the fact that I'm probably going to have to align my Bronco 2-3 times a year for as long as I have it and off-road.

You can find places that will do work on aftermarket suspension, maybe not your local dealer though. Independant shops won't have a problem, just your larger companies will not like the "risks". I do have protractors and tape measures, so yeah I do my own on all my machines that have plenty of ground clearance and large tires. The wife's explorer I have done, 'cause you can't eyeball it.

In my lowly opinion if you are having to realign several times a year, you need to upgrade your hardware.

 

[Tricky Dick]

. I went with tubular (non-adjustable) Icon UCAs. They are specifically designed to fix alignment issues. I do trust that, and it proved to be correct

At 2.5" up my Icon tubulars also allowed for a perfect alignment. Real nice mid range UCA for the mild builds.

 

[IwannaGOfast]

Just a little more info for those researching how to spend their money.

I did my wheel alignment last night. Used Eibach springs on the factory SAS and have heavy bumpers, skid plates, and winch. Front springs gave ~2" lift; with factory springs the LCA's were horizontal. One can judge from the picture below how much lift was achieved. It was actually way more than I really wanted, but anywho...

The point of the post is to show that all the adjustment is taken up and I still have positive camber, some where near 1 degree. The spec I found was zero +/- 1 degree. Also, having positive camber is better then having negative; allows for suspension loading and diving, and plainly looks better than negative camber.

Given my results I would say anything 3" range or over you need adjustable uppers to get camber correct. If you try and save a dime by going non-adjustable then you are placing a lot of faith in the designer/company they have a middle of the road length so you can adjust with just the lowers. Middle of the road works but is never optimal. I would strongly suggest, for those that care about such things, to push out the lowers all the way and then fine tune with uppers.

This is one option for you.
https://www.foutzmotorsports.com/co...o-lower-arm-pivot-gusset-kit-with-fixed-holes

Another option is to simply weld in some weld on washers.

 

[kodiakisland]

It is well documented that if you lift your SAS Bronco (more than say a 1" leveling kit) you will need UCAs to be in alignment specs. I went with tubular (non-adjustable) Icon UCAs. They are specifically designed to fix alignment issues. I do trust that, and it proved to be correct (I have Eibach Coilovers and 37s).

Obviously if you're going to 40"+ tires you probably should look at fully adjustable UCA's. But for 37s and a 2"-3" lift, it's fairly predictable what you need so there isn't any reason to spend all that extra money unless you just want to.

I get your cam bolt argument, but getting rid of them likely means you're doing your own alignment moving forward. I just accept the fact that I'm probably going to have to align my Bronco 2-3 times a year for as long as I have it and off-road.

Well documented? Where?

I was able to align with 26.5 inches from center axle to metal fender, but just barely in specs. I'm sure some will, and some won't with that much lift. Quite a few people have lifted and aligned with OEM UCAs. You can actually lift quite a bit and still stay in alignment, but of course you have to actually do that, and not just replace the UCAs because someone said so. Usually someone at a shop selling and installing UCAs. The stock UCAs also allow me to go to full droop at 29.75 inches without binding.

I'm not against replacing the UCAs, especially if you can't get yours in alignment, but to say 100% the stock UCAs won't work with a lift is wrong.

How much lift do you have that you found your stock UCAs not working, or did you replace the UCAs with the lift and not see if they aligned?

Again, I'm not against replacing the UCAs because there are a few advantages in that, but quite a few people have found the stock UCAs to be more than adequate for their lift.

 

[V1Rotate]

How much lift do you have that you found your stock UCAs not working, or did you replace the UCAs with the lift and not see if they aligned?

At 2” with stock UCA’s my camber adjustments were maxed (barely within spec). When I went with adjustable Radflo’s I also threw on Icon Tubular UCA’s. I’m now at 2.5” and my camber adjustment is squarely in the middle of the range

 

[Evolkidbell]

A bit about cam bolts and why most don't like them. The problem is they move on you, on the up side for the manufacturer they are cheap and effective way to fine tune the masses. For those that want to submit their equipment to more abuse, the better way is to go with a threaded adjustment, preferably large diameter theads and locking nuts.

Usually with a cam, where the adjustment needs to be is on a slope and the clamping force of the bolt holds it in place. As we all know intuitively, placing something on a slope is less stable than on flat ground. Any vibrations or jarring hits will move the adjustment to where it is not wanted.


Yesterday I was searching for cam bolt replacements, some fixed blocks, or something similar, to lock a bolt in the slotted factory hole. Found nothing commercially available so my mind turned to machining something. Then I did my alignment and saw the light. If you place the cam in the position below, the flat edge effectively locks the bolt in place, to keep with the analogy, the adjustment is sitting in a valley, better then even on flat ground. Any vibrations or jarring will tend to keep the setting where it is instead of moving it.

Looking for something like these? Think Zone makes something similar

BDS 123302 2021-2022 Ford Bronco Alignment Cam Lockout Plates | Jack-It (jackit.com)

 

[Dom]

Is there any functional difference between the Billet RPG and Billet Foutz? They seem pretty identical.

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