Aftermarket Upper Control Arm Design

[Panthers65]

Can someone that has recently installed or has a set of aftermarket upper adjustable control arms help me out. I went to install mine today, and the bend is different than the factory arms and I couldn't get them to fit. Ended up putting the factory arms back on.

Factory arms the frame and axle mounts "Point" at each other, and there is a bend in the arm pointing down.

Aftermarket arm that I have the frame and axle mounts are at slightly different angles, and then bend in the arm points to the center of the jeep like the lower control arms. When I mount the frame side of the upper control arms, the sides on the axle end sit just outside of the mount on the axle.

Can anyone confirm if these arms are wrong, or if I am installing them wrong? I just want to confirm before I call the manufacture.

Thanks!

Sponsored

 

[Gren71]

Id contact the manufacturer and confirm you have the right part. They look like every other front uca i can search in that bend..but
Certainly don’t match your oem uca

 

[bleda2002]

In the first picture if you keep the frame side joint aligned with the stock does doing a half turn on the bottom line it up?

 

[Panthers65]

In the first picture if you keep the frame side joint aligned with the stock does doing a half turn on the bottom line it up?

Pretty dang close, the bends are about the same angle, but obviously if you rotate the arm the axle mount would be 90* off. Miswelded maybe?

I'm contacting the mfg today to see what they say, just wanted confirmation before I spoke to them.

 

[sass JT]

As I see it… that joint need to be turned at the top… not the fork end.
FYI… most aftermarket mfg’s arm bends are not the same as oem.

 

[bleda2002]

Pretty dang close, the bends are about the same angle, but obviously if you rotate the arm the axle mount would be 90* off. Miswelded maybe?

I'm contacting the mfg today to see what they say, just wanted confirmation before I spoke to them.

I mean keep turning it so it's flat but the bend is out, instead of in. Still seems strange, maybe they put the wrong joint end in and it's supposed to be a different angle like some of my metal cloak have been. What brand are these?

 

[Panthers65]

As I see it… that joint need to be turned at the top… not the fork end.
FYI… most aftermarket mfg’s arm bends are not the same as oem.

I can turn the joint at the top, but that would make it 90* to the fork end. Both bolts (axle and Frame) mount horizontally. Turning the joint at the top there would align the joint and the bend, but it would make the fork incorrect.

I could rotate the joint 180*, but the forks would be off by just as much the other way.

 

[Panthers65]

I mean keep turning it so it's flat but the bend is out, instead of in. Still seems strange, maybe they put the wrong joint end in and it's supposed to be a different angle like some of my metal cloak have been. What brand are these?

APOC arms. There was an issue with the first set of lowers, apparently something in shipping got mixed up, so I'm wondering if these were mixed up as well. The replacement set of lowers fit great.

 

[Panthers65]

As I see it… that joint need to be turned at the top… not the fork end.
FYI… most aftermarket mfg’s arm bends are not the same as oem.

Are you saying turn the joint 180* so the zerk is facing down instead of up?

 

[bleda2002]

APOC arms. There was an issue with the first set of lowers, apparently something in shipping got mixed up, so I'm wondering if these were mixed up as well. The replacement set of lowers fit great.

Their pictures show the uppers as straight arms which is what I would expect. I think they sent you the wrong set.

 

[Panthers65]

Their pictures show the uppers as straight arms which is what I would expect. I think they sent you the wrong set.

kind of what I’m thinking. Thanks!

 

[Ted Striker]

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but those control arms are terrible. $400 for both front upper and lower is not a good price, it's basically saying they're cheap and probably Chinese made. They have standard rubber bushings at each end that's not going to flex at all. Save yourself the hassle, send them back and buy some quality control arms instead.

 

[Ted Striker]

Furthermore, most aftermarket upper control arms do have a bend in them. This is the bend in my Clayton arms.

 

[Panthers65]

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but those control arms are terrible. $400 for both front upper and lower is not a good price, it's basically saying they're cheap and probably Chinese made. They have standard rubber bushings at each end that's not going to flex at all. Save yourself the hassle, send them back and buy some quality control arms instead.

understood, that’s actually why I bought them was for the rubber bushings. They do provide a better ride compared to the typical flex bushings on the market. Not saying they are for everyone, but there are several other components in your suspension that will limit flex before the control arms do.

also- the threads on the ends are standard thread pitch, and the ends can be replaced by the Currie threaded super flex joints if you need more articulation.

Sponsored