Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

Upper control arms, how many of you have flipped them

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by TangoBravo » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:39 am

I understand what flipping the upper control arms do for our Tb's but how many of you really do it. Also is it standard to do any time you lift the truck, or is it a preferrance thing.
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by fishsticks » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:42 am

Flipping UCA's is my pet project. :)

I've wheeled on flipped UCAs for quite awhile now with no ill results.

You only need to do it if you're trying to go beyond 2.5" of lift or so... but even if you're only going 2.5" it makes your ball joint angle a lot nicer.
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by SteveTB03 » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:00 am

I've flipped my UCA's.
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by TangoBravo » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:22 pm

So how bad was it out of alignment when you were done? I have a lift that was just given to me it's 2.5" and when I install it I was thinking about flipping my UCA's but I won't beable to get it aligned for awhile.
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by djthumper » Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:52 pm

I wouldn't even install the lift until you can afford to go get the alignment done then.
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:29 pm

I agree... alignment should be done right after lifting, especially if you intend on doing the flipped UCAs... do it all in one shot.
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by Rob93 » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:58 pm

I've flipped mine... 4" of suspension lift
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by TangoBravo » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:42 pm

Ok I will heed the advise of the more experianced, thanks guys. Oh after the lift and flipped uca's is there any other little tips/tricks or secret's I should know? I have never lifted a truck that required you to flip uca's so I just want to make sure I do everything in order.
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by fishsticks » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:53 pm

I'm a terrible example... I never realigned after flipping my UCAs... I've just been rotating tires every 1000 miles or so. :oops:


I need to get on that.
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by janesy86 » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:59 pm

TangoBravo wrote:Ok I will heed the advise of the more experienced, thanks guys. Oh after the lift and flipped uca's is there any other little tips/tricks or secret's I should know? I have never lifted a truck that required you to flip uca's so I just want to make sure I do everything in order.


It's not required by any means, it really has just been an experiment among several of our members. It has shown better ball joint angles so its definitely something to look into to correct that. I might try it once I swap out for some stiffer springs but if all your doing is just a 2.5" lift I see no immediate need to do so. That's just my thought on it tho...
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by fishsticks » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:20 pm

janesy86 wrote:
TangoBravo wrote:Ok I will heed the advise of the more experienced, thanks guys. Oh after the lift and flipped uca's is there any other little tips/tricks or secret's I should know? I have never lifted a truck that required you to flip uca's so I just want to make sure I do everything in order.


It's not required by any means, it really has just been an experiment among several of our members. It has shown better ball joint angles so its definitely something to look into to correct that. I might try it once I swap out for some stiffer springs but if all your doing is just a 2.5" lift I see no immediate need to do so. That's just my thought on it tho...



:Iagree:
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by TangoBravo » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:36 pm

Ok so I will try it out, with out flipping the uca's and see what my angle is like.
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by Rob93 » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:51 pm

TangoBravo wrote:Ok so I will try it out, with out flipping the uca's and see what my angle is like.


It really won't be that bad, mine wasn't, to be honest, it wasn't even that bad with 4" of suspension lift... But for the extra 10 minutes of work it gave me a little satisfaction having the good angle.... At the same time however, although there doesn't seem to be a negative side effect of flipped UCAs, no one has had them long enough to judge if there are any long term effects of the mod
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by Jimbo121 » Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 pm

Ok I am a novice and just did a 3" lift. With the front end jacked up the steering knuckle hits the spring.
I looked at flipping the UCA was told that it can't be done. So my question is, when you flip them are they just being turned over on the respective sides or are they flipped and moved to the opposite side.i.e. driver side -to- passenger.

Any help would be great

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by Philberto » Sun Oct 10, 2010 1:08 pm

Flipped and being moved to opposite sides.
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by Jimbo121 » Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:17 pm

Thank you that is what I thought but was told it can't be done. I was also told that because of the lift I could not get a proper alignment because the camber can not be pushed out enough. Has anyone else had that issue and if not did flipping the UCA fix it.


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by Trail X » Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:47 am

Jimbo121 wrote:Thank you that is what I thought but was told it can't be done. I was also told that because of the lift I could not get a proper alignment because the camber can not be pushed out enough. Has anyone else had that issue and if not did flipping the UCA fix it.


Jim
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Yep, known issue. Flipping them should help. :thumright:
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by SteveTB03 » Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:29 am

Nope it doesn't fix the steering issue. Nobody and I mean nobody can align mine the right way.
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by TangoBravo » Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:32 am

wow that sucks, but all that aside are you happy with the outcome of flipping them?
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by HARDTRAILZ » Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:06 am

I flipped mine, but have not got aligned since i am playing with the front suspension weekly it seems and it changes by an inch or so everytime, it would negate an alignment, but when I had just marks kit and stock springs, my alignment was done perfect by sears. No issue at all.

I am almost done for a bit, until marks new kit, so I will probably get another alignment with the flipped arms, 88 springs and the upper spacer back in. Hopefully next week i can find time to do the alignment.
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