Custom Lower control arms?
 

:help::help::help:

I want to add Bilstein 5100's all the way around and have the adjustable ones up front to run 35's but I have read on many threads that leveling can be really bad for the lower control arm and add a lot of wear and tear that could do some major damage. I still want to throw 35's on my truck but I was thinking that maybe I could put in some custom lowe control arms that could handle the stress..... ANY HELP?!?!?!?!?

Thanks

i havent heard anything about putting stress on the lower control arm. the upper ball joints yes. but no LCA. there are mid-tong travel kits that retain the factory LCA so i think if it can withstand the beating of prerunning it can withstand a leveling kit. anyone else wanna chime it?

If you take a look at most, if not all leveled trucks you will notice that the LCA is at a close to, if not normal angle. The UCA is the one that's affeceted by a leveling kit. The UCA among other components I should say. The UCA ball joint will be the first thing to go when leveling and putting bigger tires on. The weight from the 35's will likely affect the lower ball joints though. There are a couple companies that make tubular UCA's with a virtually indestructable uniball. From what I know understand you have to have a greater than stock backsapcing on your wheels though. As for the LCA's I only know of one company that makes them for a 4wd 04-08 F150. JD Fabrication makes a complete long travel kit but it adds like 4" of width to each side of your front end. There's a couple kits out there for the 2wd like Camburg and I think Total Chaos(the 2 companies that make the UCA's) but again, they add track and are complete kits. If you're dead set on getting the LCA's i contact those 3 companies. They're not going to be cheap though. In all honesty, I wouldn't even worry about it. Pretty much everyone who just runs a leveling kit doesn't do anything about the UCA,LCA or ball joints. It's not as bad as you may think. Especially if you're only going with 2" of lift.

First off, if all you want to do is to level the front and you are concerned about ball joint wear, there's no need whatsoever to spend $700 on the uniball UCA as mentioned. They are VERY nice and look great, but not necessary. Having said that, I wish someone would buy them for me!

How many miles on your '07? If low miles, go with your Bilsteins and when the time comes, swap out your UCA's with replacements from MOOG. They run ~90.00@ and are a breeze to install (if you have experience with your front end). I just installed a lift kit and replaced my UCAs and lower BJs after about 25k w/ a 2" leveling kit and they were both in excellent condition.

AWESOME! thanks for the imput... I will be goig with the Bilsteins here pretty soon and ill do some more research on the UCA. You guys and this site rock... thanks for answering

:banana:

Do us all a favor and report back with what you find out about the requirements for the UCA's. It'll help everyone out in the future. I have the Total Chaos ones but I didn't get any paperwork with mine and I have a lifted truck and other than stock wheels.

I am curious as to what requirements you are looking for regarding the UCAs. If you already have the Total Chaos arms, why don't you just install them? If you did your lift yourself, installing the UCAs should be cake. I'd like to help you out but not sure what you're looking for...:beers:

The info doesn't pertain to me actually. My UCA's are already installed but I have a lifted truck and wheels w/ other than factory specs. I know that I have read somewhere that in order to run an aftermarket UCA you will need to use either a lift or wheels w/ less bs. I was only asking so tht the information actually makes it out there so people who want to upgrade their UCA's know what they're getting into and so that we can all give somebody else the facts.

Ah, I see! Thanks for clarifying. I love those TC UCA's but out of my price range! I read somewhere on here that my aftermarket MOOG UCA's had an additional 4* of articulation. Not sure if I need more or what the benefit of 4* will give someone, but if true, it is worth noting.