So Who Knows About Uca Kit Options?

stlavsa · April 26, 2011

I posted this over in gmfullsize.com and got some good info (and some bad heh). Still going.

Actually had a couple suggestions for the rough country UCA's. I guess people are poppin out the ball joints and putting MOOG components in and its working good. A bunch cheaper than going with cognito.

I may try that, and replace these 1.5" spacers with the bilstein 7-9 inch struts set to max. SHould give about 1.25" of lift over the 7.75 you get from the fabtech. I would like to go with a remote resi shock but most of them are 0-2"s and I am tryin to ditch the strut extension if it spend that kinda $. I duno how the 9" bilsteins ride but i think it should be ok with those combined with the extra travel of the UCA's

stlavsa · April 27, 2011

I posted this over in gmfullsize.com and got some good info (and some bad heh). Still going.

Actually had a couple suggestions for the rough country UCA's. I guess people are poppin out the ball joints and putting MOOG components in and its working good. A bunch cheaper than going with cognito.

I may try that, and replace these 1.5" spacers with the bilstein 7-9 inch struts set to max. SHould give about 1.25" of lift over the 7.75 you get from the fabtech. I would like to go with a remote resi shock but most of them are 0-2"s and I am tryin to ditch the strut extension if it spend that kinda $. I duno how the 9" bilsteins ride but i think it should be ok with those combined with the extra travel of the UCA's

Whoops I screwed up wanted to add this posted mustve edited the original and deleted the info.. Oh well.. if u read it before you know it was about differeint UCA options for big lifts.

blackout07 · April 27, 2011

Be careful buying the RC UCA's. Mine didn't contact the coils, but I know some did.

stlavsa · April 28, 2011

Be careful buying the RC UCA's. Mine didn't contact the coils, but I know some did.

Ya thats what i am afraid of.. I sent an email to RC asking them a few questions.. One determining factor would be the price. They will have to be pretty damn cheap in order to justify the price of the UCA plus hassle of buying and pressing in new moog balljoints.

blackout07 · April 28, 2011

I still have my old RC UCA's. My plan is to put new BJ's in them when mine go out, and run them on the truck.

stlavsa · April 30, 2011

I still have my old RC UCA's. My plan is to put new BJ's in them when mine go out, and run them on the truck.

Could you estimate how much extra clearance or more specifically droop travel you are getting with the RC UCAs? I am being told by a folks that the cognitos, BMS, etc will give too much droop and it give me extreme angles when it droops.

It makes sense to me sorta, but I was under the impression that the Fabtech lift was almost flat angles, but since i added the 1.5" spacer, its too much, BUT i fail to see how thats any different than when you install the BMS kit which is essentially a 2" leveling coilover and UCA.. atleast i think.

blackout07 · April 30, 2011

They aren't on the truck, but I would estimate maybe an inch or so more clearance over the droop stop. Maybe I'm wrong, but unless you wheel your truck really hard, I don't think you need to worry.

stlavsa · May 1, 2011

They aren't on the truck, but I would estimate maybe an inch or so more clearance over the droop stop. Maybe I'm wrong, but unless you wheel your truck really hard, I don't think you need to worry.

I don't wheel the truck very hard.. I used to wheel it some but honestly these days it goes off the road maybe one a month and half the time its just to do something out in the fields..

I am thinking that the RC UCAs would be the ones to use because I doubt they are giving an extra 2-3 inches like the other kits. I am hoping its more like 1 inch, just enough to give me a tad more clearance off the bumpstops.

I finally got home last night and got to ride in the truck with the spacer on and the rear lift shackle on. Its noticeably rougher than it was with just the fabtech. Hardly noticed a difference from stock with the fabtech. I think it might have somethin to do with the rear shocks too. They are being stretched more so Its kinda the same effect as the bump stop, feels like they are full stretched out now, and compression is the only dampening i get. And kind or droop travel is gone.. if that makes any sense?

BUT I gotta say the truck looks gooood now and that 1.5" spacer up front, and the 2" lift shackle in the back it leveled the fabtech out perfect, used to have a little rear end sag.

blackout07 · May 2, 2011

Yeah, they were designed simply to prevent the UCA's from sitting on the droop stop so you should be fine with them. Just keep your fingers crossed that you don't get a screwed up set.

BTW, where are the pics ?

stlavsa · May 2, 2011

Yeah, they were designed simply to prevent the UCA's from sitting on the droop stop so you should be fine with them. Just keep your fingers crossed that you don't get a screwed up set.

BTW, where are the pics ?

I am workin on it.. Weather has been terrible here for basically the entire month of april. The underside of the truck is filthy.. This weekend I am planning on getting under there and cleaning everything up, then if i have time give it a wash and wax job too. I have a pic of the CV angles though i took from my cell phone ill post it.

stlavsa · May 2, 2011

OK i forgot i took a quick pic in the walmart parking lot because i parked beside a stock truck just for a comparison. If you look at the mirrors you can really tell how much higher it is.

The 2nd pic i tried to get a picture of the CV angles of the Fabtech + 1.5" spacer. What do you think about that?

Also you can see how nasty the underside of the truck looks right now.. It looks like rust, but its really not, its from driving the truck in a few steel mills recently. Its all stained I am gonna get under there with degreaser and a pressure washer and what i can do. Probably going to need to do some painting to touch it up.

blackout07 · May 2, 2011

Your angles look perfectly fine to me. I can't see how your UCA's would be contacting the droop stop.

stlavsa · May 2, 2011

Your angles look perfectly fine to me. I can't see how your UCA's would be contacting the droop stop.

The UCA clearance isnt as bad as I thought, I still probably have half of the droop travel as stock with this setup. I also have no problems using 4wd at higher speeds, (i was concerned since there is so much suspension lift.)

The truck looks so much better now, the extra 1.5" up front is perfect when mated up to the 2" rear shackle. It just sits level, no more cali lean, and it also brings the truck up to match the other guys like ram 1500s and f150s with 6" kits. Even the silverado with the 8" lift and 305/55/20s was a tad lower than all the other makes, just because of how low the thing was to start with. Now with 9.5" of lift and 35's its atleast as big as a ram or f150 with the 6".. If that makes any sense.