Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I am working on a 2 ¼" front lift on my 2018 Silverado.  I have purchased almost all the pieces to this puzzle.  I'm not using lift blocks, I got the Bilstein 5100 shocks that are longer and will do 1.85" of lift, and I will put in a ½" top spacer on the strut.  The problem with the upper control arm is the angle of the ball joint is stretched, and the new arm corrects the angle.

My question is what brand of upper control arm have others used?  I have searched and found so many.  A common problem I keep finding people have is with the ball joint breaking on these.  The ball joints shouldn't fail so quick.  I'd like to buy something more quality that I don't have to worry about it for 30,000-50,000 miles.  I don't go off roading, so I'm not concerned about rough driving abuse.  It appears to me that too many mid grade brands have paid off Google so better ones don't show up in any searches.  Looking for other choices.  Thanks

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Kryptonite.

$500

Lifetime warranty.6b0cfc1902f8b7bd8ac526fe85b2d667.jpg

 

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted

Jim Devaney, thanks for that.  I had not found that one, I think I like it.


Joey, I can't leave in stock.  I am doing some upgrades mostly to help the suspension for towing my camper trailer.  One of those upgrades will raise the rear end about 1 1/2", and then it will look pretty odd.  I have to raise the front to compensate.  The stock upper control arm doesn't like that angle of the ball joint when you raise the front end, so I need to replace it.  Thanks

Posted
On 12/13/2020 at 10:05 AM, Aaronjs777 said:

I am working on a 2 ¼" front lift on my 2018 Silverado.  I have purchased almost all the pieces to this puzzle.  I'm not using lift blocks, I got the Bilstein 5100 shocks that are longer and will do 1.85" of lift, and I will put in a ½" top spacer on the strut.  The problem with the upper control arm is the angle of the ball joint is stretched, and the new arm corrects the angle.

My question is what brand of upper control arm have others used?  I have searched and found so many.  A common problem I keep finding people have is with the ball joint breaking on these.  The ball joints shouldn't fail so quick.  I'd like to buy something more quality that I don't have to worry about it for 30,000-50,000 miles.  I don't go off roading, so I'm not concerned about rough driving abuse.  It appears to me that too many mid grade brands have paid off Google so better ones don't show up in any searches.  Looking for other choices.  Thanks

I have the Zone 2313 control arm installed on my 2018.  So far so good.  I have what equals out to a 2-5/8” lift.  I have bilstein 6112 set at the top setting and made custom 3/8” bottom spacers.

 

The upper control arm is nice and square to the spindle.  The cv axles that’s a different story,

to correct that, I put in 1/2” diff spacers to help.

 

In reference to what the OP is doing to his truck I beefed up the rear suspension with Zone Add a leaf and Monroe Load adjusting shocks.  It gave the rear about a 2” lift over factory 

 

  I have recently been researching the topic of the droop stop.  Since we are still working within the same operating envelope as stock.  We are putting the suspension near it’s “topped out” position.  With aftermarket arms they change the geometry to allow further travel.  The problem is the strut only goes so far.  

 

added pic since we are talking trucks 

 


 


 

 

 

FF529EED-502D-4DB6-8AEE-FCA6409A984B.jpeg

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • You need a better code reader/scanner.  You are missing codes.  Did the dealer give you a copy of the SAVI scan from that visit?     If the fluid hasn't been changed, change it.  Shudder will likely go away.  
    • TLDR to my other post...   Hard. Pass.  Too many what ifs.     Are you set on a 3.0 Duramax?  Have you considered anything not GM just in case?  If you don't have to have a pickup, lots of other options for $27,000 out there.   
    • I see some red flags.   - No mention in the Carfax if the oil pump belt was changed.  LM2s had a 150,000mi service interval, and its got 164,245mi on it.  So right out the gate it needs about $3000-3500 for that to be done before driving it another 150,000mi.  Belt is at the rear of the engine.     - If something happens to the transmission valve body, the special coverage is expired by mileage.  That will likely be an out of pocket expense, with zero or near zero GM participation if something happened even though its in by time.   - 2020 LM2s seem to need timing chains after 80,000mi at some point.  They fixed this end of 2020/starting 2021 model year engines.  They will usually set a P0016 I think?  There is another $8000-10,000 if it needs a chain.  The main chain is at the back, secondary at the front so the pump belt would be done at the same time if it needed chains.     - Long oil change intervals.  7,000-8,000mi on average, probably close to 0% or perhaps to or beyond 0% on the OLM.  Lots of them not at the dealer which makes me wonder how much of the oil ran through that truck was the proper Dexos D rated 0w20 oil and not just gas engine 0w20, which is not the same at all.     - Long fuel filter changes, again likely taking the fuel filter life to 0% or more.  First one went 28,603, second was done 43,094 miles later at 71,697, from there another 46,452mi to 118,149mi, and then the most recent one 37,026mi later at 155,175mi.  So counting its original fuel filter, its had only 4 fuel filters on it.  No bueno IMO.         Good news?    - It has had only two warranty trips to the dealer.  The first free service (end of December 2020 on the Carfax), and the transmission reprogram recall (end of August 2025 on the Carfax).     - Truck did a LOT of moving, so that might explain the lack of emissions related repairs like bad NOX sensors, bad exhaust temp sensors, bad glow plugs, etc.         The "emissions system checked" could just be how something was flagged for Carfax.  GM dealers have to do SAVI reports for warranty repair orders so they scan the truck.  So its possible that is there for that?  
    • Thank you, @Z45!   NOTE - No all repair shop/Dealers reports to Carfax   That is my main concern.  The CARFAX looks way too clean for a 6 year old anything with 164,245 miles.  Even something known for reliability (like many Toyotas) typically has a lot more replaced, like a Nav screen, interior trim, shock/strut, or brake pads.  And surely the last set of tires (installed at ~58k miles) would be bald unless those were all highway miles.   I'm tempted to pay a local dealer to look up the VIN, but am not sure if that will be worthwhile.  Last time I did this, it was 100% useless, and I felt scammed - they noted the bumper was replaced years ago and that's it.  A 5-year old could spot the accident damage, even though nothing was on the CARFAX.   After giving the dealer a call, the truck may have a hard shift, but they have to verify with their mechanic if that's even a concern.  And I've test driven about a dozen of these now, many near Chicago, and half the trucks shift hard/odd at all throttle positions.  The ones with aftermarket lifts/larger tires shift terrible, and 3 stock trucks shifted so violently I thought the transmission valve body was going out.   At this point I'm conflicted, as I need a vehicle, and am coming up short locally.  Northern trucks in this price range tend to have either multiple owners, a lot of mods (lifts/oversized tires without re-gearing), and are generally in rougher shape.   If this truck showed up in your neighborhood for $27k and you had to purchase it sight-unseen, with the possibility of needing a 10L80 rebuild, torque converter, or rear end - would you do it?  I'm convinced most of the 10L80 trucks I test drove are broken, they can't all shift so bad, with massive flares/slipping/lurching and mis-matched downshifts like a teen driver learning stick.
    • From the spy shots, the front end does look like it's borrowing some styling cues from the Canyon. I'm more interested in the powertrain news than the screens though. If the 3.0 diesel survives into the next generation, that alone will keep a lot of current owners interested.  
  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...