The OFFICIAL Answer......... MOPAR Front Upper Control Arm (UCA)

[VaderRebel]

... Even the readylift UCA hit the spring at full droop, no thanks.

I didn't experience that at all, after everything was tight, the RL UCA had the same overall clearance to the spring or better than completely stock. Curious as to why you had a different outcome.

 

[Alxmlr789]

I didn't experience that at all, after everything was tight, the RL UCA had the same overall clearance to the spring or better than completely stock. Curious as to why you had a different outcome.

Could be you had an extra 1" of upward travel due to your longer spring, that'd be my guess. When i sent the photos to readylift, they stated it was "totally normal".

 

[Alxmlr789]

I didn't experience that at all, after everything was tight, the RL UCA had the same overall clearance to the spring or better than completely stock. Curious as to why you had a different outcome.

Top two are readylift, bottom is mopar. I was baffled as well, but when they said it was normal, i pulled it off and shipped it back to amazon. Maybe after an alignment it would have eased up on the clearance, but i wasn’t willing to find out. Lol

 

[Kxlexus]

Good luck to you sir... and to all those who have decided to play russian roulette with their new rides.

A bit of advice if you're going it alone, be very careful with your stock UCA's ball joint, or have options available, it's a monster to get out, no matter how many beers are available.

I didn’t have any trouble at all getting the upper control arms free. It certainly wasn’t a “Monster” lol. I just cautiously used a pickle fork. As long as you pay attention to the fork and the ball joint boot. The fork won’t tear it if used properly. I don’t feel at all like I am playing Russian Roulette with my truck because I installed a Motofab 2” spacer. If I didn’t trust it I would buy the Mopar kit as I would kinda like having the Fox shocks and struts

 

[Jordan3206]

Top two are readylift, bottom is mopar. I was baffled as well, but when they said it was normal, i pulled it off and shipped it back to amazon. Maybe after an alignment it would have eased up on the clearance, but i wasn’t willing to find out. Lol

This is because the RL is providing more droop in the control arm where as the factory UCA is whats limiting travel. You can see it binding. Down travel is more important than up travel in most scenarios.

 

[RVC]

So my question is who is running the Motofab 2.5 with stock UCAs....and 20x12 with 33x12.50? I am doing it now and the truck rides fine and angles dont look too bad while it is sitting on the ground. I am going to get the Ready Lift UCAs soon but wanted some real time experience with this setup. Here is my ball joint angle.

 

[Jordan3206]

Hey Guys,
Installed them today. So far so good! Parking toll Monday till I get it aligned and need to balance tires. Bought through Custom Offsets and they are supposed to be balanced but I have a slight shake once I get up to about 60. Turned out just like I wanted though.

Only tip I have is make sure you take down the studs on top of the strut so that the extensions from the Daystar kit can bottom out. Other than that it was pretty straight forward. Took a buddy and me about 4ish hours as there was a lot of trial and error on the first strut...but all good now!

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Why do you have to cut the studs?

 

[Jordan3206]

Having just installed the Daystar spacer on an air ride truck I would bet me left nut the Mopar UCA is same as the air ride UCA.

 

[Kxlexus]

Having just installed the Daystar spacer on an air ride truck I would bet me left nut the Mopar UCA is same as the air ride UCA.

I agree and will state that I think they are all the same now. They may have been different when the 2019’s first came out but not now. My 2019 has coil springs but the UCA has the studs where the linkage for the air suspension attaches.

 

[Seven_oh_two]

I have a question,

I have the Mopar 2" lift installed with their new UCA's and I noticed it still has a rake in the front, can I install the motofab 2.5" spacers on the front, with the Mopar UCA's without any problems?

 

[rob989_69]

So, I'm waiting on my set of Bilstein 5100's and if you check out that thread it's been discussed that the mopar UCA's somehow have more travel in them? But looking at this thread it seems they are the same arms. I'm planning to do the full 2.5" lift with the Bilsteins. I'd really rather not do UCA's right now if I don't have to. I realize some people saying do them anyway, but if there's no difference I don't see the need, no matter how much they cost.

Question is, using a preload strut like the bilsteins (or the mopar lift for that matter) is it really necessary to do the control arms?

 

[Jordan3206]

I have a question,

I have the Mopar 2" lift installed with their new UCA's and I noticed it still has a rake in the front, can I install the motofab 2.5" spacers on the front, with the Mopar UCA's without any problems?

No, Your getting into a 4" lift and that needs brackets to correct axle and control arm angles.

 

[Jordan3206]

So, I'm waiting on my set of Bilstein 5100's and if you check out that thread it's been discussed that the mopar UCA's somehow have more travel in them? But looking at this thread it seems they are the same arms. I'm planning to do the full 2.5" lift with the Bilsteins. I'd really rather not do UCA's right now if I don't have to. I realize some people saying do them anyway, but if there's no difference I don't see the need, no matter how much they cost.

Question is, using a preload strut like the bilsteins (or the mopar lift for that matter) is it really necessary to do the control arms?

If your control arms have ball studs on the front for air ride they are the upgraded arms.

 

[AnthonyD1978]

If your control arms have ball studs on the front for air ride they are the upgraded arms.

I'm pretty sure they all have the ball studs.

 

[spinxt]

What we need is someone with a 2" lift/level with the regular UCA. Need pics of their geometries.

Why would anyone want to install the 2” lift using the stock UCAs? That makes no sense if the replacement ones come with the kit.

 

[AnthonyD1978]

Why would anyone want to install the 2” lift using the stock UCAs? That makes no sense if the replacement ones come with the kit.

You're assuming mopar is the only 2" kit out there. Plenty of lifts/levels that use stock UCAs.

 

[Jordan3206]

I'm pretty sure they all have the ball studs.

The first few months of the 5th gens apparently did not.

 

[Jordan3206]

Why would anyone want to install the 2” lift using the stock UCAs? That makes no sense if the replacement ones come with the kit.

We've already proven that the stock UCA with the ball stud is the same UCA in the mopar kit. I have first hand knowledge that the uca will hit the spring before it binds.

 

[AnthonyD1978]

We've already proven that the stock UCA with the ball stud is the same UCA in the mopar kit. I have first hand knowledge that the uca will hit the spring before it binds.

So are we thinking that the Mopar kit UCA was really just meant for the early production trucks that did not have the air ride UCA by default?

 

[Jordan3206]

So are we thinking that the Mopar kit UCA was really just meant for the early production trucks that did not have the air ride UCA by default?

I believe so, and as a way to sell parts. And or maybe to cover the guys that install the kit with 50k miles on the truck. Everyone says more movement in the BJ but everyone can disprove that and nobody can prove it so?