SPC A Arm Squeak (1 Viewer)

[arich]

My SPC arms started squeaking after 50k. Took them apart and greased the collar. Still squeaking. My mechanic says that the bushing is rotating inside the arm causing the squeak.
anyone have experience with similar situation?

 

[TexAZ]

I get the same thing after replacing the worn out bushings.

 

[arich]

SPC told me to replace bushings but you’re saying that didn’t help???

 

[TexAZ]

I had close to 90k on my SPC arms. The bushings were extremely worn out. But quiet.
After replacing them, the drivers side started to make noise. If the steel sleeve is moving around inside the bushing replace them for the improvement in handling. Grease everything and the squeak should go away. Not sure why one side of mine is fine and the other makes noise.

 

[ohsix]

My driver's side SPC UCA started squeaking after a few thousand miles. Some big bumps to cycle the front suspension range of motion seems to stop the squeaking for a few thousand miles. When that no longer works, I'll look at UCA's with grease-able bushings (I think Trail Tailor's are grease-able) or see if I can drill and tap the SPCs for grease zerks.

 

[iwashmycar]

Mine started squeaking after about 40K miles. I have a new set of bushings sitting in the garage I will install this weekend. Should do the trick but Ill update if it doesnt. Sounds like a cheap motel mattress lol .

I am betting my bushings are more stuck to the long bolt and like mentioned, the metal bushings are rotating in the rubber since all the grease it probably long gone.

 

[TexAZ]

Hope you have a press and some creativity.
Getting the old bushings out and new ones in was a pain. Post up pics of your bushing press setup.

 

[arich]

That's what I'l worried about. My buddy who helped me this time said they're not coming out unless we cut them and he's not sure how the nes ones would go back in.

 

[TexAZ]

If you dont have a hydraulic press, call around to some local shops and ask if they would press them in for you.
Use lots of grease.
I had a crazy stack of wood blocks to support the arm and a big ole socket to push.
Be careful not to bend the arm.

 

[iwashmycar]

I guess I planned to try the 1/2" all-thread method to at least get them moving...

 

[iwashmycar]

Hope you have a press and some creativity.
Getting the old bushings out and new ones in was a pain. Post up pics of your bushing press setup.

Did them yesterday. Was easy. To get them out I used the allthread, and at the end a 27mm socket. Started cranking, then using a screwdriver I pushed the little inner lip of the bushing in until it just popped out. Hardest part was the tediousness of threading the nuts on the long piece of allthread.

Then when you put them in you can pretty much do both at the same time.

My bushings were pretty bad...the metal collar inside had rusted a lot and the rust must have mixed with grease and mud. This made the sleeves larger and the bushings ID larger too. No real play but testing a new sleeve in the old bushing it fell right through. Plus the washers on the ends of the bushings were galling into the bushings a good bit.

Overall I am very impressed with these LR UCAs. Mine have 60000 miles on them and the ball joints had no play, though moved around very easily. I added as much grease as I could with slipping a grease needle past the boot, but someday it probably would be nice to replace them.

 

[helocat]

One tip if not currently doing, is do not torque down the main cross bolt at the frame until the truck is on the ground at ride height. This is a common error with UCA installs, that if torqued in the dropped position can lock the bushings in that position. Then when the truck is sat back down at ride height, the bushings twist and accelerate ware.

2nd main install issue (Not applicable to the SPC’s) but to others with grease zirks at the bushings, it to install them dry then use the zirks to grease them in place. Like on ICON or Total Chaos UCAs. To install these, glove up and hand grease the snot out of each bushing before installing in the arms. Just make a mess at it, it all wipes clean after install leaving the grease where it needs to be.

@iwashmycar I suggest sharing the rust issues with SPC. We have been working with them for years and experinced them being very receptive on feedback. 60k miles is good for sure for bushings but we want the main bodies to be good to go another 60k+.

 

[iwashmycar]

I thought about adding zerks but unless you can get grease somehow completely through the bushings all the way to the center sleeve (do the newest ones have holes in the bushing?) all you are doing is greasing the bushing to arm metal and that doesnt even spin (the bushing to sleeve / sleeve to bolt does). In my case after 60K the a-arm metal that sits at the bushings maybe had some specs of rust, but by all means nothing bad whatsoever. I wouldnt even want that lubed I dont think - I want that tight and sticky so that the whole control arm doesnt float on the outside of the bushings.

 

[helocat]

I thought about adding zerks but unless you can get grease somehow completely through the bushings all the way to the center sleeve (do the newest ones have holes in the bushing?) all you are doing is greasing the bushing to arm metal and that doesnt even spin (the bushing to sleeve / sleeve to bolt does). In my case after 60K the a-arm metal that sits at the bushings maybe had some specs of rust, but by all means nothing bad whatsoever. I wouldnt even want that lubed I dont think - I want that tight and sticky so that the whole control arm doesnt float on the outside of the bushings.

I understand better now, I thought the bushing ware was from rust allowing it to move. Rust can be controlled at the design level.

As for adding grease, you are correct simple shooting grease into a bushing not designed with grease channels to allow the grease to get to where it needs to be would not be much help. Also a huge one and issue with UCAs w/ bushing grease zirks is managing the large pressure adding grease creates. The ones designed with zirks have to have the main cross bolt backed off to allow the grease to have an exit. If not the huge overpressure of the grease going in will/can exceed what the poly bushings can take and basically distory the bushings as they collapse. Over pressurized poly look like marshmallows when they come out w/ little structure.

 

[bloc]

Can SPC UCAs have the stock toyota bushing pressed in? Is this an option with any aftermarket uppers?

 

[iwashmycar]

Can SPC UCAs have the stock toyota bushing pressed in? Is this an option with any aftermarket uppers?

The new SPCs do have OEM style bushings. Which can be added. They are way more expensive than these SpecRide versions though. They are called xAxis bushings

 

[bloc]

The new SPCs do have OEM style bushings. Which can be added. They are way more expensive than these SpecRide versions though. They are called xAxis bushings

That should be quieter than poly but they aren’t OEM style where there is rubber molded between the inner and outer sleeve. I believe OE to be the only truly trouble-free bushing configuration..

 

[Utahfj62]

I just put a new set of SPC upper control arms in and they squeak so bad. Terrible. I called them and they sent me another set to install and said the bushing were probablly bad. I made sure to grease the arms and bolts and didn't torque them until they were under full load and yet they still squeak so bad. So much to the point that I'm considering taking them off and going back to OEM. Anyone else have these issues and resolve them? What did you do?

 

[UTFJ]

I just put a new set of SPC upper control arms in and they squeak so bad. Terrible. I called them and they sent me another set to install and said the bushing were probablly bad. I made sure to grease the arms and bolts and didn't torque them until they were under full load and yet they still squeak so bad. So much to the point that I'm considering taking them off and going back to OEM. Anyone else have these issues and resolve them? What did you do?

My new set of SPC upper control arms with the new style bushings also starting squeaking really loudly after about 3500 miles. I purchased them through Crusier Outfitters, and they are working with me to determine what the issue is. So, Utahfj62, were you able to get the new set installed? If so, how are those working out for you.

 

[Markuson]

The new SPCs do have OEM style bushings. Which can be added. They are way more expensive than these SpecRide versions though. They are called xAxis bushings

SPC squeaks drive me absolutely nuts...

Literally About to replace mine fully, but if the newest units are also immediately squeaking???

Who’s got a solution/alternative here???