BTF Upper Control Arm/ 33" tires

[chrisaw0811]

Hello everyone, I am new to this website and I was wondering if BTF was still making the upper control arms for the spacer lifts. I am adding my truxxx spacer lift this weekend, it is in the mail. Also, will 33" tires fit an explorer with a 3" body lift and 2.5" front/ 1.25" rear spacer lift? Thanks

 

[HiImBrian]

Yes and Yes! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Triton8273]

What he said!

 

[armysoldier30263]

x3 :

 

[Maxstealth04]

Word x4

 

[chrisaw0811]

THANKS! Is that sort of lift going to cause problems with the control arms and is it necessary to upgrade to the BTF UCA?

 

[Maxstealth04]

If you do not get the UCA this is what can happen:

They are made of tubular steel and are stronger. They use a uniball instead of an upper ball joint for better range of motion and durability. They are also slightly longer to help get a better alignment. Essentially they help reduce the damage caused by this:

Which can result in this if you abuse it enough:

Granted that was with 3" front spacers and he beat the crap out of the truck, but really anything over 1.25" is going to cause your spindles to contact the coils when you droop the suspension out. This leads to poor suspension downtravel which, along with the increased angle on the suspension, leads to a bumpier ride. It also stresses the factory ball joints more.

 

[HiImBrian]

As long as you don't do any serious off-roading, you should be fine with your stock arms... When I throw on my BTF lift, I plan on replacing my ball joints, struts and coilsprings, just to cover myself. I've got them on my shopping list, but they're toward the bottom. $550 is a hefty price tag for me considering the only offloading I really do is driving on the gravel parking lot at the beach...lol.

Everything in ronins post is absolutely true, but from what I understand you will only make contact like that at full droop... They are definitely better than the stock control arms, just depends on how much you'll use them. James (Ronin8002) really knows his ****... As far as I'm concerned, what he says goes... I'm sure he'll throw his 2¢ in here pretty soon...

 

[armysoldier30263]

i dunno brian ... my knuckles slap my coil springs if i go too fast over a speed bump

 

[HiImBrian]

i dunno brian ... my knuckles slap my coil springs if i go too fast over a speed bump

I learn something new every day
Just goes to show that having a Masters at 23 doesn't mean I know everything... Time to start on my Doctorate!

 

[armysoldier30263]

haha brian ... but for real tax time im going to get some btf ucas because hopefully that will help and also my dr side uca bushing is gone so mind as well upgrade as you replace

 

[chrisaw0811]

Thanks for all the replies. He is still asking $550 for the UCA's? I thought i saw somewhere on here $400, but i may be wrong. It seems like in the long run it would be definitely worth it. Also, when using the PA 883 ranger body lift, do you have to use the steering extension? What would result if you didn't? When i lifted mine, the two ends never seperated for the steering extension to slide in???? It was quite a job. haha. I am 16 and did it by myself...

 

[HiImBrian]

I haven't seen them for less than $550... How did you lift yours?? If you installed strut spacers it would not have had an effect on your steering shaft. I had to use the extension when I did my 3" BL, it wasn't even close to reconnecting...

If you jacked up the body without disconnecting the steering shaft, you might've seriously screwed something up… Make sure you check everything thoroughly.

I think there are a few steering extension pics in the two stickied body lift threads.

 

[Triton8273]

Thanks for all the replies. He is still asking $550 for the UCA's? I thought i saw somewhere on here $400, but i may be wrong. It seems like in the long run it would be definitely worth it. Also, when using the PA 883 ranger body lift, do you have to use the steering extension? What would result if you didn't? When i lifted mine, the two ends never seperated for the steering extension to slide in???? It was quite a job. haha. I am 16 and did it by myself...

Who's body lift did you use?

 

[Ronin8002]

from what I understand you will only make contact like that at full droop... They are definitely better than the stock control arms, just depends on how much you'll use them.

thanks for the compliment but I'm really an amateur who just thinks about this stuff way too much :

Armysoldier I didn't realize you were having spindle/spring issues on speedbumps. The arms should help a bit but they aren't really a whole lot longer than stock so you'll still see the issue sometimes. They will keep you from burning through front upper balljoints for sure though.

Really the most direct and sure fire way to eliminate the spindle/spring issue is limiting straps. You can go with smaller spacers like I did but even that is not necessarily foolproof... as I discovered today. If I simply raise my truck with a floor jack I won't have contact...but if I cycle the front suspension hard enough the cups around the uniballs on the upper arms will still touch the coils a little when the suspension is fully drooped out. Weird but it is what it is, I guess.

I've gone back and forth on whether or not to do limiting straps but I think after lots of messing around that it's the most reliable way to get around that side effect of the spacers.

Not sure if they are really something that can be bolted on...everything I've seen as far as limiting strap hardware requires it to be welded to the frame and the lower control arm. I guess you could drilling holes might be an option but I figure its a perfect opportunity to use the welder I got for Christmas!

 

[Maxstealth04]

its a perfect opportunity to use the welder I got for Christmas!

THAT HAIRY FAT *******!!!! I asked for one also, and did not get one! LOL! What kind ya get?

 

[Ronin8002]

THAT HAIRY FAT *******!!!! I asked for one also, and did not get one! LOL! What kind ya get?

Lol! I'm just looking to learn and do very light duty type stuff for now so I got the Harbor Freight 90A flux wire welder, an auto darkening helmet, and some Lincoln Electric .035 flux core wire. All of that was only $150. I figure if I get good enough and stick with it then I'll upgrade to a Lincoln welder eventually.

 

[Maxstealth04]

Lol! I'm just looking to learn and do very light duty type stuff for now so I got the Harbor Freight 90A flux wire welder, an auto darkening helmet, and some Lincoln Electric .035 flux core wire. All of that was only $150. I figure if I get good enough and stick with it then I'll upgrade to a Lincoln welder eventually.

I LOVE that store! Will have to look for when to get myself! LOL!

 

[chrisaw0811]

I used the Performance Accesories 883 Body Lift for Ford Rangers like most of everyone else. I disconnected the steering shaft by the firewall at the spot where the pics show. I then jacked up the body and the shaft didn't seperate. I saw a post on here, I think by Roadbully, saying that he didn't even use the steering extension for a while.

 

[Ronin8002]

I used the Performance Accesories 883 Body Lift for Ford Rangers like most of everyone else. I disconnected the steering shaft by the firewall at the spot where the pics show. I then jacked up the body and the shaft didn't seperate. I saw a post on here, I think by Roadbully, saying that he didn't even use the steering extension for a while.

Yeah, I actually had to slide mine apart to get it to separate. Weird that the stresses of lifting didn't pull yours apart when it was unbolted. Like Brian, I was not able to get the 2 halves even close to connecting without the extension. I assume some other part of your steering system is taking up the slack.