Upper control arm advice please

[lancer]

I have a 1996 UN series Explorer XLT SOHC 4WD. Manufactured, complianced and imported from the USA arriving and registered in Australia, March 1997.
In Australia we drive on the left hand side of the road so the drivers side is on the right, unlike the USA.
Since I purchased this vehicle about 6 weeks ago I have slowly attended to things that needed maintenance, replacing or adjusting.
Looking under it today I noticed that both upper control arm ball joints have cracked boots and are leaking lubricant. I deduced given that condition I should replace them as contaminents which will cause undue wear and tear will occur.
To my surprise I also noticed that it has a 2 piece upper control arm on the right side and a single piece upper control arm on the left.
My question to Forum members, Is this the case, does this model have 2 different styles of upper control arm or is something amiss?
Any advice would be very helpful.

Les Bryant
Brisbane, Australia
'lancer'

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Yes there are two different upper control arms. The two piece one allows for caster adjustment.

 

[lancer]

Thanks Dan.
I am aware that there are 2 types.
But, sensible rationale would be that if the 2 piece allows for castor adjustment, why would only one side have a 2 piece installed?
Does the other side with the one piece rely on snail adjusters? Or, heaven forbid, no adjustment at all. I think not.
If 2 different types are the norm why is that?
Why not the same type on both sides?

Les Bryant
Brisbane, Australia
'lancer'

 

[99ExploratorySUV]

I would also like to know the answer to this, please, if anyone knows.

 

[IZwack]

If caster needs adjustment, then something is bent (knuckle, arm, etc...)

 

[lancer]

Thanks IZwack!

I can not see any type of damage or bent parts to the right side suspension which would necessitate a 2 piece upper control arm for the right side only to adjust castor.

My questions is, are the 2 different types of upper control arms fitted to my '96 Explorer, ex Ford factory as new? Is there a reason for it, if it is a standard factory fit.

What was fitted by Ford to the UN series when this vehicle was built in the USA, a 2 piece or a one piece setup on both sides? Surely not a combination.

Then I would ask the question, if a replacement was made on one side, is the one piece and the two piece compatable being on the same vehicle.

I have purchased from a very reputable suspension dealer in the USA, right and left replacements, which are both single piece units. According to all the part info lists, they will fit.

These items in Australia are as scarce as hens teeth and cost an arm and a leg. I imported both from the USA at one quarter of the cost of one item in Australia.

Les Bryant
Brisbame. Australia
'lancer'

 

[gmanpaint]

As far as I know, ALL 2nd gen models have the passenger 2 pc set up stock from the factory. The after market type offer a 1 pc design with upper ball joint pre-installed. If you were to look around at other Explorer's, you would see the same style control arms. Yours is no diff than any of the rest. If you replace with a 1 pc style, you will need to get an alignment ASAP afterwards. Moog brand sells nice camber adjusters for around $10 US a piece. Ebay sells a complete front kit with upper C/A replacement, lower ball joint, tie rods, and everything else for less than $200 US. As long as you have it apart, it is a good idea to just replace it all, for a fraction of the cost of doing it 1 pc at a time.

Good luck to you down under mate!

 

[lancer]

Good to get that feed back, thank you.
Looking again more closely at both sides I have come to the conclusion that the right side two piece control arm is a replacement. Why do I come to that conclusion, you ask?
Well, all the repair manuals I have read advise removal of the engine bay splash protector to achieve repair or maintenance access to the locating swing bolts and snail adjusters of the wishbone.
The right side splash protector on mine has been cut away, where as the left side has not. A simple observation deduction.
Cutting away was the act of a lazy spannerman I'd say.
I have not checked to see if both sides have snail adjusters, do that today.
If they are still there I will replace both arms with new single piece ones and then book it in for a wheel alignment next week.
Thanks again.

 

[ivrb]

so did you manage to install a one piece control arm on passenger side and how did you obtain alignment, any pics?

 

[BSlusser]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm about to install a spindle lift so I've been in the market for replacing as much as I can while I'm in there. In fact, Gmanpaint, your thread on heavy duty IFS parts has been instrumental in my parts search. Thank you. At any rate, I'm struggling to understand why the left side is not also adjustable. I have Raysbestos lower ball joints on the way and I'll likely be swinging for upper control arm assemblies from the same manufacturer. I noticed that they do not offer an adjustable left side, which spurred my quest for an answer to this question. I'm not so much worried about not being able to adjust the driver side since no one seems alarmed that this is anything out of the ordinary, I'm just more intrinsically curious about why this is the case, especially since manufacturers also sell passenger's side UCA's with no caster adjusting.

 

[rickybobby]

They are adjustable, the single peice control arms are adjusted by the mounting bolts. You should buy adjuster kits, but i removed the washer on the nut side and replaced it with a thick round washer and was able to get more than enough adjustment out of it that way. And thank you for using the search function BTW

 

[swshawaii]

I'm struggling to understand why the left side is not also adjustable. I have Raysbestos lower ball joints on the way and I'll likely be swinging for upper control arm assemblies from the same manufacturer. I noticed that they do not offer an adjustable left side, which spurred my quest for an answer to this question. I'm not so much worried about not being able to adjust the driver side since no one seems alarmed that this is anything out of the ordinary, I'm just more intrinsically curious about why this is the case, especially since manufacturers also sell passenger's side UCA's with no caster adjusting.

Good explanation, see reply #2.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273558