RC upper control arm bushings not pressed in all the way (by design)

[BeenChevy]

Rough Country control arms delivered today and discovered something odd...

The passenger side arms upper bushings do not appear to be pressed in all the way compared with the drivers side:

Thinking this was a mistake and that I should attempt pressing them in all the way I gave them a call. On their web-site they also show not being pressed in all the way except on the DS:

RC says "Do not try to press the other side in all the way as this is by design and intentionally inversed".

Anyone know why this would be or if this is just a line of BS?? Maybe others can chime in who are also running these. Thanks

 

[Oh Kee Pah]

Did you get to install the RC UCAs yet?
No idea as to why the RC UCAs bushing is like that...
I believe you were planning on going a little higher on the front end; did that happen?

 

[OR VietVet]

I could be wrong but that may be like that, and should have been stated why it is like that by RC while on the phone and did you ask why, to help with a caster lead for alignment purposes.

 

[BeenChevy]

Made time Wednesday night and snapped the nut off the front cam bolt... oops

Ended up ordering a new set with camber locks. Never tried those before. They should deliver Monday hopefully.

Still planning to go 2.5" in the front. New magnetic shocks are set to arrive today also. Kinda getting anxious to get things back together..

 

[BeenChevy]

I could be wrong but that may be like that, and should have been stated why it is like that by RC while on the phone and did you ask why, to help with a caster lead for alignment purposes.

I think you're right. The stock arm out of the passenger side is gapped between the rim of the bushing too. Haven't pulled the DS wheel yet to see where those bushings are at but I know that arm was replaced by a 3rd party. Camber brackets & bolts arrived so I can get a little further this evening.

 

[BeenChevy]

Install went okay.

New mag-ride struts, RC upper arms, Camber locks, ttx lower balljoints. Got the 2000-2006 end links to fit (they're about an inch longer than stock) but still seem short...

Ordered mevotech ttx tie-rod ends to match the lower ball joints. Those should be here tomorrow.

 

[BeenChevy]

Turned out better than expected. Both upper arms hovering equally above the bump stops with either side of the frame lifted after everything torqued (wheels on the ground). Rolled it around the block and everything feels tight and no mis-alignment felt. Unfortunately the go-to alignment shop is waiting on parts for their rack... may just leave'er parked unless I can find another decent shop nearby.

 

[BeenChevy]

Here's the before and after alignment. Said the passenger side camber adjustment would have been outside the locking cam... just checked and there is cam holes to adjust in either direction.. Looks like I'm the dummy because you need to adjust using the stock cam bolts before installing the locking cam kit. The locking cams use round bolts and aren't notched like the stock so you can't just turn the bolt to adjust. Not sure if this will be much of an issue as is but I could remove the right front wheel and adjust... Any input on that? Just need to figure out which way to go on the locking cam - raise the arm out or in.. wish I would have known all this in advance live and learn.

 

[OR VietVet]

That camber reading will cause tire wear. Any pull?

 

[BeenChevy]

Good lookin out. No pull at all. Waiting on another cam alignment kit. Back to the basic unless I stack the locking cams over the top.

 

[BeenChevy]

Grabbed a pair of camber adjust kits from Napa PN 264-3717. The alignment shop was willing to swap out the cam locks for an hour of labor, $60 in washes and waive the re-alignment. Here's the new numbers:

 

[olyelr]

Nice! What size rubber?

 

[BeenChevy]

Nice! What size rubber?

Thanks. 295/55 today. Now that all the snow is melted; the 33x12.5 are going on. Have yet to see what the chrome LTZ's look like on these trucks.

 

[BeenChevy]

Had a chance to drive the truck a few hundred miles yesterday and it's apparent that it's pulling to the right a bit. Enough that I have to hold the steering wheel slightly off center to the left for it to track straight. Hands off the wheel it will maintain for a short bit and then begin drifting to the right while the steering wheel maintains center.

Looking at the alignment photo above, would it make sense that the caster may need to be adjusted a bit more?

SuspensionMaxx lists the following specs in there below:

WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECS W/ LEVELING KIT
CAMBER 0.5Deg. +/- 0.5Deg.
CASTER 2.0Deg. +/- 1.0Deg.
(LEFT TO RIGHT MUST BE EQUAL +/- 0.25Deg.)
TOTAL TOE 1/8in. +/- 1/8in.

 

[OR VietVet]

Had a chance to drive the truck a few hundred miles yesterday and it's apparent that it's pulling to the right a bit. Enough that I have to hold the steering wheel slightly off center to the left for it to track straight. Hands off the wheel it will maintain for a short bit and then begin drifting to the right while the steering wheel maintains center.

Looking at the alignment photo above, would it make sense that the caster may need to be adjusted a bit more?

SuspensionMaxx lists the following specs in there below:

WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECS W/ LEVELING KIT
CAMBER 0.5Deg. +/- 0.5Deg.
CASTER 2.0Deg. +/- 1.0Deg.
(LEFT TO RIGHT MUST BE EQUAL +/- 0.25Deg.)
TOTAL TOE 1/8in. +/- 1/8in.

Sounds like does not have enough caster lead on the passenger side. You could also swap tires and see what happens.

 

[BeenChevy]

Yeah it'd be unequal to and is greater than .25degrees at .90 difference right to left.

I checked my truck-cam and it looks like they pulled it out of the bay and parked it w/o any test drive. Now THAT's confidence

 

[OR VietVet]

The difference of caster on that sheet is too high on the left. The difference of .4 should be on the right. It is in the green but any good alignment tech should give a caster lead to the right and not the left.

 

[BeenChevy]

Here's the new numbers.. although it seems to steer centered and easier to drive. Not sure what to think of the numbers. I wonder if the control arm bushing not being pressed in all the way as the drivers side is factoring the results.

 

[BeenChevy]

 

[BeenChevy]

Here we go again. Looks like both pins missing from the drivers side at forward upper arm mount and one of the cams is dropped out of position... this would mean the entire bolt is twisted, yeah?