GROUP PURCHASE FOR AFTERMARKET UCAs

[MAD D40]

Guys there has been a huge interest in aftermarket UCAs so I thought id post a thread to organise a group purchase. Hopefully we will manage to save a few bucks this way.

Firstly we need to establish certaintly if Spain & Thai builds share the same UCA.
Either a part number search from Nissan or eye up a pair of UCAs. I know Aussie Frontier has so far been a great help and provided measurements but if we can get the 2 arms and compare them in the flesh that will get an answer in concrete for us.

Also the main reason for aftermarket arms is learance between UCA & strut tower. If you lift the truck 4 inches they WILL hit.
We need to research the UCAs with most clearance away from the top hat and also will allow the appropriate camber angles. Im sure they have done this research when producing the product but basically we need to know prior to choosing. And come up with a unanimus decision.
Also in terms of postage we will need to establish minimal delivery addresses.
Possibly 1 person from each state or even 1 delivery address in total and pickup from Navara Ute Muster??!? Something that requires some thought I guess.

The Aussie dollar is up and within the next 2 months would be a great time to buy. I know we all cant afford it straight away but if we set an appropriate time frame we can stick by and a formal organized payment I cant see why we couldnt save ourselves a bucket load of cash if there is a few of us buying.

Sooooo..... Need a number of heads wanting to purchase and any info would be greatly appreciated as the web sites are not providing much info. Just trying to give as much info for you guys as possible.

Cheers

 

[merchant]

Ummmmm, what's a UCA?

 

[raywise]

Upper Control Arms.

With some raised susp systems new upper control arms can help with getting camber adjustments etc back to spec, and provide better clearance for some shocks etc.

 

[ONLOCK]

Im keen if the price is under 600 a pair. Im also happy to pull out my arms to compare against spain built, so is there anyone around westside of melb with a spain built truck that could help out

 

[WoodyD40]

Ummmmm, what's a UCA?

Geez, i'm glad someone asked the question B4 i did ...

now i know what a UCA is .....

 

[navarian]

Put me down for a set Mad.
Spanish STX built 9/05

 

[Aussie Frontier]

As it just so happens I happen to have a brand new Thai built truck on my drive at the moment courtesy of Nissan Aus as my loan vehicle while the truck is getting its new paint. I will endeavour to try to take comparisons of the ST-X UCA out of my truck and the UCA in the RX on the drive.
Stay tuned.
Just a few things we will have to consider.
the arms will most likely be over $600 per set to answer that question.
We may be able to get a deal if we buy them all from the same place however we would get stung with tax's etc if the shipment is over $1000.
Shipping can be reasonably cheap using Cheetah Imports into Melbourne via sea container( container delivered from Indy in the US to Melbourne Aus via ship)
The regs in different states are different on the use of UCA. Make sure you check if they are going to be legal to use in your state.
I had mine engineered here in the ACT but have heard other states will refuse to pass them point blank.

 

[ONLOCK]

if its over 600 i dont see the point when you could just run the uca ofset bushes and extended ball joints

 

[Aussie Frontier]

The main reason would be UCA coil bucket contact.
The reason I went with new UCA is firstly none of the offset bushes were available when I first started getting all my gear together and secondly all the gear in the front both UCA and struts are fully rebuldable.
I would have had to run both UCA and LCA bush's to get my Camber to play the game. I was on the outer limits of posative according to Nissan Specs with no lift at all. When I installed my lift it went way too much posative camber. As it is I have all the adjustment would in on the PRG UCA and have almost zero pos camber with 45mm lift

 

[jarryd]

mines thai built ill have a look and get some measurments

 

[ONLOCK]

so if ball joints and offset bushes are the cheaper is there any other reason as to why people should get the uca's. especially the thai built navs that have cam bolts top and bottom. i can understand the spain built navs as they dont have much adjustment at all

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I wasnt aware that the Thai trucks had top and bottem ,I only thought they had LCA concentrics .Yet another change I guess.As it happens if you get upper and lower bushes done its more exxy I think unless you do it yourself.
At the end of the day its up to the individual and what you want from your truck and how much lift you want.

 

[ONLOCK]

yea fair enuf. guess its preferance really. i was thinking about it today just trying to work out in my head if i fit it all myself how i would go about doing a home alignment, still not completly convinced how to do it though.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

The hardest part is trying to swap out the bushes. Without a press n the right bits it would be a right pain in the butt

 

[ONLOCK]

yea id just do it at work. got a press there and plenty of different size punches or blocks whatever you wanna call them, more the alignment part im worrying about.

 

[Leprechaun]

so if ball joints and offset bushes are the cheaper is there any other reason as to why people should get the uca's. especially the thai built navs that have cam bolts top and bottom. i can understand the spain built navs as they dont have much adjustment at all

R U sure about the UCA adjustment? I don;t remember seeing any cams on my KC.

 

[ONLOCK]

maybe im thinking of something else.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I think you must be lol
I did actually go down that route with my engineer some years ago but it was going to be megga painfull to do

 

[MAD D40]

Yeah there is definately no UCA cam adjustment bolts.
When you install the offset bushes you would want to make sure they are lined up correctly at the right degrees to allow for full camber, even 1 mm difference between the 2 and your caster would be up the shit.
Aftermarket UCAs will give more travel, so will a extended ball joint but 2 things.
1. the length of the ball joint being extended is more likely to break.
2. If your ball joint is pressed in not held in by a circlip the balljoint will not fit... My Thai built is pressed in.
With the cost no idea untill I get numbers and contact supplier.
As for the engineering part as long as its not the cause of the crash you will be right. And as the PRG is stronger than stock should be right. Im optimistic I know.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

My engineer looked at the PRG UCA and stated they would be more than double the strength of a stock arm just from its design and materials