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If you’re just getting started in pursuing the thrill of off-roading, you have to be prepared with the knowledge necessary to ensure a safe, smooth ride every time you get behind the steering wheel. As you likely know by now, stock vehicles simply won’t cut it on tougher trails and terrain—upgrading and lifting your rig is essential if you want to get maximum enjoyment out of your off-road experiences.
Lift kits are one of the most popular modifications for off-roaders. A crucial part of this mod that every off-roader needs to understand is the upper control arm (UCA), which we’ll discuss below.
What’s a Lift Kit and Why Do I Need One?
Put simply, a lift kit raises your vehicle to give it more ground clearance for off-roading. A few reasons you might want to lift your vehicle include:
- You’re able to fit larger tires, which improves traction
- You have better clearance for rocks, rough trails, and uneven surfaces
- You improve your suspension for a smoother ride, If you use high-quality shocks and struts
Key Components of a Lift Kit
Before investing in one, be sure you’re familiar with the basic parts of your lift kit and how each of them should function, such as:
- Springs hold the vehicle up, they need to match the vehicle's weight.
- Shocks help smooth the ride and prevent bouncing after hitting bumps by absorbing impact and controlling the spring rebound.
- Control arms are especially important when you lift your vehicle, as they need to add the caster back, which is lost with the lift kit.
Three Types of Lift Kits
You also need to know what style of lift kit you’re in the market for, as there are three primary varieties:
- Body lift kits: As its name suggests, a body lift kit raises the vehicle's body from the frame, giving room for larger tires and more ground clearance. These kits only work on a full-frame vehicle.
- A Spring lift kit lifts: the springs are 2 to 3” taller, increasing ground clearance for off-roading. Most importantly, stay away from strut spacer lift kits, as they push the spring down into the control arm, and make the struts too long for the suspension envelope, and will damage the strut on hard compression impacts.
- Cradle drop lift kit: Cross-Member Drop, K Frame Drop or Drop Bracket Lift Kit. Lift range 4 to 12-inch lift on independent front suspension vehicles. This style kit relocates the lower control arms on the front of the vehicle using a drop bracket. These brackets offset the lower control mounting holes by 4", 6", or 8". These kits also include longer steering knuckles to fit within the bigger gap between the upper and the lower ball joints. These kits tend to be more expensive do to the amount of engineering and amount of parts in the kit.
What Are Upper Control Arms (UCAs)?
The upper control arm is an essential part of your vehicle’s suspension system. It connects the steering knuckle to your vehicle's frame and helps the Tires move properly and precisely. Think of it as the part that makes sure the tires stay in the right position as your suspension moves up and down, especially when you’re on rough terrain.
How Can Upper Control Arms Make or Break My Ride?
UCAs have the power to make or break your ride, which is exactly why you never want to cheap out on aftermarket parts. When your safety and that of your passengers is at stake, you never want to risk malfunctions or failures to save a few dollars. Remember, if you invest in the best, you get the highest quality performance possible, plus a ride you (and your passengers) can rely on.
Premium UCAs Enhance Your Experience
A properly installed lift kit equipped with JBA Red UCAs means you can be confident in your rig to make it through extreme environments. Our original RED aftermarket arms ensure the best off-roading experience possible by:
- Maintaining correct suspension angles: When you lift your vehicle, the suspension angles change, and the upper control arms correct the suspension geometry.
- Preventing wear and tear: If you don’t upgrade the upper control arm when you lift your vehicle, tires and ball joints will wear out faster.
- Improving comfort: A properly functioning upper control arm keeps your vehicle handling smoothly, whether cruising on the highway or tackling snow, sand, and gravel. No driver fatigue!
- Increasing suspension travel and flex: UCAs with JBA Max90 ball joints allow for a greater range of motion, improving the suspension's ability to absorb bumps and maintain contact with the ground.
- Optimizing alignment and handling: UCAs allow for precise adjustments to camber and caster angles, which are crucial for maintaining proper alignment after a lift and ensuring smooth, predictable handling on- and off-road.
- Enhancing strength and durability: JBA UCAs are built with stronger materials and construction than stock parts and can withstand off-road abuse.
- Providing better articulation: UCAs can improve the suspension's articulation, allowing the wheels to better maintain contact with the ground over uneven terrain.
- Reducing bump steer: UCAs and a properly set alignment can help reduce bump steer, a common issue with lifted vehicles.
Subpar UCAs Suppress Your Suspension
So, what happens if you don’t upgrade your UCAs? The implications of cheapening out on suspension mods or putting off proper maintenance include:
- Alignment issues: Installation of cheap UCAs may lead to unpredictable driving behavior, uneven tire wear, and uncomfortable handling.
- Off-roading problems: Without a reliable, properly functioning upper control arm, your vehicle’s suspension might not work or flex well, making off-roading more difficult and less enjoyable.
- Frequent and costly upgrades: When you choose to install low-quality aftermarket parts, you’ll likely need to replace them more often, ultimately spending more time and money on your mods and less time having fun!
Where Can I Find High-Quality Upper Control Arms?
Most off-roaders will need to upgrade their upper control arms to prevent alignment, tire wear, and handling issues. But as you know by now, you can’t throw just any UCAs in your wheel wells. Investing time and money into the right aftermarket parts will help you get the most out of your off-roading adventures. So, if you want a high-quality ride you can depend on, upgrade to JBA Red.
