01. After 10 miles of driving...
01. After 10 miles of driving with a failed ball joint, the upper control arm was damaged beyond repair. Although, to be perfectly honest, with any press-fit-style ball joint it is recommended that you replace the UCA when the ball joint requires replacing.
Let’s face the honest truth about truck ownership. At times, bad things happen. Truck parts are designed to have certain longevity or an expected lifespan. However, when things are changed or modified, all bets are off. Case in point is the ball joint installed on the upper control arm (UCA) of our ’07 Chevy 2500HD. Under “normal” use, the ball joint could last upward of 70,000 miles. Change things up by adding a 6-inch lift, 35-inch tires, and a heavier front bumper with a winch, and the life expectancy of these and other parts are significantly shortened. Unfortunately, most parts do not have a wear indicator to signify their impending demise. The passenger-side ball joint decided to fail while we were navigating a sandy wash at speed. As a result, the UCA transformed into a cutting chisel on a lathe and proceeded to turn an impressive 0.2x0.3-inch groove into the sidewall of the General Grabber tire. Thankfully, the DuraGen three-ply puncture-resistant sidewall of the tire withheld this obscene torture, and we were able to return home in one piece.
Fortunately, the ball joint didn’t break in two; it simply worked its way out of the press fitting in the UCA. Had the ball joint bisected, who knows how bad the ensuing wreck and damage would have been. Luckily, our carnage list is a ball joint, a UCA, and one tire. After counting our blessings, we knew that replacing the damaged parts with stock versions was out of the question. We wanted UCAs that were stronger than stock, serviceable, and had bolt-in rather than press-in ball joints. After consulting with Nick Vasquez from Nor Cal Truck we determined that UCAs from Cognito Motorsports would fit the bill.
02. Force = Mass x Acceleration at work here. It was only a matter of time until the stock ball joint failed. The added mass of the tire, rim, and other aftermarket parts coupled with high-speed, off-highway terrain overcame the friction bond between the ball joint and the upper control arm. This resulted in a nice, deep, wide, symmetrical groove in the sidewall of the General Grabber tire.
“Cognito Motorsports’ UCAs are a tubular frame design with bolt-in ball joints and feature mounting brackets for dual-shock setup. Not only are the UCAs stronger, but they are engineered to solve some of the deficiencies that plague the IFS system in GM trucks.”
Cognito Motorsports’ UCAs are a tubular frame design with bolt-in ball joints and feature mounting brackets for dual-shock setup. Not only are the UCAs stronger, but they are engineered to solve some of the deficiencies that plague the IFS system in GM trucks. With a stock truck, the geometry of the front end limits full suspension travel, and once a lift kit is added, wheel alignment becomes an issue. With one well-designed UCA, the engineers at Cognito solved both problems. Two more features that make the Cognito superior to the factory parts are serviceable A-arm pivot bushings and polyurethane bumpstops, which are much softer than the metal-on-metal stops found on the stock units.
From time to time, bad things happen and stock parts break. Aftermarket companies rely on this fact, and the good ones—like Cognito Motorsports and General Tire—answer the call with superior replacement parts. The next time a part goes south on your rig, look toward the aftermarket for a high-quality replacement.
03. The ball joint is a wear...
03. The ball joint is a wear item designed to be replaced before failure. I guess we were too late.
04. Had the ball joint broken...
04. Had the ball joint broken in half, the UCA would have separated from the spindle as illustrated in this picture, resulting in a loss of steering and possibly an ugly crash.
05. Even though the final...
05. Even though the final installation step of the Cognito UCAs is a front end alignment, it is still a good idea to make alignment marks before disassembly. Now is also a good time to secure the brake rotor and spindle before the pickle fork is used to separate the ball joint.
06. Assembly of the UCA is...
06. Assembly of the UCA is pretty simple and straightforward. We began by installing the heavy-duty ball joint to the arm.
07. Serviceability was one...
07. Serviceability was one of the features we looked for in a replacement UCA. Not only are the ball joints easy to replace, but the A-arm pivot sleeves are threaded for grease fittings to ensure a long life.
08. The final assembly step...
08. The final assembly step is to install the polyurethane bushings and crush sleeve into the UCA pivot sleeve. We used the arbor press, but a bench vice or other method would work, too.
09. The aftermarket Cognito...
09. The aftermarket Cognito Motorsports UCA (left) features a bolt-in, heavy-duty ball joint; greasable pivot sleeve; polyurethane bumpstop; and dual-shock mounting option. Now, why would you want to reinstall a stock one?
10. Installing the Cognito...
10. Installing the Cognito UCA is basically performing the removal in reverse order, beginning with the factory bolts and the eccentric washers that connect the control arm to the frame of the truck.
11. Remember that tip about...
11. Remember that tip about marking the alignment starting point? Adjust the A-arm mounting bolts and eccentric washers until the marks align. This will be a good enough starting point until a front end alignment can be performed.
12. Here is another lesson...
12. Here is another lesson learned: Use a thin punch or screwdriver to adjust the hole in the ball joint to make installation of the cotter pin easier.
13. With everything assembled,...
13. With everything assembled, cycle the suspension and make sure the brake line and ABS sensor wires are free from moving parts and have full range of motion.
14. After a quick trip to...
14. After a quick trip to the alignment shop, we were done. The new UCAs provide better geometry for proper factory alignment—even with a lifted truck. The bumpstops are soft polyurethane rather than steel on steel, and we now have proof of how strong and puncture-resistant the sidewalls are on the General Grabber tires.