New Upper A Arm Troubles

1st off I did not know what company as he wouldn't state it, And yes I did not have the time at the moment to read it and I did say (but maybe something in this post?) I thought maybe something in there related. Sorry if I pissed you off. I never claim to always be right aand I try to help when I can. If you ever ask a question I'll keep my mouth shut.:eek:

Sorry, but if you’re too lazy to even read the first couple of posts in a thread you have no business reposting it and suggesting it’s helpful.

The thread you linked isn’t relevant in any way, which even spending 60 seconds to read the opening couple of posts would show. The company that made those UCA’s is long out of business, and the failure they had has nothing to do with the UCA’s in this thread.

Reposting random threads you haven’t even read isn’t helpful, and in this case just serves to sidetrack the discussion from its actual purpose. If you don’t know, don’t post.

Post 20 shows that even in factory UCA's, the bushing holes don't always perfectly align. They probably don't have to since the rubber can accommodate slight misalignment of bushing axes. I agree is is best that the holes align, so the brackets on the frame don't see a bending force as the UCA moves up and down. The manufacturer must surely align the bushing sleeves on a welding jig since I can't imagine how else they would set it up for welding. Perhaps the misalignment comes from how the bushing is pressed in and/or its concentricity. OP could hold a straight edge against the sleeves to see if welded concentrically. Regardless, they will likely work fine on the car.

Thanks for post 26 since I had considered those fancy UCA's with easy caster adjustment. Re what happens when a control arm fails, I investigated that 10 yrs ago after posting a temp fix on my 1984 M-B to drive it home which resulted in flames from web forum "experts". Usually, control arms (and ball joints) fail at low speed when turning sharp, such as parking lots, since when they see the highest loads. The wheel usually splays outward, but you can still steer and brake. The front may drop if that control arm supports the spring (LCA in our Mopars). Early 2000's M-B LCA often fail by rusting thru from the insides, with no signs until they snap. Those were formed from rolled flat steel, while my 1984 has solid forged LCA's. Worst failures I've seen on the web are in Tesla Model S/X until ~2017 when they redesigned the aluminum suspension parts. China forced a recall, but Tesla balked for U.S., claiming "specific to Chinese drivers or Chinese roads", though they commonly break elsewhere and often the "whompy wheel" damages body panels or even loss of control (current death lawsuits).

Post #26 contains UCA’s made by a company that’s been out of business for over a decade. Nobody sells those particular UCA’s anymore, so unless you found a a second hand set and a really shady seller you’d have no chance of buying those.

Which is in the thread that was posted, if you read it.

Just my two cents. Has the car been in an accident, if so the frame or ears may be bent. I'm referring to the used arm in the photo. I agree, the ends should line up, or the bushings will fail shorty. Like any business, you are only as good as your help. In this case, your supplier. Time to wake up or you will no longer have a business. Keep your customers happy. My take here for a positive solution is, the company that sold the defected part should contact the supplier and see if they can find another upper control arm from another company that they sold to and send the customer another one, DONE DEAL.

Again, this isn’t that simple. Firm Feel may not be the fabricator of the UCA’s it sells, but it is the only supplier. There is no other company that sells those particular UCA’s, and they are made in small batches. So if there aren’t any on the shelf at Firm Feel, there aren’t any to send the OP until the next production run.