It really pisses me off that Dodge changed the UCA in '06. That being said, how different is it from the earlier 3rd gens? More to the point, can we use an earlier 3rd gen UCA instead of the $300 aftermarket UCAs?

 

I havent looked at the side by side but Im going to go out on a limb and suggest the distance of the wishbone ends are different the therefore wouldnt line up making the swap incompatible.

 

Who said UCA's are $300? Rock auto has the MOOG UCA's with ball joint and bushings for $82.76 ea?

MOOG Part # K620174 for the RH
MOOG Part # K620175 for the LH

Forgive me if it is a dumb question, but what is the old style UCA going to to for you over the 06+ version?

nateroach

 

The $300 I quoted was from airbagit.com, who also sells the 3" lift spindles.

The earlier 3rd gen UCAs were created using a different manufacturing process of some sort, or so I've heard. The benefit to their design, is that the earlier models had no issue with the UCA contacting the coil spring bucket after a coil spacer was installed. This is a plague to the '06-08 UCA. I'm using the 3" lift spindles in unison with the 2" coil spacers to lift the front of my truck, and I don't want the UCA hitting anything, ever.


**edit**
Using the Rock Auto website, I answered my own question. They are not compatible. The '06-08 have different part number for left and right, while the earlier models use the same part for either side. The pics of the part look completely different as well. ****.

 

When he said 300 i was thinking he meant custom control arms as they are about 400 +/-

 

Ah... I see
Thanks for the info

Doesn't the adjustable 5100's help with the coil bucket clearance issue?
Maybe that would help prevent contact with the UCA?

nateroach

 

Unfortunately those will not work on a 4x2.

 

I think that the airbagit's control arms are custom. They look nothing like stock at any rate, as they are tubular in design as opposed to boxed.

 

I would try it, Just go to a 02-05 truck and start taking measurements. Or try and go to the dealer and have both parts side by side and compare them. I wouldn't be surprised if they are the exact same thing. If anything the mounting points might be wider on the new style.

 

I dunno, I don't think they are gonna go. A lot of components are different going from '02-'05 to the '06+ trucks. We had a hell of a time trying to get a CV to stay in on his '05 4x4 after he snapped his (good old Fabtech lifts!) and found out that the CVs changed to a slightly thinner one in '06, but at the time they shared the same part number with the earlier ones (dunno if they rectified this or not). The parts guy had to actually make a couple of phone calls to determine it and get us the proper one...