Well guys, I don't know how this really happened.... it slowly started to come back (the neg camber) after getting stuck in a big rut about a month ago. Now it's undriveable because, well.... it's just dangerous, lets put it that way! And I'm lucky that I made it home last night!

If anyone remembers correctly, when I bought the truck it had a negative camber issue. But I knew I could fix it, one way or another... so I bought it. What was happening is the T Bars were cranked so much that it was tugging on these short upper control arms that my truck has. Lowers were fine (in line so to speak). Anyway's I searched and searched around for some cheap, LONGER upper control arms but didn't have the money to purchase a $400+ part(s) at the places I did find them!

To make a LONG story short, I replaced everything in the front end with new parts... The upper balljoints (with 1 inch spacers to fix the neg. camber), lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends, CV axles, etc... nonetheless, after the upper balljoint spacers and new balljoints, the problem was not only FIXED - but it also gave me POSITIVE camber so that the alignment shop was able to bring those upper A arms back in some! (which btw was never done - the alignment, due to not having the time or money to have control arm bushings put on!) I have the bushings, but I think I really may have screwed myself by not putting them on sooner!

All that being said, I think my problem is either I completely BLEW OUT the upper balljoint or bent the control arm or both (due to the BLOWN OUT A-arm bushings) on the passenger side. I think the neg camber is starting to come back on the drivers side, due to a slowly going upper balljoint, due to the blown out control arm bushings....

Does any of this sound correct to yall? I have pictures posted below... Would worn A-arm bushings cause upper balljoints to fail FAST? And would those same bushings cause one of the arms to bend? Need some help guys and gals.... thanks!



Passenger side is much worse than the driver, believe it or not...


Driver side A arm and balljoint/spacer


Passenger side Balloint/spacer


Again, Passenger side...


Again, driver side...


Passenger side from up top


Another Passenger from up top...


Driver side, same view...


Last one, drivers side...


So what do yall think? To me it looks like the balljoints are going due to the unwanted stress of not having good control arm bushings. And it looks as if it eventually led to that one good bump that bent that ****....

Thanks in advanced for any replies....

 

Ummm... I cant tell for sure but - looking at that shot of the front of the truck - if it were me, I'd look at the passenger side LCA.

 

Didn't you say you bent the LCA in another thread?

That being said, sure looks like your upper balljoint is going bad, at least on the passenger side. Seems like it could be going bad because there is no angle on the shim you used. (all speculation) To me, it seems as if the shim you used is square instead of angled, so when you bolt the balljoint to it, instead of facing the spindle fairly square it's at a huge angle. I could be wrong on all of this, so please don't take anything I say as knowledge, just random thoughts that may or may not help.

 

i guess it would make sense that one failure in the system would lead to another.
those upper ball joints look like the angles are off.
the control arm bushings are easy to do...they just take time.
if your gonna be replacing those ball joints yourself you might as well do the bushings too.

remove the spindle, tie off the cv so it stays in place and take the tension off the t-bar...i left mine in place. brace the lower arm... remove bolts and knock that bad boy outta there.
then i burnt and picked away at the bushings then knocked the sleeve out.
the install bushings and reverse the job. i added anti-seize to the t-bar "holes" on the arms...just in case i need them out again.
thats how i did it....just my thoughts.

but yeah, your gonna burn out your front end and those big meats you have up front real quick ridding like that.

 

Its not even drivable. I was just driving home the other night and about killed myself twice making SLOW turns. I swear it just looks like that passenger side upper a arm is bent backwards. I may have to take it somewhere and have them diagnose it and I do the work... I was just seeing if anyone had any input or had ever seen anything like this.

Thanks y'all... more input is welcomed as well!

 

Well.. I look REAL close and it is bent. Right inboard of the ball joint
The bracket is hiding it. You can replace that UCA easy enough. Remember to mark the cam position

Actually both of them are bent.. the driver's side back at the step area.

 

Thanks bro... where would you recomend getting "aftermarket" (as in ones I don't have to cut and are made for this ****!) UCAs?? I think the bottom's will hold out, they seem good. Just uppers...

 

Sorry.. I wouldnt have a clue. I'd say that aftermarkets designed for the lift and off road would definitely be best.
I'd think 'Billet' UCA's ought to be so popular they would be relatively cheap.
Otherwise not my cuppa tea.

 

Pretty sure I'll go with these or these...

Lifted Control Arms

S-Series Replacement Control Arms for 2" Superlift - Synergy Offroad

THAT IS if work stays steady and this damn rain would stay away... or it may be a damn good X mas present from Wifey Nonetheless, I'm going to see if I can grab a used set off a junk yard I do business with. Hell, they gave me my ENTIRE rear end for 200 bucks AND took it off for me and had it waiting!!! Maybe I'll get just as lucky this time and get them to do the same work and only pay like $50 for the pair! Either way, I need my daily back and if some used, stock ones will get me to work and back 'till Christmas.... then their purpose has been served...

I should just buy a 96/97 Parts Blaze.... SMH.

 

I have a thought...... IF it is in fact your upper control arms/ball joints. I know this isn't a "cheap" or "quick" fix, but it MIGHT WORK. These control arms Summit Racing SUM-770240 - Summit Racing Street & Strip® Front Control Arms - Overview - SummitRacing.com seem to have an angle on the ball joint, if you flip the ball joint to the side opposite where it is in the picture it looks like it would give you a better angle, and would also push the angle of the control arm itself down more condusive to your lift angle. Plus the fact that it's tubular it's probably stronger than the stock one.

NOTE: everything i've said is speculation, I don't know for sure if it would work. But it makes sense in my head.

EDIT: after looking again IF it were to work you may have to swap R and L control arms to flip them upside down the way i was thinking.