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Why You Need Tubular Upper Control Arms
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Traditionally, your options for lifting a truck were either gain a few inches through a leveling kit on the stock suspension or drop some serious coin to rebuild the front end with a 5”+ long travel kit. That kind of leaves a market gap for those folks that want more than a basic leveling kit but aren’t looking to break the bank and build an all-out trophy truck.
Simply adding a larger leveling kit may seem like an easy solution, but doing so can cause some problems with the truck’s suspension geometry. While most trucks offer enough play to manage a few extra inches of lift, you’ll start running into alignment issues if you try and put three or more inches of lift under there.
The first issue to contend with is the matter of control arm clearance. The more a truck gets lifted, the farther down the upper control arm sits in relation to the the rest of the suspension. With enough lift, the control arm will rub on the spring, causing unpleasant noises and limiting the suspension’s travel- assuming you can get the truck to go back together!
The other issue that you’ll run into is wheel alignment. The higher you go, the more out of whack your camber is going to get. Again, most trucks offer enough camber adjustment to compensate for a couple inches of lift but you’ll run out of wiggle room with those bigger leveling kits. Camber problems lead to squirrly handling and premature tire wear that nobody wants.
The simplest solution to adding a mid-range lift to your truck is to include a set of upper control arms that are specifically designed for lifted vehicles. They reposition the upper ball joint in relation to the suspension so that the components don’t rub and the camber angles can be brought back into spec.
Not all control arms are created equal so it’s important to pay attention to what you’re buying. Supreme Suspensions has engineered our upper control arms out of super strong chromoly tubing and TIG-welded each joint for maximum durability. Additionally, we weld gussets into the bushing housings to ensure maximum durability and finish each piece with a special powder coating to keep them looking great for the life of your truck.
We also incorporate a set of HK Uni-Ball bearings in place of the factory upper ball joints. Uni-Ball Bearings offer superior strength and articulation when compared to a stock ball joint. The Teflon coating offers a super-smooth mating service for smooth operation with minimal wear.
With every order, we include a set of Energy Suspensions polyurethane control arm bushings. Polyurethane is significantly more durable and offers more precise handling than traditional rubber bushings. Our control arms are equipped with brass Zerk fittings on the bushing housings for a long lifetime of easy maintenance.
Be sure to add a set of Supreme Suspensions Upper Control Arms to your next build!
Simply adding a larger leveling kit may seem like an easy solution, but doing so can cause some problems with the truck’s suspension geometry. While most trucks offer enough play to manage a few extra inches of lift, you’ll start running into alignment issues if you try and put three or more inches of lift under there.
The first issue to contend with is the matter of control arm clearance. The more a truck gets lifted, the farther down the upper control arm sits in relation to the the rest of the suspension. With enough lift, the control arm will rub on the spring, causing unpleasant noises and limiting the suspension’s travel- assuming you can get the truck to go back together!
The other issue that you’ll run into is wheel alignment. The higher you go, the more out of whack your camber is going to get. Again, most trucks offer enough camber adjustment to compensate for a couple inches of lift but you’ll run out of wiggle room with those bigger leveling kits. Camber problems lead to squirrly handling and premature tire wear that nobody wants.
The simplest solution to adding a mid-range lift to your truck is to include a set of upper control arms that are specifically designed for lifted vehicles. They reposition the upper ball joint in relation to the suspension so that the components don’t rub and the camber angles can be brought back into spec.
Not all control arms are created equal so it’s important to pay attention to what you’re buying. Supreme Suspensions has engineered our upper control arms out of super strong chromoly tubing and TIG-welded each joint for maximum durability. Additionally, we weld gussets into the bushing housings to ensure maximum durability and finish each piece with a special powder coating to keep them looking great for the life of your truck.
We also incorporate a set of HK Uni-Ball bearings in place of the factory upper ball joints. Uni-Ball Bearings offer superior strength and articulation when compared to a stock ball joint. The Teflon coating offers a super-smooth mating service for smooth operation with minimal wear.
With every order, we include a set of Energy Suspensions polyurethane control arm bushings. Polyurethane is significantly more durable and offers more precise handling than traditional rubber bushings. Our control arms are equipped with brass Zerk fittings on the bushing housings for a long lifetime of easy maintenance.
Be sure to add a set of Supreme Suspensions Upper Control Arms to your next build!