Right upper control arm question…

[Patrick Hammer]

Restoring a 2000 ranger 4x4 with torsion bar suspension. I noticed the upper control arm on right side is two piece adjustable. I am installing new control arm that is not similar. Why would the control arm on right front be so different from left side? What would be the purpose/benifit of this adjust able control arm?

 

[JoshT]

The two piece control arm allowed for "caster split". Don't ask me why it was needed to allow for caster split or why, if it was to adjust caster, both sides didn't have it. Was determined to be unnecesary and was dropped from later models.

If you aren't using the adjustable arm, you might want to consider offering it around some Ranger sites. Some people that lower these trucks have used them in the past to help with fixing camber in their lowered rides. Or just toss it and don;t worry about it.

If you want to do a sure enough "concourse" resto, replacements are available for the balljoint piece of the two piece arm. I doubt anyone judging would know the difference on the control arm though.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Like mentioned above it's about caster which was to try to compensate for the crown of roads to keep it from pulling right, not too important.

 

[Sdude2008]

It seems the ‘inner’ piece isn't available so my dumb question is the only way to replace the bushings is to press them? Or just change to the one piece version? Tia

 

[JoshT]

Yep, either you have to buy the individual bushings and swap them out, press being easiest method, or change to the one piece version. I changed to the one piece version on mine and would do it again. Nothing lost in the swap.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yep, either you have to buy the individual bushings and swap them out, press being easiest method, or change to the one piece version. I changed to the one piece version on mine and would do it again. Nothing lost in the swap.

I pressed the old bushings out and the new in on mine. There was no other way. Should have just gone to the one piece. Probably still will and throw this one in the shed. Any replacements using the stock design would technically be adjustable for caster by where you set the bushings. Be a little bit of a pain to do because there isn’t a ton of precision to be had when pressing stuff with average handyman stuff, but yeah. The replacement bushings were metal shell and the top A-arm is just the thick rib around about the center. Bushing gets pressed in that rib. I don’t see why it wouldn’t technically be adjustable. Unless every one I’ve messed with so far rusted to the point it’s missing pieces

 

[Patrick Hammer]

I went to the one piece UCA. Thank you all for the input, it was valuable.