Why flip upper control arms?

[ChubbyFenix38]

Forgive me if this has been addressed already but I haven't been able to locate the answer I am looking for. Why do some of you have your upper control arms flipped? Is it a clearance issue or does it provide some additional support feature?

[tsmith1156]

Clearance for bigger tire and helps the angle on the ball joint to not pinch the ball joint.

[ChubbyFenix38]

Clearance for bigger tire and helps the angle on the ball joint to not pinch the ball joint.

Thank you for the info. I wondered.

[HawkeyeC25]

Also pushes the upper joint further out, so when aligned, the lower control arm also has to go out. This helps prevent CVT binding as well, but it comes at a price of losing some caster angle. Most of us who have lifted our trucks, flip the UCA.

[CHEVELLE598BB]

Yep if your lifted then flip them and don't look back. Your upper ball joints will thank you.

[HARDTRAILZ]

It adds no clearance. Its not for the CV shafts. It was strictly done to help the shitty balljoint angle after lifting.

[ChubbyFenix38]

It adds no clearance. Its not for the CV shafts. It was strictly done to help the shitty balljoint angle after lifting.

Thank you for the info. It makes a ton of sense and after changing the ball joints I can see the logic for sure. Why GM didn't think of that in the beginning is a bit odd

[HARDTRAILZ]

Cause GM did not intend for these to be lifted and they work fine if left stock.

[HawkeyeC25]

It adds no clearance. Its not for the CV shafts. It was strictly done to help the shitty balljoint angle after lifting.

It does if you re-align from stock. Flipping them pushes the camber positively (upper moves out). To bring it back into alignment, your only adjustment is to also pull the lower control arm out. This moves the hub further from the engine which in turn gives more CV clearance.

I'm not making this stuff up - not sure why you bother calling me out as wrong instead of asking. I'm just trying to give complete information.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Its mm's that really dont help the cv clearance. You need to push the lower control arm out even if you don't flip. It is done for the ball joints, not for the cv even if it might move the joint a bit. Not asking, cause I fully understand the geometry and the flip was never done for cv, it was a minor basically irrelevant by-product of the discovery way back when we were looking for a fix to the pinned ball joints when lifting.

[HawkeyeC25]

Agreed - the original intent was to help with the kinked ball joint for sure! I was just noting that it is directionally correct for moving the hub out. And it did help with my buddy's Envoy that had slight binding. Cleaned it up. Sometimes, a couple mm is all you need. But I didn't mean to sell it as a fix for CV binding overall - it's not.

[HARDTRAILZ]

It definitely is not a bad thing overall. I can't see why anyone would not do it, other than it is a pain in the ass without a body lift.

[Rickalicka18]

Not trying to keep arguing... but I went through 4 cv shafts in less than 5 months before flipping my UCAs, since flipping them I haven't had any binding for over a year now so the extra mm must of helped in my situation.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Did you have it aligned. White and after flipping them?

[Rickalicka18]

I did not.

[arl120384]

Is it as easy as flipping the uppers? I'm putting all new suspension in next week and I have new upper and lower control arms. I have more of a leveling kit than a lift (2.5 front 1.5 rear) and I'm wondering if this would help. I've gone through a few pairs of CV shafts due to the extreme angle (I also have 265/65/R17 tires) so I'll take any help I can get.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Flip upside down and swap driver to passenger

[TBYODA]

Is it as easy as flipping the uppers? I'm putting all new suspension in next week and I have new upper and lower control arms. I have more of a leveling kit than a lift (2.5 front 1.5 rear) and I'm wondering if this would help. I've gone through a few pairs of CV shafts due to the extreme angle (I also have 265/65/R17 tires) so I'll take any help I can get.

What kit do you have? Brand and or pictures of the lift on the strut.

[TBYODA]

Is it as easy as flipping the uppers? I'm putting all new suspension in next week and I have new upper and lower control arms. I have more of a leveling kit than a lift (2.5 front 1.5 rear) and I'm wondering if this would help. I've gone through a few pairs of CV shafts due to the extreme angle (I also have 265/65/R17 tires) so I'll take any help I can get.

What lift do you have?

[Rickalicka18]

Is it as easy as flipping the uppers? I'm putting all new suspension in next week and I have new upper and lower control arms. I have more of a leveling kit than a lift (2.5 front 1.5 rear) and I'm wondering if this would help. I've gone through a few pairs of CV shafts due to the extreme angle (I also have 265/65/R17 tires) so I'll take any help I can get.

You'll have to cut some of metal out of the way of the bolt in order to get the bolt out or even get a wrench in there. I used a sawzall to cut it. I wouldn't think you'd be binding with a 2.5" leveling kit though... is it the boot tearing? I also use detroit axle cv shafts since the rubber on the boot is better than other brands.