View Full Version : WTB: NOS/OEM Front UCA's and Stabilizer Links
Before I head off to the Ford parts counter, does anyone have a pair of front UCA's and/or stabilizer links that they want to part with? I'm only interested in parts that are identical to OEM (TRW?).
Thanks,
JD
kpatton
07-09-2007, 06:28 AM
I managed to find 1-oem and 1-trw for mine, however, they look very different ( from each other and from the original ones ), and did not have the trw raised stamp like the original. You may try looking at motorcraft to see if they are more like the original.
sorry for the bad news
mlbuxbaum
07-10-2007, 05:16 PM
www.supercoupeperformance.com
Bill has everything...
www.supercoupeperformance.com
Bill has everything...
Looks like the UCA's MAY be exactly like OEM from the photo, but it's hard to tell. The stabilizer links are different from original according to the photo. Thanks for the heads-up; I'll contact him to confirm the arms are exact duplicates; hopefully they are. They need to look like the factory parts for restoration purposes...
JD
mlbuxbaum
07-10-2007, 11:36 PM
everything is identical, i just replaced UCA, LCA, and the endlinks from Bill. I also replaced the outer tie rods, and tension strut bushings, all of them.... Piece of cake to do actually....even when the car is on jack stands...
BirdofPrey97
07-11-2007, 10:54 AM
I used a set from www.rockauto.com and they were TRWs. Upper and Lowers all shipped to my door was around $250. That was for all 4.
everything is identical, i just replaced UCA, LCA, and the endlinks from Bill. I also replaced the outer tie rods, and tension strut bushings, all of them.... Piece of cake to do actually....even when the car is on jack stands...
I've communicated with Bill; his are not identical. I'm sure they're functionally identical, but not cosmetically identical. I'm preserving this car as an original example, so the cosmetics are important to me. Bill carries the same TRW arms that the parts stores have. Apparently, the OEM-style arms are no longer manufactured. So, I'm down to searching for dead-stock and NOS parts.
I did the same front suspension rebuild as you on my SC driver last year. I used parts-store replacement parts on that one, becuase I didn't care about originallity; only function. Doing the work isn't a problem; finding OEM parts is proving to be.
Looks like another nation-wide game of "Where's Waldo" for the UCA's...
JD
BirdofPrey97
07-12-2007, 08:34 PM
If you have the part numbers let me know. Can do some digging.
If you have the part numbers let me know. Can do some digging.
Thanks for the help, I'm digging as well. Here are the P/N's from my factory parts manual:
E9SZ 5K484 A : Stabilizer Link (LH & RH)
E9SZ 3084 A : RH Upper Control Arm
E9SZ 3085 A : LH Upper Control Arm
Let me know if you find some hiding under any rocks...
Thanks!
JD
kpatton
07-12-2007, 10:35 PM
I hate to disappoint you. I just put on some Upper control arms, OEM ( ford pn's ) from Ford boxes. Found 1 gathering dust at a dealer up north. They too are not cosmetically the same as what came off. They are closer to the new style TRW's than what we had originally.
You may try to see if you can get the ball joints out then do a swap ? Otherwise you could be in a real hurt.
Keith
I hate to disappoint you. I just put on some Upper control arms, OEM ( ford pn's ) from Ford boxes. Found 1 gathering dust at a dealer up north. They too are not cosmetically the same as what came off. They are closer to the new style TRW's than what we had originally.
You may try to see if you can get the ball joints out then do a swap ? Otherwise you could be in a real hurt.
Keith
Yes, this is proving to be a tough one. I'm persistant, and not really in a big hurry, so I'm confident they'll eventually turn up. I may settle for some close-to-original pieces until I can find the right ones. I'm sure someone here will buy my new "used" ones after i find the correct pieces. I've had pretty good luck finding "unfindable" parts so far. Just takes time and $$$.
As far as rebuilding, I'm going to pull an original off a salvage car on my next trip, and start hunting for a place/method to rebuild them. I'm thinking I might be able to machine out the old joints, then rob new ones out of an aftermarket arm. Lots of variables there, of course, but I'm at least going to do the feasibility study.
JD
shadow357x2
07-13-2007, 06:33 AM
A little odd. I have been looking also for the uca's and the lca's here too with no luck. If you happen to run across a good source how about let me know.
S
A little odd. I have been looking also for the uca's and the lca's here too with no luck. If you happen to run across a good source how about let me know.
S
The lower control arms available at the parts stores are cosmetically identical to the OEM's. I don't remember the source and P/N's, but a quick search should bring it up. The uppers are proving to be the tough ones to find.
JD
A1cntrler
07-13-2007, 11:15 AM
The LCA's are supposedly the hardest ones to find because of the discontinuation of the SC specefic LCA (I guess it has a teflon ball joint, or larger maybe?) When Moog bought TRW, they combined the two diferent arms into one model, which was for a standard MN12, not the stronger SC one. I was able to locate two new in the box SC specefic ones. One came from Advance Auto, but they couldn't get the other side, but a member here had one new in the box and sent it to me. I was also able to pick up 2 TRW UCA's from a member on here, but haven't looked to see if I am going to be needing them yet on my new 35th. I know they were defiantely needed on my rustbucket one, but not sure on the new one yet. If what kpatton says is true, then we may just be SOL on the arms all together. pressing out the old ball joint and pressing in one out of a newer UCA might be your best option if it fits. Maybe you can get a MOOG catalog and find one that will work...
The LCA's are supposedly the hardest ones to find because of the discontinuation of the SC specefic LCA (I guess it has a teflon ball joint, or larger maybe?) When Moog bought TRW, they combined the two diferent arms into one model, which was for a standard MN12, not the stronger SC one. I was able to locate two new in the box SC specefic ones. One came from Advance Auto, but they couldn't get the other side, but a member here had one new in the box and sent it to me. I was also able to pick up 2 TRW UCA's from a member on here, but haven't looked to see if I am going to be needing them yet on my new 35th. I know they were defiantely needed on my rustbucket one, but not sure on the new one yet. If what kpatton says is true, then we may just be SOL on the arms all together. pressing out the old ball joint and pressing in one out of a newer UCA might be your best option if it fits. Maybe you can get a MOOG catalog and find one that will work...
Accoring to someone awhile back on the suspension forum, the new special SC LCA's are supposedly available again. No first-hand knowledge of this, though.
I never consider myself SOL on parts searches : ) That's part of the fun of these cars for me - hunting for parts. So far, I've been 100% sucessful on my quest for NOS parts. I'm patient, persistant, and not afraid to pay up when I find what I want. Heck, they're still coming up with new parts finds for old musclecars every week. Comparatively, the parts for our cars are plentiful. I may have to use an "interim" pair of UCA's, but I'll eventually find some OEM's.
The rebuild project might be fun. I'm going to harvest an old original from the salvage yard in the next week or so, and start doing the engineering.
JD
rzimmerl
07-14-2007, 12:02 AM
Not sure if this will help, but I do have the Rotunda tool kit that will properly replace the upper inner bushings and the lower pivot bushing. The only downside is that the upper ball joint is not servicable, the lower ball joint can be pressed in and out along with the lower control arm strut bushing. Just throwing out the idea of rebuilding the originals since you can buy most of the parts serpately.
Not sure if this will help, but I do have the Rotunda tool kit that will properly replace the upper inner bushings and the lower pivot bushing. The only downside is that the upper ball joint is not servicable, the lower ball joint can be pressed in and out along with the lower control arm strut bushing. Just throwing out the idea of rebuilding the originals since you can buy most of the parts serpately.
My LCA's are fine; I'm looking to replace/rebuild the UCA's. I know the uppers aren't normally rebuildable, but I'm going to investigate doing it anyway. I have machine tools and a microwelder available to me, so I know it can be done if I can find a joint that will fit and look right. It's a long shot, but I'm not afraid of the work, and I'm adamant about it being correct-appearing.
Still, the easiest way is to find a correct pair of OEM's, which I'm still searching for.
Thanks,
JD
jk89cat
07-14-2007, 10:53 PM
there are lowers stillout there i had just ordered a lh sc lca from vinatge parts , so its a buy now or dont find later type of deal. you can still get the oe uppers as well as long as the std lowers . the morons at ford discontinued the uca pinch bolt so you have to buy a motorcraft spec upper to get it . :rolleyes: i found this out the hard way . ps i am a ford parts guy for ya'll who didnt know
TwoTimeSC
07-15-2007, 10:33 AM
Hey JD,
I have a couple NOS with the raised "TRW" letters forged in. One has a white & red label with the Canadian Maple Leaf on it.
I don't know if these are the original design or not as I did not get them in the factory boxes.
Do you have pics of the correct originals for all to see? I attached a rather small picture of mine.
Hey JD,
I have a couple NOS with the raised "TRW" letters forged in. One has a white & red label with the Canadian Maple Leaf on it.
I don't know if these are the original design or not as I did not get them in the factory boxes.
Do you have pics of the correct originals for all to see? I attached a rather small picture of mine.
Paul,
It appears that yours have the "arms" with the rectangular cross-section like many I have been able to find at parts stores. The originals are round in cross-section. Attached is a fairly poor photo that I took last week after I got the LH wheelhouse detailed. I'll post a better one this week. I plan to pull a donor out of the salvage yards to dissect.
Thanks,
JD
A1cntrler
07-15-2007, 05:26 PM
After seeing how the different arms look, I went out to check my 2 SC's. The new one I got for Quick35th has the rectangular arms on it, with the Canadian flag sticker like TwoTimes posted, and my rustbucket 35th has the round ones like you have pictured on it. The joints are probably blown out, but it doesn't seem to be too bad. It does have almost 124k on the odo.. I have another set of the TRW retangular ones out in my shed that I was gonna put on the rustbucket until I got the new one. What kind of time frame are you looking to get a set of them?? Right now most of my time is being consumed by my 4 year old, with the remaing bits spread between the wife and the car.. If I come up with some extra time I may pull the upper arms off for you...
Like everything with this car, I'm in no hurry. Ironically, my joints are just fine; only the boots are torn. It's strictly a cosmetic issue for me. I'll just push a little grease into the joint from time to time; that'll hold me for as little as the car is driven. I'll just keep looking for some NOS arms, or engineer a way to rebuild some originals.
Thanks,
JD
vBulletin® v3.7.3, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.