Collection: Upper Control Arms

Upper control arms: what they do and when you need them

An upper control arm (UCA) is the shorter arm at the top of a double wishbone or short-long arm suspension. It holds the top of the knuckle through a ball joint or uniball, and its length and mounting points set camber and caster. Most trucks, SUVs and many performance cars have front upper control arms. Many multi-link cars also have rear upper control arms, which set rear camber.

You need aftermarket upper control arms for three main reasons: a lifted or leveled truck that has run its ball joint out of angle and lost caster, a lowered car that has too much negative camber and no factory adjustment, or a worn arm with tired bushings or a loose ball joint.

Upper control arm types compared

Counts and prices come from upper arms we list across the store.

Do lifted trucks need upper control arms?

Not always. On an independent front suspension truck, a leveling kit or lift moves the lower arm down while the upper ball joint stays put, so the upper joint works at a steeper angle. Some trucks run 1.5 to 2 inches of front lift without trouble, especially on the road with near-stock wheels. Problems often start around 2 to 3 inches of lift, and sooner with big tires or hard off-road use. The usual signs are:

• An alignment shop cannot get caster back into spec, so the steering feels light or wanders.
• The upper ball joint binds at full droop or the factory arm hits the coil spring.
• Camber ends up out of range at the new ride height.

Aftermarket truck upper arms fix this with a different ball joint position or angle, extra caster built in, and often a uniball or high-angle ball joint. Fixed arms such as the Whiteline caster and camber correction arms are set and forget. Adjustable arms such as the SPC Performance xAxis series let the alignment shop dial in both angles.

SPC upper control arms

SPC Performance makes adjustable upper control arms for many trucks and SUVs, with separate camber and caster adjustment ranges. We list these SPC arms:

SPC says the xAxis ball joints are sealed, need no service and give 80 degrees of articulation. See all SPC Performance alignment parts.

Upper control arms by truck

Upper control arms for cars

On lowered cars, the upper arm is usually what you change to fix camber. Front examples include Megan Racing adjustable front upper arms for the 350Z and G35 at $320. At the rear, adjustable rear upper control arms set camber on cars such as the BMW E36 and E46 (SLR Speed, $294), the Nissan 240SX (ISR Performance, $146.30 and $229.90) and the GR Corolla (Whiteline, $331.09). For muscle cars, BMR lists adjustable upper arms for the S197 Mustang and G-body from $151.16. More options are on our control arms and camber kits pages.

Upper control arm bushings

If the arm is straight and the ball joint is tight, worn upper control arm bushings can be replaced on their own. Signs include a clunk on braking or over bumps and cracked or torn rubber. We list bushing kits such as the Whiteline 2003 to 2007 Accord and 2004 to 2008 TSX upper control arm bushing kit ($88.20) and the SPC Performance upper control arm bushing service set 40910 ($247.99). Pressing bushings takes a press, so a complete arm is often the easier fix. See control arm bushings and our bad control arm bushing symptoms guide.

Install and alignment

On most trucks the upper arm comes off after you separate the upper ball joint and remove the two pivot bolts, though some need the coilover or strut loosened for room. Torque bushed pivots with the truck at ride height. Always get an alignment after fitting upper control arms, and tell the shop which arms you have so they know the caster target. While the front end is apart, check the lower ball joints and tie rod ends.

Popular picks

• Whiteline 2004 to 2020 F-150 front upper arms KTA318, $506.59: caster correction for leveled F-150s.
• BMR 2021 to 2024 Bronco upper control arms, $371.94: a lower priced Bronco arm.
• Zona 2005 to 2023 Tacoma uniball upper control arms, $699.99: for lifted Tacomas.
• ARB 2022+ Tundra heavy duty upper control arms, $679.95: for the new Tundra.
• SLR Speed E46 rear upper control arms, $294: rear camber for lowered E46s.
• ISR Performance Pro Series 240SX rear upper arm, $229.90: for S13 and S14 drift and grip cars.

Related guides

• Bad control arm bushing symptoms and how to check them
• Bad ball joint symptoms and how to check them
• F-150 leveling kit guide
• Silverado leveling kit vs lift kit

Sources

• JBA Offroad: do lifted trucks need upper control arms?
• SPC Performance: 35680 adjustable upper control arms
• SPC Performance: 35670 adjustable upper control arms
• SPC Performance: 35465 adjustable upper control arms