Did I screw up?

[2FAST4U]

Here are pictures of my UCA. Should the welded side be the same on both sides? Did I mess up the installation on one side?

Passenger side


Driver's side


I really hate this build. I really do

[2FAST4U]

According to the manual, my passenger side is the wrong config. Looks like disassembly time and the need to purchase the correct one.

[Duke]

Your pictures are correct. The welded isn't both back or both front. They are staggered. Same part number on each side, you need to make sure the shoulder is angled correctly for the ball joint, which it is.

[Jdav]

Looks the same as mine.

[2FAST4U]

Whew! Thanks

[Dave Howard]

I don't have my manual with me and my car is 3600 kilometres away, but it looks like the UCA is bolted in the wrong location. They should be bolted using the holes on the vertical steel not the horizontal holes as you have. If memory serves some right, those holes are for stock Mustang suspension parts.
I'm sure the "guru" will chime in.

[2FAST4U]

I don't have my manual with me and my car is 3600 kilometres away, but it looks like the UCA is bolted in the wrong location. They should be bolted using the holes on the vertical steel not the horizontal holes as you have. If memory serves some right, those holes are for stock Mustang suspension parts.
I'm sure the "guru" will chime in.

I checked the manual. They're correct.

[chmhasy]

I don't have my manual with me and my car is 3600 kilometres away, but it looks like the UCA is bolted in the wrong location. They should be bolted using the holes on the vertical steel not the horizontal holes as you have. If memory serves some right, those holes are for stock Mustang suspension parts.
I'm sure the "guru" will chime in.

If you are running the FFR supplied spindles you need to mount the UCA on the side, if you are running the mustang donor spindles with the adapter as 2FAST4U is, you need to bolt the UCA on the top.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Bill,
Can't tell from your photos but I believe you have angled ball joint plates like this, where the bung the joint screws into angles outward:



If so you are good to go; it isn't possible to have the welded end the same on both sides with this configuration (if you have an early Mk4 version of the manual it was written for the zero degree ball joint plates which were used for the first year or so of Mk4 production before the change was made). Note that the photo I attached is with FFR spindles which bolt to the vertical surface unlike your donor spindles that mount on the horizontal plate.

Cheers,
Jeff

[2FAST4U]

Thanks Jeff. Yes, I have the angled ball joints. My main problem now is I can't get any negative camber with the 4" adjusting sleeves on the UCA. I was planning on cutting them down on my lather, but the inserts are too long and will not give me the needed adjustment.

I have custom LCA with hiem joints. Looks like I'll remove the frame mounting bolts and extend the LCA 1" so I can get negative camber

[boat737]

I took off 3/16" or so off each end of the coupling nuts (the rearward ones) and about 1/8" or so off each of the threaded pivot mounts (again, the rearward ones.) Did most of the cuts with a band saw. The welded one was a but tough, but got it done while it was mounted on the car with a reciprocating cutoff saw. That gave me enough room to set the camber and caster fine.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Bill I've had to cut down the sleeves as well as the male internal stubs to get higher positive caster on power steering equipped roadsters. Just be conscious of keeping sufficient thread engagement when you do so---my rule of thumb is 1.5 times the diameter (for example, .75" of engagement on a 1/2" thread. Kind of need to get things mocked up and roughly aligned with the body on...if you set the bottom out you might find that the tire & wheel wind up too far out, or vice-versa if you shorten the uppers.

Good luck,
Jeff

[2FAST4U]

Thanks Boat. I like that approach and will look into it further

[Dave Howard]

If you are running the FFR supplied spindles you need to mount the UCA on the side, if you are running the mustang donor spindles with the adapter as 2FAST4U is, you need to bolt the UCA on the top.

Good job

[CraigS]

Be careful how much you lengthen the LCAs. You don't want the tires hitting the inside of the fender flare.

[AC Bill]

If you are running the FFR supplied spindles you need to mount the UCA on the side, if you are running the mustang donor spindles with the adapter as 2FAST4U is, you need to bolt the UCA on the top.

Exactly..I'm using the FFR spindle adapter with a Fox Mustang spindle, on my Mk3.1, and the UCA mount is bolted on from the top, like Bill's is. Jeff's picture shows it bolted on from the side using the FFR provided spindle.