Finally finished my upper control arms

1.5" DOM tubing, all joints are tig welded.
Where the joint mounts to the frame, SPC x-Axis sealed flex joints are used. Finish process is sand blasted, zinc primered to keep from rusting, and then powder coat.
Other brands use poly bushings, that squeak.
My arms use SPC X-Axis sealed flex joints where the arm bolts to the truck.

The SPC builder ball joint is the best there is.
Arms are angle corrected to correct the ball joint angle when a lift kit is installed. Will work with 4" lift up to 9" of lift.
I am considering having them just clear coated to go on my truck.

These joints are the toughest there is.
Fully rebuildable, tig welded supports to keep the joint from bending. Support bars are welded where the control connects to the frame, and support bars welded to the ball joint, for sustaining serious abuse.

SPC A-Axis sealed flex joints are used where the control arm meets the frame.
Other companies use poly bushings that are guaranteed to squeak, no matter how much you grease them.

A little info explaining how tough and durable they are.

Nice

Well done!

You guys think I should just clear cost them, or have them powder coated?
Only problem with clear coat, is it won't hold up in the PA winters, and will chip and start rusting.
That's why when I powder coat them, I sand blast them, spray zinc primer on them, and then have them powder coated.

2010 Infantry Vet said:

You guys think I should just clear cost them, or have them powder coated?
Only problem with clear coat, is it won't hold up in the PA winters, and will chip and start rusting.
That's why when I powder coat them, I sand blast them, spray zinc primer on them, and then have them powder coated.

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They look great!

Thsnks guys. A ton of work went into designing these, fabbing up the prototypes, and rotating the ball joint outward so they will work with 4-9" of lift.

TIGsplosion!

Powder coat them it would be a shame if all that hard work rusted.

ScLeCo said:

Powder coat them it would be a shame if all that hard work rusted.

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Yeah more than likely going to powder coat them. I'm not a fan of rust, and live in the snow belt.

2010 Infantry Vet said:

You guys think I should just clear cost them, or have them powder coated?
Only problem with clear coat, is it won't hold up in the PA winters, and will chip and start rusting.
That's why when I powder coat them, I sand blast them, spray zinc primer on them, and then have them powder coated.

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I think sandblast & powder coat would be a much better option. The finish will be much more durable. I sandblast & powder coat all my metal goods and don't have issues of the finish flaking off in extreme weather conditions

Ok, ok..you guys talked me into sand blast, zinc primer, and powder coat. Think I'm gonna do silver. Should go good with the black gloss paint job.

Looks good. On the supports for the frame side bushing the vertical steel is not needed. Your better off adding it flat vs vertical. I understand that the vertical is more rigid but its more about spreading the material over the welded joint for added strength. see pic below of what I'm talking about.

2010 Infantry Vet said:

Thsnks guys. A ton of work went into designing these, fabbing up the prototypes, and rotating the ball joint outward so they will work with 4-9" of lift.

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Awesome and you should be proud!

Dang nice! I'm guessing you have developed some kind of Jig to keep the bushing and ball joint geometry aligned? If so it is just a matter of dropping the parts in the jig and welding them up.

2010 Infantry Vet said:

SPC A-Axis sealed flex joints are used where the control arm meets the frame.
Other companies use poly bushings that are guaranteed to squeak, no matter how much you grease them.

View attachment 177237

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I keep wondering and thinking what are the benefits of this on your control arm. I haven’t been able to come up with any.

There is no side to side movement on control arms on our truck. Just up and down. So why use these flex joints that have 22’ of side to side movement?
I’m trying to figure out what’s going to happen when these are installed and put on the road and more importantly Offroad. Once installed and mounted, isn’t there going to be metal on metal contact with no way to grease it when the control arm goes up and down? In my head it seems like the control arm mounting bolt and the inside of the flex joint would be where the control arm pivot point is. I wouldn’t think the flex joint would move and rotate because it’s getting pinched at roughly 100 ft.lbs.

Am I confused and not understanding something about how these flex joints work and how upper control arm bushings work? I’ll admit I’m not very knowledgeable on this specific upper control arm bushings thing and the way they work.

On SPC’s website they really only say they use these flex joints on a Honda Civic and I think an Infinity car control arm. Not a 6,000lb truck with a 8-12” lift kit and big tires.

Somebody please, take me to school and make me smarter!

novelmike said:

Somebody please, take me to school and make me smarter!

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you can be assured somebody will i'm just bringing my popcorn. lol.