I just installed new OEM front UCA's on my 94. It was a breeeze to do but after a day it sounds like the bushings are creaking quite a bit (like rubber rubbing). I hand torqued it without a torque wrench, did the top nuts with the car down, but did the bushing bolts before it was installed.

Do the bushings need to be torqued more or was I supposed to torque it with the suspension loaded? I would've done that but the shock is in the way, and I can't load the suspension without the shock...

 

anyone?

 

Should have greased them prior to install. I did my l/f UCA this morning . You'll also need an alignment now. I've got a 3 year program at NTB, which is unlimited for the next 3 years. I could do it once a week if I wanted to

 

i normally try to tighten the bolts to the bushings with the suspension half way drooped
not fully drooped
with the tire off...i jack up the lca about midway then tighten the bolts to the bushings....same with the lca bushing going to the fork for the suspension

 

Ah you lucky bastard you. Alignments have been costing me $80 a pop and I havn't been able to find better

So uninstall, and grease up the bushings, torque down bushings, reinstall UCA?

What's the proper bushing greasing method?

thanks alot man

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SnlpeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i normally try to tighten the bolts to the bushings with the suspension half way drooped
not fully drooped
with the tire off...i jack up the lca about midway then tighten the bolts to the bushings....same with the lca bushing going to the fork for the suspension</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah but the problem is I can't access the UCA bushing nut with the strut installed; there's no room for any tool to access the nut.

 

dood seriously?
get two of these

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SnlpeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dood seriously?
get two of these
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a fairly sizeable snap-on tool set and nothing gives me enough access, those that do don't have enough leverage.

 

use a pipe on the wrench then you have enough leverage

 

Side note - I searched, and there are no NTB/Tire Kingdom locations near you, but their sister company, Big O Tires, is all over CA. Call them and ask if they do 3 year program alignments

 

Thanks for the help guys, I solved the problem.

After lubing up the bushings and reinstalling them correctly with the suspension halfway loaded, it still creaked. I took em apart and compared the top bolts with the old OEM ones and they are slightly different in dimensions, so I'm guessing that it wasn't making proper contact with the grooves.

So I swapped in the old bushing/ bolt units into the new arm and reinstalled, creaking is gone.

Beware if you buy UCA's from "hyper4hondas" on ebay!