My luck continues to be stellar!!
I leveled the Expedition back in May and was quite happy with the results and had no issues. A couple weeks back I started to get a pretty solid clunk on full drop. So I am presuming after I installed the new struts when I tightened the upper control arms full droop was not being gained but after 6 months of settling and flexing the bushings have softened up and now the inside of the upper control arm was making contact with the coil. No binding and only on extreme bumps but certainly annoying. I knew this may happen and I would likely need new UCAs to better the ball joint angle so they would last as intended.

You can see the inside of the arm contacts the top coil but the knuckle nor ball joint make any contact though they are very close.

So I went ahead and bought some new UCAs that have a different ball joint cup angle helping to alleviate the issue or so I thought.
Well now the arm is clear of the top coil but the top of the knuckle is pushed down and in placing the knuckle inside the coil.


While the factory arm issue is annoying from time to time with the clunk that can't be heard with the windows up. It is not an issue driving as there is no binding. This on the other hand is not driveable since the knuckle is actually sliding under the coil.

I broke down and read the instructions to make sure I did not screw up the install and they advise that these arms were designed to be used with Fox 2.0s and might work with other setups.
Wish that little notation would have been noted elsewhere.

So my screw up. Just need to figure the best way forward.
Going to chat with the place I bought them from and see if they are returnable (I doubt it and don't fault them). Then talk with the folks at SPC and see if their arms work since they actually have an adjustable ball joint mount.
Also talk with Icon to see if their arms will work.

2nd option just go ahead and buy the Fox 2.0s and have a bit of a bastard setup with Fox up front and Bilstein out back.

3rd option just pull the lift all together hope it clears the 33s and buy an 80 series as a dedicated trail rig.
HA! Not going to happen anytime soon. 4 other cars already wifey not going to go for it.




BDS makes a solid part. The factory arms may as well be folded coat hangers.


Just wish I had known about that little install caveat.

The Fox spring appears to have a pretty narrow diameter all the way up which is likely why they do not have the issue I am seeing.

Is it the same on both sides? Could the truck have been wrecked? Might be worth it to have the truck put on frame rack and have it checked.

Change the bump-stops to avoid that full extension?

quote:

Originally posted by 21bubba:
Is it the same on both sides? Could the truck have been wrecked? Might be worth it to have the truck put on frame rack and have it checked.

Yes it is the same on both sides. It is because the leveling struts change the angle a bit. I am not surprised that it is occurring. I just picked the wrong control arm as the descriptions state for 2+ inches of lift but only the printed directions noted they were only designed for the Fox coilovers.

Bds needs to find someone who can weld.