BMR Upper Control Arm Issues, Heim Joints

[5speed]

So I had the UCA 762 links put on my car when I did my Steeda Progressive Springs/Active Shocks installed because they were needed to properly align the car in the rear. about 5 days after the install, and of course the start of a 2,000 mile trip I started to get a noise any time the suspension would move around. I asked the BMR folks and they told me that they poly bushings (frame end) needed to have synthetic grease put it. The whole time I thought the shop used the the wrong grease. I bought a grease gun, synthetic grease and greased them twice, pushing out the original grease to no avail.
It sounded like a metal on metal squeak with just even small movement in the suspension. I finally got it back to the original shop and they put it on the lift and figured out it was the heim joint. I think they are supposed to have Teflon on them (they arent supposed to be greased). We put some grease on and the squeaking stopped, temporarily. I have a new arm coming but now have to disassemble the rear to install the new one.

One question, has anyone else had the same issue?l
Secondly in the meantime, anything I can spray one or do to lubricate
Finally, is there an easy way to do this that doesnt involve realigning everything? Maybe pull the Heim end off count threads, and unthread it and just thread in the new one and set to the same spot?

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[AAD Performance]

Thats typical of heim joints, great for dedicated race cars, but dont last for road going vehicles. Thats why we developed spheriflex, all the control of a heim with none of the noise.

The only way you're going to keep that heim quiet is constant greasing or a dry film spray. Grease works longer but also will hold onto road debris..... causing the heim to wear out faster.

on to the alignment side, counting threads sucks, try removing the arm without moving the adjuster (much at least) mess around with the heim joint a little, if it flops around freely; throw it away and order a new one.

Lastly a suggestion on the inboard bushing end, from our experience a grease zerk is not useful, it puts grease where you dont want it. you want grease between the poly bushing and steel bushing (steel tube inside of rubber bushing).

You dont want grease between the bore in the arm and the bushing, the bushing should not be allowed to move in the arm. try pulling the bushing apart and cleaning the grease out, manually apply some to the ID of the poly bushing, and re-install.

Hope that helps

 

[S550 Recon]

It's not very common to have Teflon or Kevlar lined bearings/heims make noises so soon after installation. Often times there are other factors at play OR the center ball may be a little on the tight side within the "race"

Silicone spray a few times and often times it's good for a very long time.

On an S550 camber link that uses a stock fastener with that large integrated washer....believe it or not, there can be contact and metal/metallic sounding clicks and "squeaks".

If everything is installed and lubed properly you really should not have any noticeable noises.


AAD, you guys really shouldn't be in a thread that is about a competitors product, talking down on the designs and also speaking negatively of a design that you do not understand. You are totally wrong on the grease zerk fitting comment. That's a little embarrassing.

 

[AAD Performance]

It's not very common to have Teflon or Kevlar lined bearings/heims make noises so soon after installation. Often times there are other factors at play OR the center ball may be a little on the tight side within the "race"

Silicone spray a few times and often times it's good for a very long time.

On an S550 camber link that uses a stock fastener with that large integrated washer....believe it or not, there can be contact and metal/metallic sounding clicks and "squeaks".

If everything is installed and lubed properly you really should not have any noticeable noises.


AAD, you guys really shouldn't be in a thread that is about a competitors product, talking down on the designs and also speaking negatively of a design that you do not understand. You are totally wrong on the grease zerk fitting comment. That's a little embarrassing.

I said nothing about any specific brand or product, just Heim joints. Trying to help op with his problems even though he doesn’t have our parts........

I’m not new to this, I know exactly how these systems work and why companies choose the systems they do. We’ve been doing this over a decade, with actual engineering and stringent testing. We have cars with over 100,000 miles on our parts with no grease zerks that don’t make a squeak. It’d take me two seconds and a 25 cent fitting to throw a grease zerk in our parts, but it’d be a detriment to the design.

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