'99 4x4 Tahoe LT lower control arm

[manchacagirl]

Question: Replaced my whole front end along with steering box. Frontend Kit was from Detroit Axle, steering box is from O'Reillys and to align it the place is saying I need AC Centric Bolt kits for both sides for the lower control arms. I can only find upper control arm bolt kits. Will they work for the lower? Thanks for taking your time to read this.

 

[OR VietVet]

Not saying there isn't such a thing but I personally have never heard of the acentric kits for the lower arms. Are you sure you heard them right? I would double check with the shop to be sure and it is common for the kits to be needed for the upper control arms. I have heard tell of offset bushings too but that would seem extreme. The acentric kits are usually all that is needed. Again, never heard of acentric kits for the lower arms. As a matter of fact, I don't see how torsion bars would take to being shifted with acentric kits on the lower arms. I am gonna say, you heard them wrong or they are pulling a shady one.

 

[manchacagirl]

Not saying there isn't such a thing but I personally have never heard of the acentric kits for the lower arms. Are you sure you heard them right? I would double check with the shop to be sure and it is common for the kits to be needed for the upper control arms. I have heard tell of offset bushings too but that would seem extreme. The acentric kits are usually all that is needed. Again, never heard of acentric kits for the lower arms. As a matter of fact, I don't see how torsion bars would take to being shifted with acentric kits on the lower arms. I am gonna say, you heard them wrong or they are pulling a shady one.

My mech said the same thing. I called the Chevy dealership in my town and asked the parts guy, he asked for the last 8 of my Vin and came back and said you need a second opinion, there is no such thing. There is a punch tool that needs to punch out on the upper control arm to fit a elongated bolt for alignment. Apparently it was only needed on the 99 and 00 front end. Prob should have been a recall. Got the tool and my mech is going to fix it no labor and I'm giving him tje tool. Then I am going to tje alignment place and asking for a explanation. Thx for taking your time to answer me!!

 

[east302]

Is it confirmed that the UCA knockouts are still intact?

Having the knockouts in place allowed the factory to install the arms within spec without the need for an alignment. If adjustment was needed down the road, the tabs could be punched out to elongate the bolt hole.

It should already have the cam bolts and eccentrics installed from the factory - or at least my 98s did. Early GMT400 models (88-91 or so) used a regular bolt, requiring the cam bolt kit if the knockouts were removed.

 

[OR VietVet]

If the knockouts were still in there, that means it has likely never had caster/camber set.