BDS Suspension UCA Kit (#121152) - NEW product? - Has anyone tried these yet?

[Oh Kee Pah]

@BeenChevy - BUMMER!

I guess you're returning the KSP UCAs...plans now?
I ran for about 7500 miles, and have seen a few others here on the TYForum running them, Freedom Off-Road UCAs. They may be worth taking a look at before you spring big bucks for a big name brand UCA pair. I think the Freedom Off-Road UCA pair comes in around $350. They also offer a greaseable and non-greasing ball joint in their UCAs. The FREEDOM OFF-ROAD Website

 

[STORMIN08]

dry joint maybe stiff depending on type, and with no grease...probably wont be smooth

i have had seeral in years past like this, installed...greased and ran with no issues. all depends on how you feel

 

[BeenChevy]

@BeenChevy - BUMMER!

I guess you're returning the KSP UCAs...plans now?
I ran for about 7500 miles, and have seen a few others here on the TYForum running them, Freedom Off-Road UCAs. They may be worth taking a look at before you spring big bucks for a big name brand UCA pair. I think the Freedom Off-Road UCA pair comes in around $350. They also offer a greaseable and non-greasing ball joint in their UCAs. The FREEDOM OFF-ROAD Website

Thought I read you had issues with FOR ball-joints. Looked a little last night on Rockauto and added the forged aluminum MEVOTECH CTXMS501233 & 34 to the cart. Always wanted to try those out.

 

[BeenChevy]

dry joint maybe stiff depending on type, and with no grease...probably wont be smooth

i have had seeral in years past like this, installed...greased and ran with no issues. all depends on how you feel

Unfortunately the ball-joints on these are non-greaseable. I'd pull the boot to confirm they forgot to add grease but the rubber quality of these boots is garbage too. The rubber has a white coating like a rubber band aged in the sun and you can tell it's going to split in no time. Didn't bother trying to lift the upper boot ring as it's thinner than paper-clip gauge wire and will almost certainly damage the boot. Tried working the joint around a bit and by sound and feel - I'd be very surprised to find any grease. The other is certainly smooth as butter though, just glad I didn't decide to install them anyway. The ebay seller responded in broken English disregarding any comments as he may not have understood anything I wrote. Sending them back.

 

[Oh Kee Pah]

You are correct, I DID have troubles with ball joints on the Freedom Off Road UCA. However, I am still not sure why that exactly was the case. I had purchased the non-greaseable ball joints since I'm in ME and the roads are horrible throughout winter. Perhaps the greaseable ball joint is better performing. Perhaps Freedom has improved QC since I first purchased a couple years ago.
Other TYFmember has provided photo documentation of their Freedom UCAs and the angle looked good. Mine did not, that's for sure. I still think that Freedom could be a solid solution for some, at least working on limited budgets. The company has expanded their available product line for our GMs in the past several years, both with the UCA and different coil-over assembly options. Very hard to find any reviews or testimonials out there regarding Freedom products being used on GM vehicles, unfortunately.
I think the Mevotech TTX should work out fine. Glad you're getting to make the return. Keep us posted

 

[BeenChevy]

I called Freedom Off Road and they don't sell upper control arms for 15 yukon xl. It doesn't illustrate in the ebay add that the cap can be removed; it can and reveals KSP pre-installed grease zerk on ball-Joint PN: ca-293061-y

Ebay add says not to fill and is "just a decoration":

Thought about installing another ball-joint until I read a half dozen reviews about the poly requiring a ton of lubing and that it was noisy. Also things about the weld quality among other things ragging on this crap product. Anyone know if stock denali aluminum arm ball-joints can be pressed out? They look seemless..

 

[Oh Kee Pah]

I think that's a bit of an odd statement coming from Freedom Off Road. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND how the UCA cannot fit the '15 Yukon XL. The OE UCA fits 2015-2020 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Escalade, Escalade ESV. As well as 2014-2019 Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500. ALL TRIM LEVELS.

IMO - The Freedom Off-Road UCA would certainly fit on the 2015 Yukon and 2015 Yukon XL.
Secondly - Freedom's stock just went down in my book with this fitting recommendation. Unless someone has an opinion as to why the part would not fit.


To keep the original post going -> do we have any members running the BDS UCAs?

 

[BeenChevy]

Yeah, that makes no sense. I e-mailed them as well and here's the response:

 

[STORMIN08]

there are differences in each model year prior to XX year, i do not recall the specifics, but i do know the material type of your stock arms matters due to the ball joint used.

gm did switch to a single ball joint size for all arms, but i do not recall which year that stated

 

[maxpsi]

I haven’t had any issues out of my Freedom off-road UCAs. I grease them every oil change with Mobil grease. I’ve put maybe 15k miles on them so far.