Frame Upper Control Arm Mounts
Let’s start off by saying that if you shop around for weld-in control arm mounts, you’ll see there are tons of options to choose from. Most of those would be a solid choice, and you really can’t go wrong by choosing from any of the common brands. With that said, the 4Link4WD upper control arm brackets bring a few differences to the table with the goal to make for less headaches during installation.
The straight upper control arm (UCA) mount is made to add an aftermarket UCA to your Jeep/Toyota/off-road rig. Typically you’ll see these for custom long arm installations with heavy duty tubing or aluminum links. So the UCA mounts directly to the frame rail of the rig, and since these are straight (not angled in or out), the suspension setup would likely need to use a track bar like with most factory solid axle setups. You could use them for a front 3 link where you have 2 lower long arms and 1 upper arm, with a track bar; or you could use one on each side in a similar setup but to have extra strength of 2 uppers.
We also now offer angled UCA mounts at 15 and 25 degrees, which you could use in many different suspension types including a 4 link.
These were designed not to be flashy, but to be simple and effective. There are 3 main parts to the bracket: the main body, and the 2 sides which are identical. The whole bracket itself is symmetrical, so it can be mounted on either the drive or passenger side since there is no top or bottom. So these can be used in the front or rear, and left or right sides- you choose! We also offer gussets to go behind the UCA brackets to give it some extra strength.
Now the fun part! You can watch the video on these UCA brackets below to get the visual, but let’s explain how these differ from some of the others on the market.
Mounting width: These are made to fit the large rod ends which measure 2.625” wide, and these are used most often in heavy duty setups such as one ton axle swaps or if you’re running large tires (37” or taller). Often times when you weld up a control arm bracket, you should really use a spacer or carefully use a rod end (heim joint, Johnny Joint, or others) so that the spacing is correct to fit the joint. It is very common though to weld up a multi-piece control arm bracket and then when it’s install time, you find your joint won’t fit in the bracket. Then you may resort to a BFH (you can Google this term) and things get ugly fast.
So to prevent all of this frustration, our mounts are designed for the sides to fit in the bracket only one way, and once they are in place, the mounting width can not change. This means you won’t be fighting to get the rod ends in when you’re ready to get it together! Plus, it’s super satisfying when the sides lock into place :)
The last difference is that because the sides lock into place, you don’t have to weld them in before installing the bracket. We recommend finding the best location for your mount, and then tack weld the main body where you want it. Remove the sides, and now you have wide-open access to weld the inside joint to the frame. You should also be able to weld at least the rear and bottom outside joint to the frame. Now you have 2 sides of the bracket welded and twice as much weld holding it on.
Then you can pop the inner side piece in place, weld it up, and repeat for the outer side.
Now is the time where you can lay the welding helmet down, grab your 4Link4WD bottle opener, and enjoy a cold one!
Buy your straight or angled upper control arm mounts today and make your installation smooth as it should be.
