BDS Upper Control Arms (UCAs)

Upper Control Arms are a hot topic on TW, and have been as long as I've been a member.

It seems like there are a handful of brands that everyone on here recommends. You've got the "spare no expense" guys who all say that Total Chaos is the only choice. Camburg is you need to save a few bucks. Then you have the folks who want a more budget friendly option and everytime you see someone say something good about either JBA or SPC, you'll get a heated debate over which one is better (or worse). Some folks like Icon because they have a recognizable name and the rest of their suspension is Icon. Then you have all the budget brands....like Freedom Offroad, who never get any love here.

Yes, there are many others that get lots of love on TacomaWorld. I decided to go a different direction. You know, the freedom to choose (Go 'Murica )! Though I guess the Canadian guys are free to choose too, so in an effort to be inclusive .

Alright, on with it.

I decided to go with BDS Upper Control Arms.



Please do not derail this thread with "You should have gotten X brand." I want to keep this respectful and on-topic. I'm not trying to say that they are better than any other brand, just explaining why I went with them. I'd like to hear other's experience whether good, bad or indifferent.

Until a couple of months ago, I had never heard of BDS. I went to the grand opening of an OffRoad Warehouse location and talked to some of the vendors there. I assumed that they were a junk brand with no reputation because I had never heard of them on any of the Toyota forums that I frequent.

Did you know that BDS is a brand of Fox? I didn't, but that immediately gave them some credibility in my mind. So I apparently had some research to do. Fox has a pretty sizeable footprint here in Georgia, so in a way I'm supporting a local business .

Alright, so let's talk about that research.

Bushings

This is the part that connects the UCA to the frame. You basically have 3 kinds of "bushings" when looking at UCAs.

1. Rubber Bushings. This is what your OEM UCAs have installed. These can be a PITA to change out, which is why most people opt to replace the entire arm instead of just the bushings.
2. Polyurethane. This is what you'll find in a lot of aftermarket options.
3. Heim Joints. This isn't a bushing at all. It's basically a metal sleeve that the bolt slides through.

Heim joints are basically for race trucks. There is nothing to absorb vibration or road noise. These are going to be the least comfortable and the worst for the frame. They aren't without merit, but I'd recommend not considering a heim joint if you daily your truck. That leaves Poly vs Rubber.

Here's a pretty good article comparing the two: https://www.poly-tek.com/suspension-bushings-polyurethane-vs-rubber/ The below screenshot is from that page.




As you can see, this is going to come down to personal preference. I decided that rubber bushings were the way for me to go. The bushings on my OEM UCAs are still in good condition after 170k miles, so I don't have any objection to the longevity of the rubber bushings. I don't have to grease them, they won't squeak, and they provide the most on-road comfort.

BDS comes with OEM style Rubber Bushings.

Ball Joints

This is the part that connects the UCA to the steering knuckle (commonly called the spindle). This comes down to basically 2 choices: Uniball or Sealed Ball Joint. This is a hotly debated topic where it is unlikely that you will sway anyone's opinion, so I'm just going to state it as I understand it.

1. Sealed Ball Joints are what are used on the OEM application. These come in 2 varieties: greaseable and non-greaseable. OEM is non-greaseable, but most people would argue that being able to add grease will improve performance and extend the life of the joint. The downside is the frequency at which it is recommended to grease them. Some are as frequent as 3k miles. Considering the 4.0 (at least mine) recommends changing oil at 5k intervals, I doubt anyone is greasing them more frequently than they are changing oil.
2. Uniball is made of a hardened steel and rotates/pivots inside the arm.

Both options have to be pressed in/out, but the sealed option will have a cir-clip that helps hold them in place. The degree of articulation depends on the specifics of the joint. I won't say that one has a better range of motion than the other because I have read articles that say each has a better range of motion than the other. Uniballs are more likely to squeak and can develop pits in the metal which can lead to premature failure. Again, just what I've read. No first hand experience. I decided the sealed ball joint was the better option for me as they require (arguably) less maintenance.

The BDS UCA utilizes a sealed greaseable Moog upper ball joint. I'm pretty sure I can pick up a replacement at any box store in a pinch.






Caster

Another thing with 3 options:

1. OEM - no built in caster. Ideal for stock ride height
2. Built-in - usually around 2 degrees. Ideal for our trucks when lifted 2 or more inches. Required at 3 inches.
3. Adjustable - I'm only aware of SPC / Light Racing offering adjustable caster. It complicates the alignment process as most techs are not familiar with the process. Sure, you can hand them the instructions, but then you count on them to actually read and comprehend them.

This is a KISS (keep it simple, stupid) item. I'm lifted, so I need the built in caster. Some of the Fox shocks are listed on their website as "aftermarket UCAs required" and I'm right on that borderline of about 2.5"

BDS recommends these Upper Control Arms for no less than 2".

ABS line

All aftermarket UCAs will either have a tab to connect the holder for the ABS line or they won't.

You don't want the ABS line just flopping around, so you will need to use a zip tie if the arm doesn't have a tab for the bracket. I think all the big names have added tabs, so probably not a big item; but still worth mentioning.

The BDS UCAs come with the tab for the ABS line. They even include a clip to use, but I liked the OEM ABS line holder better, so I cut the OEM one to fit these arms.

More Pictures:

Installed. Notice the caps that cover the grease zerk. These come with an o-ring and some grease to aid in installation. Also notice how I reused the OEM ABS line bracket.



It seems like a lot of companies now are opting to reference an install guide online. It was nice to find installation instructions in the package. I watched a KFlo video on YouTube prior to installation, so I had a pretty good idea of what to do; but it was still nice to have a reference that I didn't mind grabbing with dirty hands. Everything that came in the box:





Comparison to OEM:

 

Alignment

No post on UCAs would be complete without talking about alignment.

When you lift your truck, you change the geometry of the suspension. What is considered "factory spec" is no longer the "ideal" alignment numbers. That said, it's still nice to get back within factory spec!

Here's my alignment numbers after replacing the Lower Control Arms about a month ago:



Here's after the UCAs were installed.

 

So what don't I like about them? Really, the only thing I wasn't crazy about was the price. They are right up there with Total Chaos in price.

However, they have something that I didn't find on any of the other aftermarket UCAs. (excluding OEM replacement options):

BDS advertises a "No Fine Print Limited Lifetime Warranty."

I hope I never have to use it, but I'm glad to know that it's there.




First impressions:

The truck drives good. The steering feels tighter and I have zero complaints. I can get past the price if I truly believe that it is superior in some way. Maybe it is superior, or maybe it isn't. Time will tell.


I just wanted to give everyone another option and I've never seen this brand discussed on TW. These are the UCAs that Fox will recommend to use with their coilovers, as there are no FOX branded UCAs.

I got mine from SportTruckUSA: https://bds-suspension.com/product-display?sr=toyota UCA

Looks like inflation has hit them too (just like everything else in recent years), as the price has already increased from what I paid. Maybe google "BDS UCA 128252" to see if you can find that part number for cheaper.

 

Interesting and I’ve been trying to decide on whether I should get UCAs with my 5100 lift with 888 ome springs for some time now. My alignments the last few times haven’t been very good imo or at least not in the “green”. I’m not sure how good it really is but the thought of it being off makes me keep thinking I should go with UCAs.
Thanks for the write up. I’m following

 

There are a LOT of options out there. I was mainly targeting SPC, JBA and OME before finding these.

JBA is a solid option, but I have read about issues with the Ball Joints they were using. Some people need to install 1 or 2 washers as spacers to get everything to seat properly. JBA includes these washers just in case they are needed. In the case of issues with the ball joints, they have replaced them as a warranty issue. This is an issue with their supply/supplier as I understand it and not an issue with the JBA arms themselves.

SPC has long been the value option, but if you google their failure, you'll find images of broken arms and/or failed ball joints. The broken arms seem to be a thing of the past as they have redesigned the arms. The broken ones were happening about 10 years ago. I just couldn't get the image out of my head. Not to mention that they went from sub-$400 to over $600. Those two factors took them out of the running for me. Despite the fact that there are hundreds of happy customers. I'm not knocking them, just stating that they weren't for me.

OME was the other option I was considering heavily. The arms are around $500-550 depending on site and sales. I read on one site where they recommend those for up to a 2-inch lift. That's why I opted against those, as I'm already at 2.5 and wouldn't mind cranking up the coilovers a little to get up to 3".

 

Using the google search above:

$699: https://trailsendtruck.com/i-305153...lN0NpjGvLUCOH_erJ5H1vZETR7RpVbqBoCxoAQAvD_BwE

$733: https://www.rockridge4wd.com/i-2407...-tacoma-upper-control-arm-uca-kit-128252.html

$733: https://www.walmart.com/ip/BDS-Susp...eling-Kit-for-2005-17-Toyota-Tacoma/238649858

*I have no affiliation with BDS or any of the above websites.

 

Yep Installed mine this weekend and couldn't agree more. Happy and Satisfied so far.

 

Spotted a BDS UCA in a thread on tires.

@Thatbassguy , curious how long you've had the BDS UCAs and any thoughts you have on them.

This reminds me, I need to go add some grease to mine. No signs that it is needed, but I've changed the oil since installing so I figure a few pumps of the grease gun is warranted.

 

I installed mine in April of 2020 and have a little over 50K miles on them. As far as I can tell, they're holding up well. I have greased them only once so far, so thank you for reminding me!

 

I went with jd fabs because I could get them quick and I got sick of replacing ball joints on spc arms.
2.5 to 3 inches of lift irh 285s give er take and got 3.5 and higher caster wich I wanted.

 

So you've had yours about a year and a half longer than I've had mine. Not sure how many miles I've driven since then, but it isn't 50k. COVID really put a halt on my daily mileage. I'm coming up on having them for a year now and no squeaks or creaks and alignment is good with 255/75/17s around 2.5" lift. Might increase the fronts to account for the weight of the winch.

 

How are these holding up?

 

As of today, I have no complaints. I add a little grease when I rotate tires at 5k intervals. No squeaks or anything of that nature to report.

Would buy again/recommend at this stage of the game.

 

Hey oh I was reading through the whole thing so you and who ever else bought these with daily driving and some fun off road nothing to brake your truck. Also I moved onto a 21 Tundra (had to get the V8) how are they? I found a pair for my tundra for under 300 open box so pretty hefty discount. Should I grab them? Going to be running 3.5” of front lift but a 80 ish pound steel bumper and after compression really 2.75-3” of lift

 

Open box, but new? I hope you already bought them. If used, how used? Even with the "no question asked" warranty....it'd be hard to pass up that deal.

 

I did buy them going to see once I get them. How used they are or if truly just open box. Luckily I can return them if they look like they were beat and returned or something

 

Good deal. I don't think you'll regret that decision. Pay close attention to the bushings and ball joint. If you see any signs of cracking on either, contact BDS first to see about warranty replacement. If they look new, or even have signs of normal use, you got a steal!

 

Sick I am excited then. They are being shipped today should have them hopefully by Thursday!

 

They came in today. BDS box, hardware was in a sealed bag. I don’t think they were installed but a gang of orcs played soccer with the box and everything inside it lol. Just some of the finish on some areas is missing and some minor marks. Gonna keep them good deal for under 300. The important part the joint and bushing look perfect to me

 

Awesome! Now that you mention it, mine had a few nicks in the finish that exposed the bare metal and they were in good shape in the box. I bought a small bottle of Testors black enamel paint (under $2) and just filled in the nicks. I had totally forgotten about that until now.