How to Install UMI adjustable LCAs

[Spikito]

So I bought a set of UMI on-car adjustable LCAs, part number 2013, along with the new nut and bolt kit.

The night before I lubed up the poly ends with marine grease, before the install, as I was told to do. Some people like to put them in the freezer before install, and I'm sure this would have made install easier, but all i had to do was finesse the rear bracket open a bit with a hammer. I'd be afraid that once up to temp, the LCAs would get longer, and the rod end dimensions would change too much. If I WERE to use this method, I would just take the rod end shims out and freeze them, but not the whole LCA.

First I lifted my car, and put jack stands under each side. If I put a jack under the differential, my driver side raises more than my passenger side for some reason, but also with the suspension loaded, I couldnt get it high enough to brace properly. So I lifted each side individually, by the sub -frame, and placed a jack stand just forward of where the LCA attaches. the jack stand is minimally in the way here, but it never caused me any issue.

NOTE: After I took this picture, I moved the stand a little further forward



I then put the jack back under the differential, so I could load and unload the differential easily.



Once up, I took the wheels off, at first I didn't, but in the end its much easier to access the bolts if they are off.
(forgive me for the rusty hub, and the half painted caliper....that's a project in progress...the from has powder-coated rotors, and fully painted calipers.



I don't know if it matters or not, but I pulled the front bolts first, I didn't have an 18mm wrench, so I used a Crescent, worked just fine, and a 18mm socket. Socket on the bolt side, crescent on the nut, putting a little bit of load on the suspension made the bolts slide out MUCH easier.





I then did the same for the rear, the park brake cable is kind of in the way, but with the wheels off the ground, and unattached, it really doesn't matter, and disengaging it helped a lot.

I put the factory LCA on the ground, and set the UMI on top of it, and threaded the bolt through, to make sure the lengths are the same. from here I went ahead and snugged up the nuts a little, this kept the rod end from going all over the place during install (a tip I learned the hard way doing the first side.)

(pic goes here, having upload issues

[Spikito]

I unloaded the suspension, and began installing the new LCAs, I started with the rod end. Again, I found this method easier after doing the first side.

I put the rear bolts in backwards, the pesky e-brake cable was in the way, I'm sure i could have gotten it in eventually, but I didn't have the time or patience, and I dont see how bolt direction matters on the rear. Once on, I put in the new bolt and started the nut. The new bolt/nut kit from UMI is 19mm, not 18 like stock, and the nut has a built in plastic seal that keeps water out of the threads. it has to be threaded, so putting on the new nut requires a bit of force. But at this point it is important to just get the nut started





I then loosened up the nuts on the LCA, and swung the poly end up into place, it went it just fine, but was about 3/16ths too long, this was the same whether the suspension was loaded or not, I checked. So I shortened the LCA up accordingly, and threaded the new bolt. On the front, the new bolt HAS to go in from the outside in, it wont fit the other way.





from here, I tightened the LCA nuts back down, and loaded the suspension, I then tightened up the nuts and bolts to 72 ft-lbs.




I then re attached the rear wheels, and set the car back down.

[SMWS6TA]

well I guess I can delete what I've been typing up the last couple of days.....


I've been doing the same thing but also with the PHB and TA. :lol

[Spikito]

id like to see how a PHB is installed

[SMWS6TA]

I was referring to the LCA's

I'm still doing the other two. The TA is taking the longest to write up. If you want I can post some other pics that will help with what you did if you don't mind. I made reference arrows on my pics.

[Spikito]

go for it, I wanted to do that, but I was short on time

I went out and played, they help with traction A LOT, road noise isnt bad, but if I hit a bump, it jars me around like crazy, even when they pour tar over the road cracks...those feel like speed bumps...if i find a strip of those reflectors on the road, it feels like my drive shaft fell off and is floppin around.

I'm just hoping thatll soften up as the grease works its way around, and the poly softens up a little