Cognito UCA dilema..

[Hellz]

so about 3 weeks or so ago i installed my UCA's to:
A. strengthen the front end and
B. i have been chasing why my right side is pulling on the passenger side ( not alignment )

so today, i decided to try and chase why the right side keeps pulling, and noticed i have alot of play where the UCA conencts to the steering knuckle on the drivers side.

i must have hand tightened it to where i could get the cotter pin through and called it good. well rereading the install sheet, it calls for 75 ft lbs on it.

i got a cresent wrench on it and was able to tighten it down, but dont have a socket for my torque wrench that will fit under the UCA unless i pull the half shaft. another problem is the stud will move now since it is well greased.

i tightened it up the best i could and cotter pinned it.
im sure the passenger side has some play in it too.

so, besides a full tear down, how can i get it tightened?
im going to go pick up a socket for it, but nothing to stop the stud from spinning....

also, entertaining ideas on why it is pulling too.

started after i replaced the bearing hubs.
about 5 alignements have been done since then too. alignements are a little off, but not too bad. also rotated the tires too.

[twr]

Hi you need to make the ball joint nut tight. Lift the truck up remove the cotter pin and get a bar in between the upper control arm and the frame and push the control arm down so that the ball joint goes into the taper farther it should hold the stud from turning. Better yet if you have a impack to tighten it up. Also never back the castle nut off to line up with the cotter pin hole tighten the nut so the next slot in the nut will line up with cotter pin hole. If you keep driving the truck with it looose you will screw up the taper and end up changing the spindle and maybe the ball joint. As for the truck pulling one thing at a time, get the ball joint tighten first.

[Hellz]

ya i got it tightened down to the 75 ft lbs spec.

just needed a shallow socket to get in there. both sides needed alot of tightening.

maybe about 500 miles on it that way.

i think i am going to have to rip apart the whole passenger side to resolve this pulling issue.

i swear the shop i normally take my H2 to get alignments, they are sick of seeing me. seems every weekend i am in there for a new alignment.

maybe ill give them a break this week and go to another shop.....

[twr]

Hi glad you got ball joints tightened. Does it pull all the time?

[charles06]

Which UCA's did you get? I have the ones with the uniball ball joint. My H2 also pulls to the right at times, but I think it's due more to the tires.

I had my dealer install them, and they said the truck was a bear to align after. They also told me that these are not really designed for an H2, but for a full-size truck. They're just close enough to work. I can't remember all the specifics, but he seemed to know what he was talking about.

[Hellz]

UCAK100001
For the GM 01-06 8-Lug vehicles, including the 1500HD, 2500, 2500HD, 3500, and 2500 Suburban/YukonXL/Avalanche and Hummer H2


ya granted it lists the H2 on there, but all the vehicles listed are basically the same. the H2 does have a Yukon front end on it. there have been a few times already that i go to the parts store, and to be told they dont have a part for my H2, but when i tell them look up a Avalanche, they seem to magically have the part.


im pretty sure that the pulling is from the bearing hub, i just dont want to go through the effort of ripping it all the way down and putting it back together.
i think maybe the Hub maybe wasnt seated in 100% straight. maybe it is cockeyed ( ) a little. i have been tossing the idea of picking up another hub to throw in there to replace this one all together and have the old one ( which is still new-ish about 1000 miles) as a trail backup or something.

since tighteniing down the UCA's, i have a feeling that maybe the shop will have a easier time getting an alignment on my H2. before, it would go close to OEM specs, and even closer to the Cognito specs, but there was no room on the guide on the drivers side. it was completely maxxed out.