RPG Upper Control Arms

[Sig Fanboy]

Has anyone here with a live valve truck installed their own RPG upper control arms? Specifically I was wondering about how they work with the factory ride height sensors and do the RPG UCAs come with instructions that address the ride height sensors? I currently have Fox Factory Race Series front and rear, the fronts have had 1in of spring preload dialed in and I have Deaver + 4 springs in the back. Quite a lot going on in the bed with Chase/ Tire rack and overlanding rack. I’m about 43in to center of rear wheel well and about 42in in the front and I’ve never had the ride height sensors recalibrated though kind of an evolving suspension set up. The truck seems to ride fine to me for Hiway and trail work, I’ve yet to find anything to try a small jump. I guess I could hit someone’s corn field nearby that’s recently been cut and get out before I get caught. I’d like to do the RPG UCAs and tie rod ends after I do the SVC bump stop kit and just looking for info/ advice.

 

[Sig Fanboy]

PS: I’m not married to RPG stuff. It’s just that their orange seems to match the FFRS orange anodizing, excepting that, I’d just do black. I’d be happy to hear from anyone who feels that there are better options than RPG as far as performance and durability. It’s my trail toy and not a show truck, still like it look nice, but prefer performance over show.

 

[Nex]

I believe @Old-Raptor-guy is installing RPG UCA this weekend. Maybe he can answer your questions.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

Control arm has threaded hole for the ride height sensor.

The factory bolt goes all the way through the factory upper arm.

The RPG hole is only about 1/2 as deep, I cut about a 1/4 inch off my factory bolts and screwed them right in.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

PS: I’m not married to RPG stuff. It’s just that their orange seems to match the FFRS orange anodizing, excepting that, I’d just do black. I’d be happy to hear from anyone who feels that there are better options than RPG as far as performance and durability. It’s my trail toy and not a show truck, still like it look nice, but prefer performance over show.

I wouldn't say I am a RPG fan boy either. I picked a setup I wanted and figured all their products would work together so to speak.

But on the upper control arms I have a couple thoughts.

Here is the deal. Fact is you need some adjustments to do alignments.

The factory uses slots in the lower control arm for this.

There are kits to delete the slots. At that point you have to do you adjustments with the upper control arm. You could definitely do that with the RPG upper arms but Holy hell it would be a ton of work..

There are arms that are adjustable but we are talking aluminum here so for me I want as much thread engagement as possible. Which means I leave the lower slots as adjustment points and use the RPG arms which do NOT have provisions for on vehicle adjustment.

I do have a slot reinforcement kit coming.

Retains slots but reinforces the lower control arm mounting points.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

I hope that makes sense.

 

[Sig Fanboy]

I hope that makes sense.

Thanks for all of that. I know so much more after seeing/reading your posts. I’m glad that the RPG units do not have adjustments as that means there is less for me to inadvertently screw up. I’ve not actually studied the operation of the ride height sensor, does the added thickness of the RPG unit require making some manner of adjustment to the sensor? I see from your photo that the RPG orange and the Fox orange match very well.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

Thanks for all of that. I know so much more after seeing/reading your posts. I’m glad that the RPG units do not have adjustments as that means there is less for me to inadvertently screw up. I’ve not actually studied the operation of the ride height sensor, does the added thickness of the RPG unit require making some manner of adjustment to the sensor? I see from your photo that the RPG orange and the Fox orange match very well.

There are no mechanical adjustments to the ride height sensors. They are either a hall effect sensor or a potentiometer sensor. (pretty sure it is the later)

if you browse the forum you will see on from time to time some say something about "zeroing their ride height" with forscan or IDS.

when you do this you electronically tell the trucks electronics that the truck is on a level surface at stationary ride height with no passengers, no cargo and roughly a 1/2 tank of fuel. The truck then "learns" the center position of each sensor.

you would want to do this if the ride height has changed (up for perches/springs, down for saggy stock suspension) or if a sensor has been replaced as no two sensors will have the exact same voltage reading at the same height.

 

[velogil]

Here's a pic from front and rear RPG ride height sensors on a 2023 Gen3. Hope it helps!