**Saftey Check**Check Your Whiteline Uppers

[psfracer]

I just took off my BMR adjustable UCA and it looks great after several years, even after 4800 rpm transbrake launches on a 200 shot right out of the hole with 1100 hp.

 

[Marc s]

I have everything that Whiteline sales but haven't had a chance to put it on since I found out the tub is bent. I have to get a DD before I can do the swap over. The only thing I am questioning right now is the UCA. Do I use the WL piece? Do I cut the bracket off and make my own out of 4130? Do I just buy a Multimatic? I am really wanting to see what WL finds is the cause of the failure.

Why don't you just use a nice beefy adjustable UCA, with a spherical bearing, from one of the many companies out there who offer them?

Roadracer350, If you already have the WL UCA, send it back. Whiteline has made it very clear that their UCA has a design flaw and they will replace the old design with the new design for free. The fact that Whiteline took an immediate position that this is their fault and will correct it, tells me that they have a high level of integrity.

I find it alarming how many forum engineers are so quick to pass judgment on a companies quality control/engineering practices. I'm not just talking about Whiteline or BMR. Every thread about any companies part failure turns into a bash fest. Sure, Whiteline sponsors me so some would think that I'm biased. Well, I'm not because I also represent BMR and a lot of other companies. Free or not, I will only sell the brands that I believe in and I would never put parts on my car that I didn't trust. BMR will agree that a lot of companies that build aftermarket parts have to go back to the drawing board sometimes. Just because a part failed doesn't mean that an accountant decided that the parts should be made thinner. That's just ridiculous because every company also has a legal staff that is trying to prevent loss and/or risk. Sometimes mistakes simply happen during the process of design. Having been employed as an executive for Caterpillar, I can't possibly remember how many times the engineers had to go back to the drawing board. It falls into that hindsight is 20/20 thing. I guess at the end of the day I believe that making mistakes is ok. How an individual/company deals with the mistakes is what matters.

Oh ya, for what it's worth, my UCA is bent as well.

 

[psfracer]

NASCAR POWER!!!

Yeah, I agree, WL's response so far has been outstanding for a company. It seems they are taking quick action to correct the problem.

 

[BruceH]

Roadracer350, If you already have the WL UCA, send it back. Whiteline has made it very clear that their UCA has a design flaw and they will replace the old design with the new design for free. The fact that Whiteline took an immediate position that this is their fault and will correct it, tells me that they have a high level of integrity.

I find it alarming how many forum engineers are so quick to pass judgment on a companies quality control/engineering practices. I'm not just talking about Whiteline or BMR. Every thread about any companies part failure turns into a bash fest. Sure, Whiteline sponsors me so some would think that I'm biased. Well, I'm not because I also represent BMR and a lot of other companies. Free or not, I will only sell the brands that I believe in and I would never put parts on my car that I didn't trust. BMR will agree that a lot of companies that build aftermarket parts have to go back to the drawing board sometimes. Just because a part failed doesn't mean that an accountant decided that the parts should be made thinner. That's just ridiculous because every company also has a legal staff that is trying to prevent loss and/or risk. Sometimes mistakes simply happen during the process of design. Having been employed as an executive for Caterpillar, I can't possibly remember how many times the engineers had to go back to the drawing board. It falls into that hindsight is 20/20 thing. I guess at the end of the day I believe that making mistakes is ok. How an individual/company deals with the mistakes is what matters.

Oh ya, for what it's worth, my UCA is bent as well.

I'm glad you checked it. At first I wondered who the engineer was that signed off on the design, then I realized there wasn't one involved. There are a lot of stresses involved with that part to take a guess at what will work imo. It's more than just the part or the purchaser that can be affected by this, it's anyone driving on a roadway.

Absolutely they did the right thing by alerting people and taking the parts back. Hopefully this wake up call will motivate them to have an engineer look over their prints and at least tell them what the part will handle.

 

[Marc s]

I'm glad you checked it. At first I wondered who the engineer was that signed off on the design, then I realized there wasn't one involved. There are a lot of stresses involved with that part to take a guess at what will work imo. It's more than just the part or the purchaser that can be affected by this, it's anyone driving on a roadway.

Absolutely they did the right thing by alerting people and taking the parts back. Hopefully this wake up call will motivate them to have an engineer look over their prints and at least tell them what the part will handle.

You Boeing engineers never miss anything.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

So....for those of us that have the Whiteline UCA...how do we know if we have one of the bad batch?

 

[Sky Render]

So....for those of us that have the Whiteline UCA...how do we know if we have one of the bad batch?

The UCA design itself is defective. So if you have one, it should be replaced. Whiteline is designing a new UCA, so you can either wait for that one or get a different brand.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Wow....so all of them from the get go are defective?

 

[Marc s]

Wow....so all of them from the get go are defective?

Yes. People can either return the UCA to the dealer where they bought it or return them directly to Whiteline.

If customers need service or support please have them contact

[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> or 909-476-2860


Thanks again for all your support please don't hesitate to call/email if you need anything.

 

[BruceH]

You Boeing engineers never miss anything.

Not sure if serious? To anyone reading this I'm not an engineer. Marc always calls me one though, it's an inside joke.

Anyway, I am glad that nothing bad has happened as a result of this. I also think it says a lot about the company. Like previously mentioned they didn't blame the installer and got the word out about the problem fast.

 

[Black 5.0]

Well, cheese wiz! I have been buying and installing new suspension parts for my '13 for the past two weeks. Just finished up installing Koni Yellows and Eibach pro kit yesterday. I ordered three Whiteline products, one of which (panhard stabilizer) will be at my front door any minute now, an adj. panhard rod and...the adj. UCA in question! All ordered from Jayman33 at Hypermotive.

Now, I'm wondering if Jayson was aware of the issue with the UCA, which he highly recommended, by the way. It would appear that it would be too soon to expect a UCA with 'the fix' done to it so, I'm guessing I will be getting one that may be defective. The UCA will be delivered to me tomorrow and was looking forward to it's install. Now, it looks like I'll be looking forward to it's return!

Ha! panhard stabilizer delivered as I was typing!

Edited to add:
The stabilizer appears to be a fairly good piece of beef! The end in the pic looks a bit thicker, than the UCA.

 

[Sky Render]

Everything else you've got is good, quality product. Just don't install the UCA.

 

[fdjizm]

Roadracer350, If you already have the WL UCA, send it back. Whiteline has made it very clear that their UCA has a design flaw and they will replace the old design with the new design for free. The fact that Whiteline took an immediate position that this is their fault and will correct it, tells me that they have a high level of integrity.

I find it alarming how many forum engineers are so quick to pass judgment on a companies quality control/engineering practices. I'm not just talking about Whiteline or BMR. Every thread about any companies part failure turns into a bash fest. Sure, Whiteline sponsors me so some would think that I'm biased. Well, I'm not because I also represent BMR and a lot of other companies. Free or not, I will only sell the brands that I believe in and I would never put parts on my car that I didn't trust. BMR will agree that a lot of companies that build aftermarket parts have to go back to the drawing board sometimes. Just because a part failed doesn't mean that an accountant decided that the parts should be made thinner. That's just ridiculous because every company also has a legal staff that is trying to prevent loss and/or risk. Sometimes mistakes simply happen during the process of design. Having been employed as an executive for Caterpillar, I can't possibly remember how many times the engineers had to go back to the drawing board. It falls into that hindsight is 20/20 thing. I guess at the end of the day I believe that making mistakes is ok. How an individual/company deals with the mistakes is what matters.

Oh ya, for what it's worth, my UCA is bent as well.

Marc, I am quite shocked that you of all people don't have an adjustable UCA!!

 

[Mystickeith50]

I'm shocked at how paper thin that thing looks compared to the BMR piece I have.

 

[Sky Render]

Marc, I am quite shocked that you of all people don't have an adjustable UCA!!

Huh? The whiteline UCA is adjustable. It adjusts by rotating the bushing, which is eccentric.

 

[fdjizm]

You can change pinion angle with that thing? doesn't look it.
hmm learn something new every day!


I think I know what is going to happen next, they are going to release the mother of all UCA's for the replacement part.

 

[OneQwkStang]

we do everything within our power to provide great parts and service.

How about hooking me up a date with the BMR model in your avatar?

 

[Sky Render]

You can change pinion angle with that thing? doesn't look it.
hmm learn something new every day!


I think I know what is going to happen next, they are going to release the mother of all UCA's for the replacement part.

The threaded insert in the bushing is off-center. So rotating the bushing changes the effective length of the UCA and thus the pinion angle. A jam nut is used to lock the angle.