Burley adjustable Upper Control arms - review?

[kguarnotta]

Anyone install these - and have a review?

Burley Upper Control Arm
https://burleymotorsports.net/product/syncro-upper-control-arms/
They look like quality made, and if they save me having to replace tires regularly due to uneven wear, then probably worth it.

I'm dealing with some alignment issues - and am wondering if my lifted Syncro can be aligned properly with the stock UCA. I'm wondering about ride quality, longevity, noise...alignment anything else I am not thinking of asking...

thanks...
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-Kevin
Lincoln, MA

'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper

[SurfaceRust]

I can't speak to the syncro version, but I have recently installed the 2wd version on my van. They are easy to install and look good. I'm not sure how much better they really allow adjustments to everything. My main selling point was related to replacing all bushings in the front end. The UCA bushing are not an easy job, but by going with the Burley UCAs you eliminate the bushing. Instead it has a heim joint with a zerk fitting. That was enough of an upgrade for me to justify spending the money.

I replaced almost all bushings and did some other upgrades to the front end at the same time I installed the UCAs so it's hard to say how much they have helped with ride quality and noise.

[kiltedhiker]

Alignment Specs after install of Burley UCA. Pretty much an entire rebuild and upgrade of suspension.
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1989 Syncro Westfalia (bought new) sold
1990 Syncro Westfalia sold
1990 Syncro TinTop

[MarkWard]

[kguarnotta]

I've not gotten the alignment yet. I've got an appt with mechanic next week.
When I spoke with him on the phone- he said that typically a raised vehicle is near impossible to actually align properly - so Im trying to figure out what to do if he can't align it with the set up I have.

My front tires wore down a lot on the inside edge. My regular mechanic called it scalloping, said it was probably due to a bad alignment. He doesn't do alignments, and recommended a shop down the street.

I don't 100% understand the alignment shown above - it looks like the vehicle front caster is still of - but camber and toe were corrected. Is that right?
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-Kevin
Lincoln, MA

'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[drj434343]

I raised my 2WD with GW 1.5" springs and was BARELY able to get camber adjusted with the stock arms and ball joint spacers. I also suffered from squeaky bushings.

Burly arms fixed the squeaking and pushed me back into the middle of the camber adjustment range without having to use a ball joint spacer. They were well worth it in my book.

[pbrown]

I have them on my Syncro. I also have Fox shocks and Schwenk standard springs. My alignment is almost perfect. The front caster is not quite where is should be because the heim joints can screw in any more - ran out of threads.
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Patrick Brown

1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF

[kguarnotta]

Thanks for feedback. My front end has had all the bushing replaced with the T3 Poly bushings. I had some squeak last year - and ended up being the endlinks - I smeared some bushing snot on them, and that got rid of squeak.

So no squeak, I do have Grabber AT2 tires, I'd say they are a fairly aggressive lug, and are scalloped pretty bad. After talking to guy at tire counter - who seemed fairly knowledgeable (at least he knew a lot more than me) I'm planning on replacing the two front tires with Hankook New Englander 4S. As far as tires go - I'm not sure if I need to replace all 4 - the rear are in good shape (looks like it to me, and tire guy also said so). I guess when I rotate tires in future - I should just be rotating the same manuf tires (ie not switch front to back, but rather only side to side)

Tire guy said I should to get alignment done first. I'm hoping the new tires will help with road noise, and an alignment will help with tire wear. The van is tracking straight - that is why I never thought I had a problem with alignment. How wrong I was....

If alignment guy can't get alignment within spec (as guided by Derek Drew) then I'll get those Burley adjustable UCA.

thanks again for feedback.
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-Kevin
Lincoln, MA

'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper

[Viva.Sabata]

I bought the Burley UCAs to correct alignment issues on my 1.5” GW lifted 2WD van. Couldn’t get camber or caster in spec without tire rubbing on the stock UCA. I had completely redone my suspension with Powerflex bushings

While I like the idea, I still couldn’t get camber in spec. Further, my alignment guy pointed out that the heim joints allow slight side to side movement - enough to cause toe to slop around about 0.1 deg and might have been the source of the squirrely feeling while driving.

I ended up putting spacers on my front wheels and put the stock UCAs back on. The spacers corrected the camber issue. I also noticed much reduced NVH without the Burley arms. The squirrely feeling turned out to something else, to be fair.

I think they would be awesome in a predominantly off road rig but not the best setup for a highway cruiser.

I still have them and will sell them to you (or anyone else) at a deep discount if interested- PM me if so.
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Sabata
1987 Westy Full Camper, Peloquin 5-Speed 2wd

[skills@eurocarsplus]

be careful replacing just 2 tires. seems to me you have a syncro. i know on some of the euro trash i service it's a big no no to mix tires due to circumference differences. about 3% is about what is allowed on stuff i work on.

not sure how forgiving a syncro is in terms of this but worth looking into before you smoke something
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[kguarnotta]

To SKills - yes, I do have a syncro, and had heard that tire sizes need to be the same.

The rear tires - I've not measures tread depth, but they look new. I'll double check the specs to the replacement tire specs, but tire shop said they are the same - as I mentioned what you are saying to him.

I think I'll learn a lot once I get to the alignment guys shop - and report back what he says, and if I need to look into adjustments or adding spacers or something else...
_________________
-Kevin
Lincoln, MA

'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper

[kguarnotta]

Update - I brought it to a mechanic with alignment tools. I had explained the situation over the phone, then explained to the the tech when I arrived.

Turned out the Toe was way off, he has aligned it - and should be good to go. I just need new tires now...

It does not look like I need Burley UCA's.

Unfortunately we realized the noise/vibration was coming from the rear axles...time to search for a thread on that. or start a new one...
_________________
-Kevin
Lincoln, MA

'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper