Introducing Old Man Emu Forged Billet Upper Control Arms for Lifted Toyotas

We're adding a new upper control arm to the Old Man Emu lineup: the Forged Billet Upper Control Arm.

Stronger, lighter, maintenance free. It's forged from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, with sealed bushings and a sealed ball joint, and rated for lifts up to 3 inches. Best of all, these arms are available now for three of the newest Toyota platforms.

Here's everything you need to know.

What Is a Forged Billet Upper Control Arm?

The new Old Man Emu Forged Billet Upper Control Arm is a direct bolt-on replacement for your factory arms, built to correct your front suspension geometry on lifts up to 3 inches. That means a proper alignment, better steering and handling, and less tire wear on your lifted truck.

Here's what makes that possible.

Forged Aluminum

Each arm is forged from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 billet aluminum, shaped under extreme pressure. Unlike standard billet arms that are CNC machined from solid stock, or fabricated arms welded together from multiple components, forging aligns the grain structure of the aluminum with the shape of the arm. The result is a rigid, one-piece arm with excellent fatigue resistance, and strength without the extra weight.

Hard-Anodized Finish

Every surface is machined and finished in a gray Type III hard anodize. Unlike a coating applied on top, this finish is part of the aluminum itself, so it's built to stand up to mud, road salt, and water crossings.

Sealed Free-Pivoting Bushings

These arms feature free-pivoting GIIRO bushings that are sealed in a self-lubricating housing and made from a dual 85 durometer poly-compound. That means a comfortable ride, reduced noise and vibration, and zero servicing.

Bushings are usually what begin squeaking, because dirt and water work their way in. Since these are sealed, that's far less likely to happen.

High-Articulation Ball Joint

A heavy-duty, maintenance-free ball joint built for lifted trucks. It's recessed under the outer cap and fully sealed, so there's no grease fitting and no service interval.

Lifting your truck puts your ball joints at a steeper angle than they were built for, which is why they tend to wear out early on a lifted rig. These are made for that angle and sealed against the elements, so you get full suspension travel and one less thing to worry about on the trail.

Specifications

Upper Control Arms for Lifted Tacoma, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser

One arm covers three new-generation Toyota platforms:

They're available now at $999.95 per pair. More fitments are coming soon.

Why We Built It

Lift a truck with independent front suspension and your alignment angles move with it. Caster and camber end up outside what the factory adjustment can pull back, and the alignment shop hands you a printout that won't come back in spec no matter what they do.

Steering is where you'll notice it first. You'll feel your truck drifting on the road and needing constant small corrections due to caster.

Your tires are next. When camber is out of spec, all the load sits on one edge of the tread, and that edge wears out a lot quicker than the rest of the tire.

You'll also see less suspension travel, especially off-road. And finally there's your ball joints. The lift puts them at a steeper angle than they were built for, so they bind up sooner and wear out faster.

We've been building upper control arms for lifted vehicles for a long time, and our existing Old Man Emu Upper Control Arms still do that job well. So what's different about these?

Well, the biggest change is the whole arm is forged. On our existing arms, the forging is in the ball joint housing and the eyelets. Here it's the entire arm, out of a single piece of 6061-T6 aluminum. The finish also changed. Our existing arms wear ARB's Intergrit powder coat. These are hard anodized instead, so the finish is part of the aluminum rather than a layer on top of it.

And a huge upgrade, the ball joint no longer needs grease. Our existing arms use a heavy-duty greaseable ball joint with a protective cap. This one is fully sealed, so there's no grease fitting, meaning no extra maintenance for you. And if you are planning on getting a 3" lift, our new UCAs are the option for you. Our existing arms correct caster and camber for a 2" lift, while these are rated for up to 3".

We build upper control arms for a range of vehicles and lift heights, so check fitment for your truck before you order.

Do You Need Upper Control Arms After Lifting Your Vehicle?

You may have heard conflicting opinions about needing upper control arms after a lift, and the short answer is yes, in some cases. Once a lift pushes your alignment outside the factory adjustment range, aftermarket upper control arms are the only way to get it back to spec. The only way to really know if you can get your adjustment back into spec is to add the lift and take it to the shop.

Lift height is what decides this, so here's how it breaks down:

Do You Need Upper Control Arms for a 2 Inch Lift?

Under 2 inches, factory arms are usually fine. You're eating into your adjustment range, but there's normally enough left to work with.

What About Between 2 and 3 Inches?

You're in the gray zone. Every truck is a little different, so some still align and some don't, and you won't know for sure until it's on the rack. But we do recommend upgrading your control arms in this range for better articulation and more consistent alignment.

Do You Need Upper Control Arms for a 3 Inch Lift?

At 3 inches, it's an absolute yes. You're past what the factory adjustment can correct, and these arms are rated to that height.

Do You Need Upper Control Arms to Run Bigger Tires?

Bigger tires need clearance, and that clearance comes from your suspension. Upper control arms are part of that, but they aren't the whole answer on their own. They don't add ride height, so they won't fit a taller tire without a lift added. What they do is make room and get your geometry right.

Which brings us back to the question above. If you're planning a 2" lift or more, we'd recommend upgrading your control arms along with it. And if bigger tires are part of the plan, keep in mind they're heavier too, and all that extra weight works through your ball joints and bushings every time the suspension cycles.

That's a big reason we built the new Forged Billet Upper Control Arms. The whole arm is forged from 6061-T6, so it has the strength to handle that extra load. And the ball joint is sealed under its cap, which keeps out the dirt and water that wear out a joint carrying added weight, meaning less wear and tear on your joints leading to premature failure. 

Still building out the rest of the setup? Browse our Old Man Emu suspension kits to match your springs and shocks to your vehicle and how you use it.

Do You Need an Alignment After Installing Upper Control Arms?

If it hasn't clicked yet, yes, an alignment is absolutely necessary once you upgrade the new upper control arms.

Any time you change your front suspension geometry, get a professional alignment. Our Forged Billet Upper Control Arms give your shop the adjustment range to bring caster and camber back where they belong. For that alignment, we'd recommend a local off-road or 4x4 shop. They align lifted trucks regularly and know how to get them back in spec.

Final Thoughts

Lifting your truck is a big investment, so it's worth making sure the rest of your front end can keep up with it. That's really what upper control arms are for.

Old Man Emu Forged Billet Upper Control Arms are available now at $999.95 per pair, backed by a 3-year warranty. Visit the Forged Billet UCA page for full details, or order yours and get your front end sorted before your next trip.