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In 2023 we recalled the ball joint in a defined batch of Pro Forge upper control arms. The replacement is still free. Here is what failed, what we changed, and how to claim.
Two things decide whether you are affected: the vehicle, and the part number stamped on the arm.
Your vehicle being on that list does not by itself mean your arm is affected. The part number on the arm is what decides it. These are the fourteen numbers covered:
Affected part numbers and production dates as filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-051, July 7, 2023. Vehicle list per our recall request form.
The joint was not sealed well enough to keep contaminants out, and once they were in there was no way to get them out.
The ball joint was susceptible to the ingress of dirt and water. That creates an abrasive environment between the ball and the socket, so the joint grinds against contaminated grease rather than clean grease, and wears early.
Our filing states the consequence plainly: premature wear of the joint may result in the failure of the ball joint and the reduction or loss of steering control while the vehicle is in operation.
As filed in June 2023, there were no reports of a reduction or loss of steering control in the United States, and no reports of injuries.
Every US warranty claim we had received by that point described noise or squeaking from the arm. We recalled on that signal and on an investigation by our parent company in Australia.
So noise is the practical warning sign. The filing records no warning indicator for this defect, but the claims we received were noise complaints. If you hear squeaking or knocking from the front end, especially over bumps or in slow turns, have the vehicle inspected before you drive it further.
Defect description, cause and US field history as filed with NHTSA in Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-051, July 7, 2023.
The fix is not a different label on the same part. The replacement joint is built so contaminants can be pushed back out.
Sourced from a different supplier, whose joints have not shown this failure mode.
It carries a grease nipple on the top of the housing. Fresh grease pushes dirt and water out of the joint instead of leaving them inside to wear the ball and socket. That is the mechanical difference, and it is the reason the remedy is a fix rather than a swap.
Ball joint UBJ001K, a bought-in component supplied by Masuma, a manufacturer in Guangzhou, China.
It was a sealed joint. Once dirt and water were past the seal there was no way to flush them out, so wear carried on unchecked. We named that supplier in our own filing with the federal regulator.
Remedy component description and production cut-off as filed with NHTSA in Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-051, July 7, 2023. We do not publish which ball joint supplier we use today.
The recall covers Pro Forge upper control arms built between January 1, 2019 and June 27, 2023 that carry one of fourteen part numbers, fitted to Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Ram and Ford platforms.
Your vehicle being on that list does not by itself mean your arm is affected. The part number on the arm is what decides it, so check it against the list above. If your number is not on that list, your arms are not part of this recall. If you cannot find or read the number, call us at 1-855-476-5714 and we will work it out from your order.
We are not going to tell you it is fine. The federal filing describes premature wear of the ball joint that may lead to the joint failing and to a reduction or loss of steering control while the vehicle is moving. Treat it as a safety recall, because that is what it is.
What the record also shows is that as filed in June 2023 there were no reports of a reduction or loss of steering control in the United States and no reports of injuries, and the US warranty claims we had received by that point described noise or squeaking from the arm. So noise is the practical warning sign. If you hear squeaking or knocking from the front end, especially over bumps or in slow turns, have the vehicle inspected before you drive it further.
Nothing, on the replacement path. We send you the replacement ball joint and a dealer fits it free of charge.
If you have already had the work done and paid for it, the reimbursement form covers the labor and the alignment against your invoice, up to $450 including tax.
The ball joint in the recalled arms was a bought-in component from Masuma, a supplier in Guangzhou, China. That is stated in our own filing with the federal regulator, and it is the part that wore.
We stopped buying that joint in March 2023 and stopped selling the arms that quarter. Every Pro Forge arm built after June 26, 2023 uses a ball joint from a different supplier, and joints from that supplier have not shown this failure mode. We do not publish which supplier we use today.
No. Production was corrected at the source. Arms built after June 26, 2023 carry a ball joint from a different supplier, and that joint has a grease nipple on the top of the housing. That is the mechanical difference: dirt and water can be flushed out with fresh grease instead of staying inside a sealed joint and wearing the ball and socket.
No. This recall covers the ball joint only. The bushings and the boots in an upper control arm are separate parts and they are not covered by it, so the recall form is not the right route for them. Contact our Customer Service team through the contact page and they will sort it out directly. Replacement parts for your arm are also listed in the Replacement Parts section near the bottom of its product page.
Yes, through the reimbursement form. It asks for the install shop name and install date, your vehicle and VIN, your invoice for the replacement labor and alignment, and a photo of the old arm with a hole drilled through it so it cannot go back into service. Reimbursement is capped at $450 including tax.
Yes. The recall is on the part, not on where it was sold, and the recall population was built from production records matched against sales data. The consumer form asks where you bought it, and takes either your Ironman order number or the seller's name, so we can trace it either way. If you are an Ironman dealer or a Platinum store handling this for a customer, use the dealer request form or the Platinum store reimbursement form instead.
We filed this recall voluntarily in June 2023, and every affected arm is covered. There is no deadline and no charge.
What is covered. All 6,345 affected arms. On the replacement path we send you the joint and a dealer fits it free of charge, with parts, labor and alignment covered. If the work has already been done and you paid for it, we reimburse the labor and the alignment against your invoice, up to $450 including tax.
Use the request form below. We send you the replacement ball joint and direct you to a local dealer to have it fitted free of charge.
Use the reimbursement form instead. It asks for the install shop name and date, your vehicle and VIN, the invoice, and a photo of the old arm with a hole drilled through it so it cannot go back into service.
Trade and dealers. If you are an Ironman 4x4 dealer or a Platinum store handling this for a customer, use the dealer request form or the Platinum store reimbursement form rather than the consumer forms.
If your part number is not in the form's list, call us on 1-855-476-5714 and we will file the request for you.
If you have already replaced the UCA with another brand, please complete the reimbursement form here instead.