14 trail lift

[Espresso01]

Ok I bought a toytec 3in coil lift awhile back. Going to try to install it this week. As I understand it it will work with all the other stock components correct? Anything that's particularly difficult with this install? Just a few questions i had. Thanks!

 

[toyohtadude]

Ok I bought a toytec 3in coil lift awhile back. Going to try to install it this week. As I understand it it will work with all the other stock components correct? Anything that's particularly difficult with this install? Just a few questions i had. Thanks!

I also bought the Toytec 3" lift kit and had emailed their support to ask about alignment and UCA (are they necessary with this lift?) and this is the response (I ended up buying the SPC UCAs):

Each vehicle does respond to lifting in different ways.

Typically, I do tell people that once you hit the 2-2.5’’ lift range, UCAs are a good idea. At 2.5’’, you start losing degrees of caster to the point that it may be difficult to get a proper alignment.

Many people to run a 2.5’’ to 3’’ lift without UCA replacement, but most do go with aftermarket UCAs. These help regain 3 to 4 degrees of caster, allowing the alignment techs to get you to stock or close to stock degrees of caster. You can always put the lift on and see if your alignment shop can get you sorted out. If they can’t get you rolling down the road with little or no wandering (due to caster), you can always come back for the UCAs.


We have 2 that are typically put on vehicles and this is my breakdown:
If you are lifting for esthetics and aren’t going to be running non-graded trail runs, the Light Racing/SPC UCAs work well.
If you do intend to flex out the vehicle more than a flat dirt road, I highly recommend the Total Chaos UCAs. All the Toytec rigs (employees’ rigs) run Total Chaos.

I am about to install mine and was searching this site for any gotcha's on the UCA install. The lift is relatively easy. I know on the Tacoma, we had to remove the battery tray and unbolt a wire loom and brake line and move them to get one of the UCA bolts to slide out. If anyone has written this up, my 11 searches using different terminology is uncovering nothing thus far.

 

[Espresso01]

Thanks for that reply! The lift is going in fairly easy. Ill just have to see what the alignment shop tells me when I have that done igeuss. Although it sounds like its a good idea to just do the UCA's right away.

 

[toyohtadude]

Thanks for that reply! The lift is going in fairly easy. Ill just have to see what the alignment shop tells me when I have that done igeuss. Although it sounds like its a good idea to just do the UCA's right away.

Please do let us know what the shop comes back with? I'm curious myself.

Are you doing this yourself? With help? I will likely be on my own. I only know one other person here after moving to TX and I'm not comfortable asking for his help yet.

 

[Espresso01]

Yes i am doing it myself. It's quite self explanatory. The rear coils proved to be more challenging then I expected. One of my buddys has a vehicle lift so that definitely helps out. And yeah ill let you know what I find out from them.

 

[toyohtadude]

Yes i am doing it myself. It's quite self explanatory. The rear coils proved to be more challenging then I expected. One of my buddys has a vehicle lift so that definitely helps out. And yeah ill let you know what I find out from them.

I did find a Youtube video showing a bottle jack used to push the rear axle away from the body enough to slip the new spring in without compressing. Does that sound like it will work based on what you're seeing?

Thanks!

 

[Espresso01]

You can do that when you pull the coils out. And on one side when your installing the new ones. I had to compress the last coil a good ways to get it to go in. Wasn't that big of a deal though.

 

[toyohtadude]

Were you able to finish the lift? Any word on the alignment? Pics when you can too!

 

[Espresso01]

Yes i finished the lift. It aligned right with no rubbing or clearance issues at all. Installed some firestone destination m/t tires also. The install is quite straightforward. Although i did take the front struts to a local shop to get the springs changed in them. Didnt want to tackle that myself. here is acouple pictures i have of it now.

 

[toyohtadude]

Looks great! Well done!! I'm going to tackle mine tomorrow. I need to pull out all the proper tools and prepare. Thanks for the info!

 

[toyohtadude]

I got a late start but I got the UCAs and front coil-overs installed along with the diff drop and skid plate spacers. I will do the rear springs and shocks tomorrow and post some pics on my thread. The front was quite easy!

 

[deerhunter]

Yes i finished the lift. It aligned right with no rubbing or clearance issues at all. Installed some firestone destination m/t tires also. The install is quite straightforward. Although i did take the front struts to a local shop to get the springs changed in them. Didnt want to tackle that myself. here is acouple pictures i have of it now.

A 3" Bilstein lift is also on my shopping list. Did you have to replace the UCA's?
I contacted Bilstein customer service and they said: "UCAs are required about 50% of the time in order to align the vehicle properly." I am hoping I am not in the 50% that needs to replace the UCA's.

 

[Espresso01]

I did not have to replace the UCAs. I was worried I was going to have to but it all aligned right. I was happy about that.

 

[toyohtadude]

I did just to be sure. Maybe it wasn't needed but it is done! Thanks for the feedback! The front was easy, especially when you are swapping the UCAs because it leaves the whole space open for the tower to install. The rear, I did the driver's side first using the bottle jack inverted between the bump-stop and the axle. I did not need to compress the new spring at all. Same on the passenger side. I just need to get the alignment done. I'm close with the level and tape measure though because it handles well all the way up to 75 mph.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/2315208-post3812.html