Adjustable rear upper control arms

B

Bearded Cabbage

New member
Just finished installing my lift with OME 861's in the rear and noticed my pinion angle is not the best. I have the SS HD lower links and want to add some adjustable uppers to fix the angle.

The only ones I can find are the Toytec with heims on both end. I'd prefer to have at least one end have a bushing.

Who makes an adjustable rear UCA with a bushing at one or both ends?

Thanks
 
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You should read what Steve at Sonoran Steel says here:

4Runner/FJ Crusier Extreme Duty DOM Lower Links - $310.00 : Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts

Why don't you make custom upper links?

The best replacement for the upper links is new stock upper links. The reason why is that you can not make either the lower or the upper links longer than that are, most critical on a 3rd Gen 4Runner, because the upper link brackets on the axle tube already clear the Panhard/trac/lateral bar cross-member by millimeters. Longer links will collide on compression causing catastrophic damage. The upper links will never get hit by rocks and the stock units side twist quite well. The small diameter solid stock will also twist like a torsion bar.
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I have over 3" of lift in rear and I'm running stick length UCA and LCA from [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION] and I'm great. I mean, if you want run adjustable. But what are you really going to adjust ?
 
Bearded Cabbage said:
Just finished installing my lift with OME 861's in the rear and noticed my pinion angle is not the best. I have the SS HD lower links and want to add some adjustable uppers to fix the angle.

The only ones I can find are the Toytec with heims on both end. I'd prefer to have at least one end have a bushing.

Who makes an adjustable rear UCA with a bushing at one or both ends?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I stay low key about making these, but I do make them. I run a poly bushing on 1 end, and a Summit Flex Joint on the other. PM me if this is something you'd like to discuss.

I'm also working with All-Pro to see if they want to bring these back for a 1 time purchase in form of a Group Buy for us.
 
"Longer links will collide on compression causing catastrophic damage."

So everyone driving adjustable uppers is driving a ticking time bomb?

I Don't think they need to be adjusted much longer, 1/8 or 1/4 inch at most.
 
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Bearded Cabbage said:
"Longer links will collide on compression causing catastrophic damage."

So everyone driving adjustable uppers is driving a ticking time bomb?

I Don't think they need to me adjusted much longer, 1/8 or 1/4 inch at most.
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Most people with them don't adjust them because it's not needed in most lifts up to 5". It's also why not to many people make them. Small market. Those heavy duty coils unloaded giving you 6" rear lift I'm guessing. So you might need to adjust.
 
Bearded Cabbage said:
"Longer links will collide on compression causing catastrophic damage."

So everyone driving adjustable uppers is driving a ticking time bomb?

I Don't think they need to me adjusted much longer, 1/8 or 1/4 inch at most.
Click to expand...

That is absolutely not true (to an extent).

Of course making links that are an inch longer will cause major issues. Making links that are an 1/8" will not. I'm running upper and lower links that are an 1/8", and have had no issues. I've make links for people that were also longer, and no issues.
 
MStudt said:
That is absolutely not true (to an extent).

Of course making links that are an inch longer will cause major issues. Making links that are an 1/8" will not. I'm running upper and lower links that are an 1/8", and have had no issues. I've make links for people that were also longer, and no issues.
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It's absolutely true!! He states 1/8th to 1/4" longer is fine. Anything more can cause issues. SS had been testing these rigs before any lifts where produced. He actually knows his shit
 
MStudt said:
That is absolutely not true (to an extent).

Of course making links that are an inch longer will cause major issues. Making links that are an 1/8" will not. I'm running upper and lower links that are an 1/8", and have had no issues. I've make links for people that were also longer, and no issues.
Click to expand...

JayRolla said:
It's absolutely true!! He states 1/8th to 1/4" longer is fine. Anything more can cause issues. SS had been testing these rigs before any lifts where produced. He actually knows his shit
Click to expand...

To an extend it's true.

Having links a 1/8" longer that you make on your own will not hurt anything, and are perfectly fine to run. So I guess his statement is about 50% true.

Longer links "could" cause failure, but not 100% of the time.
 
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Since I posted the issue, and I happen to have an assembled frame with upper links in place sitting outside, I took a look. Even allowing for some side-to-side flex, there is certainly room for a longer bar, maybe even as much as ½".

It's a big pic, so I posted a link:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/11Xro0in5aITyKCUlPVHQKuFNUhm7zDk1GbCbj2_Pb3x--8ommXr7tdp9AS4pcdBXUsrNv2KiTc9I1p5RNSlFaRXHWUHp-6TwXXpH1tvYFJQVo424myakRfHqzWHcYVFyHgN6UiQHJmmGnHsERdVOR9QxCf4wc91qLlyI543FPjmpwSMU5CTZdMVM77Trgyv9Bui2S1mr2rYap3kT_9I1qMCsJp0QJrFtFcD48RBMhmhy-M1CjX2PVim0SEmPW1-d4PlbBSQxl50ePBSbUaq-j6fkLXzmFo-hNQiARyy0WGTddcNFiUdE9xpKcO8FB1eJ_Ois4VrEQr-pZw0FjFQ_GxOWguOhoWPdQl4Jyk3RLS4Q13wtc1LwokdzsEYV4qkdmQzN-l_8kxQFU4fNflXaxA6eq5HSeUi4aXx0hR_75pxuDt8hVLetOesJQw6TMuLGrverYlbKwVFcx250W4RhdYE9fXYTrCgBS4RMb8OVwxdx-RvmuKlFfv4HkOd_mbGt8McoedcB26-OzRgWBXa-sq3gYdGKP8ybD_2qIMa-5Sc13k3buq4yf4eJgvCrEz3gcTZ7h_zuWGq8kgkjN26elZVnAHlIde83KZ9qgMUSj0M6rP7=w1163-h872-no

The problem is the bracket tower on the diff fully surrounds the link-end, and eats almost all of that space. It gets tight. I'd say ¼" is too much to be safe.
 
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TheDurk said:
Since I posted the issue, and I happen to have an assembled frame with upper links in place sitting outside, I took a look. Even allowing for some side-to-side flex, there is certainly room for a longer bar, maybe even as much as ½"...


...The problem is the bracket tower on the diff fully surrounds the link-end, and eats almost all of that space. It gets tight. I'd say ¼" is too much to be safe.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, are you saying 1/4" longer than stock for the rear UCA is too long and something less like 1/8" longer than stock is safer?

Or did you mean that anything up to 1/4" longer than stock is ok?
 
I think if you want to upgrade rear control arms. Just go with fixed. But they will be stronger with better bushing. Not to mention rebuildable bushing.
 
fourfive said:
Just to clarify, are you saying 1/4" longer than stock for the rear UCA is too long and something less like 1/8" longer than stock is safer?

Or did you mean that anything up to 1/4" longer than stock is ok?
Click to expand...

I'm saying less is safer. 1/4" looks iffy. I just don't know how much side flex there is on turns or sides of hills and the distance is less to the outboard side of each link.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. A simple question often come back with many responses much more in depth than originally thought.

I'm going to pull the rear driveshaft this week and drive for a day in 4H and see if it changes anything. If it goes away, I'm guessing its the rear shaft. If it doesn't, then, well I've got other issues.
 
Bearded Cabbage said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. A simple question often come back with many responses much more in depth than originally thought.

I'm going to pull the rear driveshaft this week and drive for a day in 4H and see if it changes anything. If it goes away, I'm guessing its the rear shaft. If it doesn't, then, well I've got other issues.
Click to expand...

A cheaper way to check is to remove the rear shaft, and put it in 4 high. If the problem isn't there then you know it's the rear shaft. If it's still there then you need to keep looking.

With a double cardan joints on the rear. Your pinion can handle a bit more than a single cardan joint can.
 
But a lot of guys run high lifts in back with all sorts of different lift types. I'm trying to understand why your situation is any different then others. When others don't even run adjustable UCA or LCA and it's fine. Including my self.
 
kolelt said:
But a lot of guys run high lifts in back with all sorts of different lift types. I'm trying to understand why your situation is any different then others. When others don't even run adjustable UCA or LCA and it's fine. Including my self.
Click to expand...

Because his rear coils unloaded can give over 6" of lift. The double cardon joint is good for 4-5".
 
Help choosing rear Upper/lower CA’s for 2004

Hi
I have a 2004 V8 Sport 4wd.
Recently did a Dobinson 3.5” lift all around.
I have 32” tires 275/70/17’s

The rear springs I have are Dobinsons
677V coils.
The rear can be 4” lifted when totally empty.
My stock bushings are shot and there is some arc on the rear coils flexed in position.
What adjusted or set difference should I have length wise on new
rear LCA’s ?
and UCA’s ?
for this type of lift to get the axle angle in the best position?
What brand is recommended?
Thanks.
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