Aftermarket stock length LCA's

[yotatake2]

Hey guys, so ever since the day I lifted my runner over a year ago, I've been having constant alignment problems. I'm running 5100's set to the middle spot with Tundra coils and somewhat recently put in some TC UCA's. The UCA's helped me get back some caster but I was still having issues where the truck was constantly ending back up at positive camber. The first alignment shop I used to take it to was pretty awful. I've actually done better eyeball alignment jobs. Then I took it to a shop that my buddy swore by and the guy definitely seemed to know what he was doing a lot more than the guy at the other shop. But it still ended back up at positive camber the next day. Now it should be noted that I've been running autozone LCA's for about a year now. I love them because of the lifetime warranty. But I've already gone through about 3 pairs. Aside from them being weak (destroyed a pair offroading) and their bushings are crap (bushings on another pair went out 30k miles later) I realized the other day that the rivets they use are also garbage. I had my gf turn the wheel while I looked at the arm and I noticed the rivets were sliding, causing the solid metal piece that the LBJ bolts into to move by a good 1/8 inch! That would definitely explain the sloppy steering i've been feeling and the snapping noises I hear when i steer to full lock.

Now, my question is, does anyone make stock length boxed or tubed (basically, anything custom fabricated to be tougher) LCA's for our trucks? Because I've gotten really good at swapping out LCA's and that's a skill I really don't want to hone anymore lol. If not, I was thinking about welding the rivets in place and welding the solid piece to the sheet metal part of the arm so that it becomes one solid piece. I'm just worried about heat effecting the arms and weakening them. Does anyone think I'll need to heat treat them after welding them?

 

[snivilous]

No one makes stock length replacements that I know of (yet). I would do what you said and just weld the stock arm. It's not heat treated so just go to town on it. Probably explains why your alignment gets out of wack too.

 

[yotatake2]

No one makes stock length replacements that I know of (yet). I would do what you said and just weld the stock arm. It's not heat treated so just go to town on it. Probably explains why your alignment gets out of wack too.

Yup, i'm fairly certain it's why my alignment went out this time. I've just been narrowing it down for forever now. From LCA bushings, to UCA's, to steering racks going bad, to ball joints, etc. The joys of owning a lifted truck lol

 

[JayRolla]

Yup, i'm fairly certain it's why my alignment went out this time. I've just been narrowing it down for forever now. From LCA bushings, to UCA's, to steering racks going bad, to ball joints, etc. The joys of owning a lifted truck lol

I've been to three alignment shops one specializing in offroad and aftermarket control arms. I have visible positive camber still. Tires about 20k miles and have 5k miles at most and worn on outside pretty bad. My lca bushings are shot and replacing bushings soon.

Either way in your situation get some used oems from salvage yard or ebay. Buy some poly bushings. My next alignment I'm going to toyota as I've heard my local one is really good but $100 compared to $58.

 

[yotatake2]

I've been to three alignment shops one specializing in offroad and aftermarket control arms. I have visible positive camber still. Tires about 20k miles and have 5k miles at most and worn on outside pretty bad. My lca bushings are shot and replacing bushings soon.

Either way in your situation get some used oems from salvage yard or ebay. Buy some poly bushings. My next alignment I'm going to toyota as I've heard my local one is really good but $100 compared to $58.

I'm gunna try the poly bushings from energy suspension. I think they're made by Whiteline.

Also, small update. I had myself and two other friends look under the truck again while someone turned the wheel and we all agreed that the rivets weren't actually moving. I guess I was seeing things haha. But we did notice that there was a huuuge amount of play in the LCA bushings even though they were brand new! The bushings were also moving within the mounts which proves that the alignment guy didn't tighten them down hard enough, which is a problem I've noticed EVERY time i get an alignment. And I even warned him about it before he took the truck off the lift. I basically have to tighten them myself from now on. I'm also going to try those weld on alignment tabs that TC makes to beef them up a bit. So with new bushings, and those tabs, and maybe an extra degree of negative camber, hopefully my issues should be fixed.

 

[MStudt]

Now it should be noted that I've been running autozone LCA's for about a year now.

I'm gunna try the poly bushings from energy suspension.

These two things are you problems. The ones that Autozone sell are junk, and so are the poly bushings in them. Here's a good link. Pop yours back out, and install OEM bushings. You can also use the OEM Whiteline repalcement bushings, but not the poly bushings.

 

[1985taylor1925]

These two things are you problems. The ones that Autozone sell are junk, and so are the poly bushings in them. Here's a good link. Pop yours back out, and install OEM bushings. You can also use the OEM Whiteline repalcement bushings, but not the poly bushings.

I thought poly bushings were the way to go? Or are you just saying that the autozone poly bushing are junk?

I was just about to order a set of Energy Suspension poly bushings for my lca's based on a few members recommendations. You think going oem rubber is better?

 

[JayRolla]

I thought poly bushings were the way to go? Or are you just saying that the autozone poly bushing are junk?

I was just about to order a set of Energy Suspension poly bushings for my lca's based on a few members recommendations. You think going oem rubber is better?

I believe he is against them because they "may" squeak?

I have ran poly bushings on every last bushing and motor mount possible in my Talon and never had a squeak.

I have almost all bushings in my 4runner poly and zero squeaks. You must grease them prior to install. I have my poly lowers waiting to be installed here very soon. Almost 100% of any aftermarket control arm runs poly bushings. Pretty standard.

 

[D Farms]

No what he is saying is the bushings that come in the aftermarket arm suck, and they are poly. they dont suck because they are poly, they just suck in general. I personally have the energy suspension poly bushings in all of my control arms and they rock.

 

[JayRolla]

No what he is saying is the bushings that come in the aftermarket arm suck, and they are poly. they dont suck because they are poly, they just suck in general. I personally have the energy suspension poly bushings in all of my control arms and they rock.

All aftermarket auto store ones have crap rubber. Never seen them waste poly on aftermarket store parts.

 

[absalom]

If you do Energy Poly, I HIGHLY recommend marine grease generously applied to the bushing. Amazing bushings.

 

[MrHentoni]

If its in the budget, I know that Total Chaos will make stock length LCAs. They are definitely not cheap, but just like the uppers, very well worth the expense!

 

[yotatake2]

All aftermarket auto store ones have crap rubber. Never seen them waste poly on aftermarket store parts.

Correct, the autozone ones have rubber bushings and they are in fact garbage. The energy suspension bushings are "synthetic elastomer" (called Whiteline and they said it's just their own type of poly)

If its in the budget, I know that Total Chaos will make stock length LCAs. They are definitely not cheap, but just like the uppers, very well worth the expense!

I read somewhere someone said they'd make them for 1500. Definitely out of my budget right now but I'm actually looking into building a pair myself with a slightly different ball joint mount angle to better accommodate lifted suspensions. Possibly might look into replacing the ball joint altogether with a uniball. But that's still pretty far in the future for once I have time.

 

[MStudt]

I thought poly bushings were the way to go? Or are you just saying that the autozone poly bushing are junk?

I was just about to order a set of Energy Suspension poly bushings for my lca's based on a few members recommendations. You think going oem rubber is better?

The bushings in the Autozone (Dorman) LCA's are the reason you're having issues.

I've only heard good things about Energy's bushing set, but I still chose to go with Whiteline.

 

[1985taylor1925]

The bushings in the Autozone (Dorman) LCA's are the reason you're having issues.

I've only heard good things about Energy's bushing set, but I still chose to go with Whiteline.

I don't have autozone lca's. All original oem lca's and bushings on my truck

 

[4Running Daily]

The problem isn't making a stock length LCA super strong, it's the fact that a stock length LCA, manufactured by anyone, will still retain the shitty LBJ design. The only way to fix this problem is to fabricate a custom spindle.

 

[yotatake2]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I need aftermarket LCA's now more than ever. I broke another LCA out at king of hammers this weekend and I wasn't even doing any extreme wheeling. I'm tired of these things breaking like toothpicks. Does anyone know if there are any beefier LCA's out there? I checked with the big two (Camburg and Total Chaos) and neither of them make a stock length replacement. Any other suggestions?

 

[Scramble]

I've never heard of anyone breaking front LCA's before. Where did it break? I've heard of LBJ's & spindles breaking though. Maybe get LCA skids if you bashed them on rocks.

 

[Nate_GB]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I need aftermarket LCA's now more than ever. I broke another LCA out at king of hammers this weekend and I wasn't even doing any extreme wheeling. I'm tired of these things breaking like toothpicks. Does anyone know if there are any beefier LCA's out there? I checked with the big two (Camburg and Total Chaos) and neither of them make a stock length replacement. Any other suggestions?

Are you still running autozone control arms? If you are, that is your problem. Stock LCA's with stock bushings will hold up to a lot of abuse and will perform even better if you put some poly bushings in them. The LBJ, while not the best design, will also hold up to hard off road use for many thousands of miles. I'm not sure what kind of driving you're doing, but I can say that if you are driving on stock length lower control arms, you probably aren't doing anything crazy enough to be breaking LCA's if the spindles, ball joints and eccentric bolt tabs aren't breaking.

 

[yotatake2]

Are you still running autozone control arms? If you are, that is your problem. Stock LCA's with stock bushings will hold up to a lot of abuse and will perform even better if you put some poly bushings in them. The LBJ, while not the best design, will also hold up to hard off road use for many thousands of miles. I'm not sure what kind of driving you're doing, but I can say that if you are driving on stock length lower control arms, you probably aren't doing anything crazy enough to be breaking LCA's if the spindles, ball joints and eccentric bolt tabs aren't breaking.

I have upgraded my LBJ's to the Tacoma ones and I have spindle gussets, so that may be why I haven't had any problems with those yet. I am still running the autozone LCA's which could definitely explain the repeated failures (the arms have cracked and bent near the ball joint on two seperate occasions) but I don't see why the factory Toyota arms would be that much stronger considering they still share the same design as the Autozone ones. Yes, they probably use better materials in the Toyota ones, but I have a feeling that the failures I've experienced have more to do with the actual design of the arm rather than the material. That is why I would like to upgrade to boxed LCA's if anyone makes them.