Rc4r
New member
Lol yeah. If you wheel enough for it to even matter is just buy tc ones or camburg.
Last edited:
Aftermarket UCA Design
- Thread starter ryankmasuda
- Start date
Lol yeah. If you wheel enough for it to even matter is just buy tc ones or camburg.
ryankmasuda
New member
I kinda sense that from comparing the LR's and the uni-ball UCA's. The idea of being able to rebuild them is a plus. I've got some saving to do
steezemcqueen
Moderator
Exactly. No suspension setup should have a coilover that has more travel than the balljoints can provide. that goes for the factory setup, the LR UCA's, and the uniball UCA's. When the balljoint becomes you upper bumpstop, things will break.
as far as the travel goes, check out this thread. Its on a 5th gen but the designs are basically the same.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/574212-post14.html
steezemcqueen
Moderator
Both of them have a replaceable balljoint/uniball.
ryankmasuda
New member
I read the thread from the 5th gen section and with you mentioning the ball joints are replaceable the LR's sound better and better. At this point I know my stock UCA's need to be replaced soon and I don't want to replace them with stock UCA's. However I'm not in the position to spend $600-700 on UCA's. I'm a firm believer in spending the extra money in the beginning to get a better product that last longer but 600-700 is way out of my range. I'll be doing alot more research on the LR's.
Right now my 4runner sits in the driveway five days a week and I take it wheeling a few days a year but I drive it several thousand miles a year on fly fishing expeditions to the back country. I'm thinking the LR's might be more suited for my needs
Running4life
New member
Random questions...Are the aftermarket UCA's longer than the OEMs, Thus causing a different geometry between the upper and lower when a lift is installed? Or do the Uppers just keep the angle of the ball joint from binding when full drop occurs? Or do they just keep the tire from hitting the upper?
There is another thread about failing LCA's and in it a poster has a theory that when the lift is installed it stresses the LCA due to the angle that the lift creates by pushing the lower down further and thus changing the angle of both from parallel to not parallel.
So if that is the case wouldn't it be best to do both Upper and Lowers with the lift to keep the geometry as close to stock as possible and putting less stress on both? I am I just making this up in my mind?
Do we have some engineers that can figure this out? If it turns out that the angle is corrected with the aftermarket Uppers, I will do my lift and both upper and lower together.
Again, just random questions.
There is another thread about failing LCA's and in it a poster has a theory that when the lift is installed it stresses the LCA due to the angle that the lift creates by pushing the lower down further and thus changing the angle of both from parallel to not parallel.
So if that is the case wouldn't it be best to do both Upper and Lowers with the lift to keep the geometry as close to stock as possible and putting less stress on both? I am I just making this up in my mind?
Do we have some engineers that can figure this out? If it turns out that the angle is corrected with the aftermarket Uppers, I will do my lift and both upper and lower together.
Again, just random questions.
J-money$$$
New member
Allright here is the deal they are built with extra camber to fix the problem of bad camber on these trucks when lifted. Check out your truck. as the front tire drops the camber gets out of whack in the last inch of droop. How they accomplish the added camber its most likely lengthened slightly. But not much. we are only talking 1º-2º of difference.
Extending both the uppers and lowers is a long travel kit...
No one makes replacement stock length lowers anyways.
IMO these uca's have their place. Esp on newer tacos where the upper ball joint is know to break. They are also usefull when running 35's or large tires because you get better tire/uca clearance and therefore can run wheels with a higher backspacing. The higher back spaced wheels really helps to reduce rubbing on the firewall and fender. I think cromo ucas are overkill in a stock geometry application.
Jon
New member
I pressed in new upper ball joints about 6 months ago and it's already time for new ones. Water crossings and sand is really all we have here in Lower Alabama (FL panhandle) and it's hell on every bearing, bushing and moving joint. After every outing I give it a good pressure washing and grease everything. But that's no good when the boots are torn. Running 3.5" on the front has it's consequences, factory style CV boots tear as well as upper ball joint boots. Trash bags and zip ties only go so far!:lol:
I'm a stubborn ba$t@rd and I refuse to lower my setup so I'm going to find a way to make it work. The Camburg UCA's will take care of the upper b-joint issues and I still gotta dig into the CV threads some more, I read as far as Porche boots.
Taxes are coming soon and so are 35's, UCA's, CV boots and Tundra brakes.
Thought this would be a good point of view from "That Guy" who beats his truck up almost every weekend and drives it every day. If it lasts on my truck then it's a good strong part.
Good luck OP:nicethread:
I'm a stubborn ba$t@rd and I refuse to lower my setup so I'm going to find a way to make it work. The Camburg UCA's will take care of the upper b-joint issues and I still gotta dig into the CV threads some more, I read as far as Porche boots.
Taxes are coming soon and so are 35's, UCA's, CV boots and Tundra brakes.
Thought this would be a good point of view from "That Guy" who beats his truck up almost every weekend and drives it every day. If it lasts on my truck then it's a good strong part.
Good luck OP:nicethread:
SIKHILUXSURF
New member
i run the Camburg UCA's if it wasn't for the price i got them for i honestly would have waited and got the Icon ones. the uni ball is fine here and i usually clean it out and re lube it every 1-2 months as necessary. it helps me fit my 285/75/16's fine. it works well in conjunction with my icon extended coilovers.
Only a couple month resurrection.. But proof the search function is used.
Ive no opinion on which type of joint is better, other than mine is a DD and I would rather have the long term serviceability of the ball joint.
I went with the Light Racing/SPC arms from Toytec.
However, what I am trying to accomplish with replacing the UCA is restoring caster. Having an additional 2 degrees built in with the ability to add 2 more is what I am after. The loss of caster due to the 3" of lift makes it feel like driving on ice at 70. The loss of the ability for the front end to self center is not pleasurable for a DD where the highway speed limits are 70mph.
Ive no opinion on which type of joint is better, other than mine is a DD and I would rather have the long term serviceability of the ball joint.
I went with the Light Racing/SPC arms from Toytec.
However, what I am trying to accomplish with replacing the UCA is restoring caster. Having an additional 2 degrees built in with the ability to add 2 more is what I am after. The loss of caster due to the 3" of lift makes it feel like driving on ice at 70. The loss of the ability for the front end to self center is not pleasurable for a DD where the highway speed limits are 70mph.
ryankmasuda
New member
I've decided to get the Light Racing UCA's. I'm more concerned about my tires wearing evenly and the ability to have more choices as far as alignment. I'll let you know how I like them once they're installed.
Arms in and aligned. Steering response has been returned to normal.
However, they also freed up some binding in the front suspension and now my OME 881 springs with ToyTec top spacer has netted me more lift in the front than the rear. I am sitting approximately 3/4" higher in the front than the rear. I may have to remove the spacer.
But the arms do what they are supposed to so. The ball joint is set at the 0 position, which is a +2 degrees in caster over stock and this brought my caster almost dead center in the adjustment range. Camber adjustment on the upper arms is centered.
However, they also freed up some binding in the front suspension and now my OME 881 springs with ToyTec top spacer has netted me more lift in the front than the rear. I am sitting approximately 3/4" higher in the front than the rear. I may have to remove the spacer.
But the arms do what they are supposed to so. The ball joint is set at the 0 position, which is a +2 degrees in caster over stock and this brought my caster almost dead center in the adjustment range. Camber adjustment on the upper arms is centered.
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