Body Mount chop vs LR UCA

[Aquabear]

Will installing Light Racing UCA's help avoid doing the Body mount chop?

I have a small rub 1-5% of the time on the body mount, I looked and saw a tiny rub area on the body mount 1/4 inch area. I am guessing it rubs only on fast or hard -hard bumps offroading or NASCAR driving in NYC- which are almost the same due to potholes haha. If you guys want I can take a pic.

I can cut the metal but can't-well not yet -weld so I'd have to pay- sucks :whipping2 but I do have a great custom truck shop here.

Since it's a very small area, should I not worry about it? 99% of my driving is on road, 10% beach on long island and maybe once every other month will I offroad at rausch creek or something.

Also, in a week I will be installing a 1.5 inch spacer lift in the rear and then raise front height about .5 inch now will this said clearance be good enough to not need either the LR UCA or BM chop?

thanks in advance

 

[zimm]

Nope. I have light racing UPRs, same tires and had to chop the mount severely, and even hammer the pinch weld behind the fender liner to make room.

 

[aha2988]

LR UCA's only aloud me to get my caster back to factory and a bit more camber adjustment which i highly recommend def improved the ride and handling. (and somehow gave me the peace of mind that i could baja race if i wanted lol) not that i baja race haha. I had rubbing in my front bumper, rear of front fender, and body mount (minal like you said) i trimmed the front bumper slightly, and trimed a small amount of the rear of the front fender and still rub the body mount slightly haven't had any issue's on or off road, just recently put a body lift on 1.25" which made me regret trimming lol cause the body lift would've taken away the fender rubbing. I'm still planning on the body mount chop, I think guys running body lifts and spidertrax wheel spacers are getting away with no rubbing without the body mount chop, with 33's; you can go to 35's with the wheel spacer set up + body lift+body mount chop. I would think though it would cost more to get the spacers than to chop the body mount in your case. but you would need the body lift with the spacers or you'll deal with fender rubbing to. some guys might disagree with me having experience with different set ups but this would be my .02 cents (BTW: with my aftermarket rims I have about a 3/4" center tire offset and i have a 1/4" wheel spacer up front to get my rims to clear the face of the break caliper and i'm running a 12" wide tire hope this helps)

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Wheel spacers increase rubbing, they definitely won't help rubbing (except on the uca). I think you may be able to get around the chop with new ucas. As you increase caster, this pulls the wheel further forw. With the added caster adjustment from ucas, you may be able to get it pulled forward enough to avoid the chop.

I've got 3.5" suspension lift, .5" body lift "which didn't affect body mount rubbing), Light Racing ucas, spidertrax, and 285 duratracs. So far, I've noticed no rubbing on the body mount. I don't know exactly where caster is set, but I told the shop to set it as high as possible while keeping other numbers in spec.

 

[jdkilroy]

what is the benefit of caster that is greater than OEM spec ?

 

[aha2988]

what is the benefit of caster that is greater than OEM spec ?

it tightens up your steering at higher speeds. for instance drag cars rock there steering knuckles back almost to 45degrees so the tire wants to stay straight more so than it wants to turn. just a drivers preference

 

[Aquabear]

Thanks aha and Ark for all the input. Later this summer I'll add in the LR UCA to avoid body chop. I am TOTALLY digging the fact of better steering response!!! My 4R response is not as great since the lift and bigger tires.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Thanks aha and Ark for all the input. Later this summer I'll add in the LR UCA to avoid body chop. I am TOTALLY digging the fact of better steering response!!! My 4R response is not as great since the lift and bigger tires.

Sure thing. I wouldn't rule out the chop as there's no guarantee that the ucas will get rid of all the rubbing. It really depends on where your caster numbers are currently.

Edit: here's a good thread on the topic. It's for the FJ but also applies to the 4runner.
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/suspension-steering-tech/82323-get-rid-rub-without-chop.html

 

[Aquabear]

ASR WOW just read what the link brought me too. I was about to ask a question to you but after reading all my answers are there! This is huge man thanks!!!

 

[aha2988]

Sure thing. I wouldn't rule out the chop as there's no guarantee that the ucas will get rid of all the rubbing. It really depends on where your caster numbers are currently.

Edit: here's a good thread on the topic. It's for the FJ but also applies to the 4runner.
Get rid of the RUB without a CHOP - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

yeah that def explains why my front left is rubbing the body mount at full crush/turn and my passanger side doesn't rub at all thanks ASR!!

 

[ARunner]

What are you guys able to manage as far as a caster number with the SPC/LR UCAs? Are the shops setting your UCA to the max caster setting or is a lower setting required to maintain proper toe and camber? Heading to alignment shop tomorrow because with Toyota standard alignment I am getting rub when turning with minimum (sloped parking lot) flex.

 

[Jeremy556]

What are you guys able to manage as far as a caster number with the SPC/LR UCAs? Are the shops setting your UCA to the max caster setting or is a lower setting required to maintain proper toe and camber? Heading to alignment shop tomorrow because with Toyota standard alignment I am getting rub when turning with minimum (sloped parking lot) flex.

Someone that knows what they are doing (maybe 5-10% of alignment techs) should be able to get >6 degrees of caster with everything else in spec with LR UCAs. The sliding upper ball joint makes it stupid simple and easy to dial in camber.

With TC UCAs, I have 5.5 degrees of caster. Slightly more negative camber than I would prefer, but still within spec.

 

[ARunner]

Good to know. When Toyota changed my alignment after I installed my lift and charged me extra due to the "difficulty" added from having an adjustable UCA (despite making it clear when I dropped it off) yet when I got it back the UCA adjustment was just as I left it when I installed it, with the SPC logo facing out. So a more competent shop/tech should be able to manipulate the adjuster on the UCA in conjunction with factory adjustments in the LCA I assume?

 

[chmura]

Get a alignment. This will help with the body mount. Put the caster all the way up.

I have 285/70/17 BFG KM2 MT's and I do not rub the body mount. I think alignment is a big factor here. If I get a bigger size tire than this I will definitely rub the body mount and will need to do a chop.

I just recently switched out my rims to a better offset and I still don't run the body mount with the new wheels.

 

[ARunner]

Alignment done and a good 6 degrees of caster is dialed in. Shops broke driver side abs wire. Rewired myself because no Toyota dealers have them in stock. Wierd behavior now out of dash lights. VSC TRAC and ABS flash in an alternating fashion when not rolling. When I start rolling the VSC OFF and VAC TRAC lights are lit up continuously and ABS is not lit. Any ideas? More importantly, is it safe to assume my ATRAC will be completely disabled tomorrow when I need it?