Does anybody have any experience with TC LT kit?

[jstim]

First off I want to say that I am just not going to sift through all the build threads to see how many people have the TC equipment I am looking for because most of us change parts on our rigs like our underwear. We keep changing it to fit our needs.

I want some new LCAs, but there are no real options for a better mid travel aftermarket LCA that I have found. I have replaced the LBJs already, and I have looked at some of the TC LT kit stuff. I noticed it said it widens the stance up front by 7 inches. Which looks like it means it would need different OTRE. I want to stay in the realm of mid travel, because I don't see any real benefits for having a long travel. I am not knocking anyone that does have LT setups, because some of them are awesome. (I am looking at you [MENTION=92884]snivilous[/MENTION])

Just want to see what you guys are running, if you are running something else. If you have the TC LT setup, then I want to hear your thoughts on it. Will it work as a mid-travel setup if I do it my own way? Or would it be a giant waste of money to go down that road, change all of the parts out, and then just be stuck in a LT hole.

 

[TCMach]

You do know that its not just the OTRE you have to change right? Longer coilovers, longer CV axles, etc. Its not just swapping LCA and UCAs.

 

[absalom]

I feel like LT is the way to go, only if you're ridiculously passionate about LT. I don't get that impression from your post.

 

[jstim]

You do know that its not just the OTRE you have to change right? Longer coilovers, longer CV axles, etc. Its not just swapping LCA and UCAs.

Yeah I'm aware of that.

 

[jstim]

I feel like LT is the way to go, only if you're ridiculously passionate about LT. I don't get that impression from your post.

You're right I'm not completely sold.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Mid travel upper arms can run extended travel c/o's, and no real modifications outside of that have to be made except maybe longer brake lines. LT kit requires an 8" c/o, extended cv's (1st Gen Tundra cv's), longer brake lines, and you have to do something about contact with your front fenders -either cut them or replace with fiberglass. It gets expensive quick.

 

[jstim]

Mid travel upper arms can run extended travel c/o's, and no real modifications outside of that have to be made except maybe longer brake lines. LT kit requires an 8" c/o, extended cv's (1st Gen Tundra cv's), longer brake lines, and you have to do something about contact with your front fenders -either cut them or replace with fiberglass. It gets expensive quick.

I have replaced the uppers with Built Right uniballs, and they are great. I am running an adjustable coil right now, and plan on upgrading in the future. My biggest thing is, I am planning on doing the LCA bushings with poly bushings. HOWEVER, I am not completely sold on staying with the OEM, I really just feel like there could be a little bit better LCA. However after searching extensively I cannot find that ANYONE makes one. I want something if anything just simply a little bit stronger, I would love to have the HEIM joint where it attaches. We all know that no one makes a uniball lower. So really upgrading the lowers is really limited. I won't ever use the LT for what its for, I am more of a trail runner, explorer, overlander, and explorer. So there really isn't any reason to have a LT kit for me, so I am really trying to engineer how I can make it work the way I want.

 

[Konkordmusk]

I have replaced the uppers with Built Right uniballs, and they are great. I am running an adjustable coil right now, and plan on upgrading in the future. My biggest thing is, I am planning on doing the LCA bushings with poly bushings. HOWEVER, I am not completely sold on staying with the OEM, I really just feel like there could be a little bit better LCA. However after searching extensively I cannot find that ANYONE makes one. I want something if anything just simply a little bit stronger, I would love to have the HEIM joint where it attaches. We all know that no one makes a uniball lower. So really upgrading the lowers is really limited. I won't ever use the LT for what its for, I am more of a trail runner, explorer, overlander, and explorer. So there really isn't any reason to have a LT kit for me, so I am really trying to engineer how I can make it work the way I want.

Front Range offroad has mentioned he may be releasing his LCA soon

 

[jstim]

Front Range offroad has mentioned he may be releasing his LCA soon

Keep me posted if you hear anything, I would like a string alternative to oem.

 

[snivilous]

Imo you would be better off getting a slick shock package. If you've never seen rally cross videos, they have like 4" of suspension travel and are so well tuned the cars come down soft AF and don't bounce around. Point being, I think you would be better off with some beast shocks/bumps and some stock lowers (hell, talk to bro dude and get the uniball conversions he's selling to get rid of the LBJ) and you'll be in a really good position with a setup that's more pimped than 99.99% of the pimped trucks on this site.

OR you can spend $7000 on a LT setup you won't really use, with shocks you don't really need, and maintenance you don't really want. Personally, if I didn't have tons of ambition for a truck, I would probably just spend $3000 on shocks for the front end and call it good (along with stainless lines, uniball upper and uniball lower conversion, etc. all the shit you already have). That would be a LOT cheaper, a lot easier to fix/maintain, and give you probably more performance than you really need unless you're hauling tits.

Not to dissuade you from LT in anyway obviously

 

[jstim]

Imo you would be better off getting a slick shock package. If you've never seen rally cross videos, they have like 4" of suspension travel and are so well tuned the cars come down soft AF and don't bounce around. Point being, I think you would be better off with some beast shocks/bumps and some stock lowers (hell, talk to bro dude and get the uniball conversions he's selling to get rid of the LBJ) and you'll be in a really good position with a setup that's more pimped than 99.99% of the pimped trucks on this site.

OR you can spend $7000 on a LT setup you won't really use, with shocks you don't really need, and maintenance you don't really want. Personally, if I didn't have tons of ambition for a truck, I would probably just spend $3000 on shocks for the front end and call it good (along with stainless lines, uniball upper and uniball lower conversion, etc. all the shit you already have). That would be a LOT cheaper, a lot easier to fix/maintain, and give you probably more performance than you really need unless you're hauling tits.

Not to dissuade you from LT in anyway obviously

I am really in agreeance with you on this one. I am going to hold on for a bit, and see what comes of the Front Range Off Road LCAs, but otherwise may check out those uniballs you are talking about. It is just too much money for me to spend 7k on something that I won't put to use. I will spend the 3k on the front suspension and get it right, and it will be easier to maintain. Define slick shock package?

Hows that custom LT you built working out for you? Did you end up putting multiple shocks up front?

 

[snivilous]

I am really in agreeance with you on this one. I am going to hold on for a bit, and see what comes of the Front Range Off Road LCAs, but otherwise may check out those uniballs you are talking about. It is just too much money for me to spend 7k on something that I won't put to use. I will spend the 3k on the front suspension and get it right, and it will be easier to maintain. Define slick shock package?

Hows that custom LT you built working out for you? Did you end up putting multiple shocks up front?

Like some 2.5 remote resi kings with compression adjusters plus some hydro bumps, or do a dual shock setup with a bypass up front and customize the front arm a little. Just something super meaty that can be customized a lot, and I think good bump stops make a ton of difference.

The runner is down for awhile until I have the time to build it how I want, which I'm really thinking will be built to race the Every Man's Challenge at King of the Hammers and use an upgraded LT setup I build. But besides the truck being parked, I never had any issues with the actual stuff I built and modified on my runner, it was always the few remaining stock components failing. But that's why you haven't seen any posts/build updates from me in awhile, and still won't for a year or two probably until the runner moves to the "race phase" of its life.