eBay Track Bar & rear control arms

bigrupp,
How is the fit with those FROR links? have you installed them yet? any issues?

I went to install my eBay links today, and ran into a few issues. The heims are to big to fit in the factory pan-hard bar mounting brackets. So, that piece is essentially useless. Also, the misalignment spacers they included with heims are all wrong. They sent three different sizes, and not enough of the right sizes to complete the install. Even if I use the small ones that came with the pan-hard I can't use. I am going to be returning them to the seller, sucks because I will have to pay the return shipping most likely. I am thinking of spending the extra $200 and going with the FROR links.

Joey G.
 
joeygarippa said:
bigrupp,
How is the fit with those FROR links? have you installed them yet? any issues?
Click to expand...

Hey, I did install them. So a little backstory first- I failed to properly protect the lower link mounts on the frame. They were mangled pretty good. I tried to straighten them out as best I could, but it wasn't easy. So when I went to install the links it wasn't easy and it took some more prying and hammering. I had purchased the Total Chaos link mount skids and when I tried to get them on there was no way they were going to fit. Still under the impression that my mangled mounts were the problem, so I moved on to mounting the other end to the axle. Figured they would slip right in. Nope. Finally broke out the micrometer and took some measurements. Found that the misalignment spacers that came with the lower links were 2.64" and the stock measured 2.63". One hundredth of an inch= pain in my ass. Not really that bad, but it did present a problem. Had to spread and pry and hammer, but I got them in. Probably should have just called and got the correct ones. Suppose I should still call and talk to them about it. The other links went in no problem. I would definitely buy these over the e-bay ones, but I am really hard on the 4Runner and these are the heaviest duty ones I've found.

Sent from the Far Side
 
Any updates on this? Ordered the Metaltech Stage 2 Rear Suspension and am considering this to make sure I can try and get the most travel out of it.
 
Shonus90 said:
Any updates on this? Ordered the Metaltech Stage 2 Rear Suspension and am considering this to make sure I can try and get the most travel out of it.
Click to expand...

The ebay links don't have offset bushings so they wouldn't be the best. Check out Metaltech's design and you'll see the offset that helps gain them more droop. The ebay links wouldn't give you more droop than stock.
 
Inv4drZm said:
The ebay links don't have offset bushings so they wouldn't be the best. Check out Metaltech's design and you'll see the offset that helps gain them more droop. The ebay links wouldn't give you more droop than stock.
Click to expand...

So even though these are adjustable its the offset that really helps prevent binding?
 
Inv4drZm said:
The ebay links don't have offset bushings so they wouldn't be the best. Check out Metaltech's design and you'll see the offset that helps gain them more droop. The ebay links wouldn't give you more droop than stock.
Click to expand...

The eBay links are the same as the TC links. I definitely get more droop than stock with the metal tech LT rear springs. Haven't had a single issue with them binding.

TOTAL CHAOS FABRICATION

"Offers 1.5" more droop travel over stock when longer shocks are installed."

"Hi-misalignment spacers and hardware are included."
 
Drunner97 said:
The eBay links are the same as the TC links. I definitely get more droop than stock with the metal tech LT rear springs. Haven't had a single issue with them binding.

TOTAL CHAOS FABRICATION

"Offers 1.5" more droop travel over stock when longer shocks are installed."

"Hi-misalignment spacers and hardware are included."
Click to expand...

What limits your downtravel then? The shock? Or the rear link contacting the axle housing?
 
I don't have anything limiting my down travel other than the 3" bump extensions and my extended travel shocks. I've never hit the axle housing and I've been running this setup for quite some time now.
 
Drunner97 said:
I don't have anything limiting my down travel other than the 3" bump extensions and my extended travel shocks. I've never hit the axle housing and I've been running this setup for quite some time now.
Click to expand...

You removed your rear sway bar?

I might have figured it out:

  • The Metaltech links are 1.75" diameter (.290 wall)
  • The TC, and I assume the ebay links, are 1.25" diameter (.375 wall) which is why they don't need to be offset.
  • Stock links are 1.34" diameter.
Total Chaos's 1.5" more droop could either be from the poly bushings or the thinner diameter vs stock. Probably the bushings in which case you can drop in poly bushings in the stock links and get 1.5" more downtravel too. (TC has a beefier option of course)
 
Inv4drZm said:
You removed your rear sway bar?

I might have figured it out:

  • The Metaltech links are 1.75" diameter (.290 wall)
  • The TC, and I assume the ebay links, are 1.25" diameter (.375 wall) which is why they don't need to be offset.
  • Stock links are 1.34" diameter.
Total Chaos's 1.5" more droop could either be from the poly bushings or the thinner diameter vs stock. Probably the bushings in which case you can drop in poly bushings in the stock links and get 1.5" more downtravel too. (TC has a beefier option of course)
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I got rid of my rear sway bar a long time ago. [MENTION=117408]Oneluv13T4R[/MENTION] can vouch for me, my rear is flexy. I do still need to address the upper arms, but I haven't had any issues with them still being stock.
 
Dang I guess I will have to stay tuned for this because I just committed to the Foxwing Style Awning and wall group buy. Still waiting on the Icon shocks to be back in stock anyway. Hopefully in the meantime they won't start jacking up the price on this kit like they did with the Upper control arms.
 
So I had a set of these ebay bars for a couple years. Until the heims went bad. The rod end is stamped SA22TK. This is a 22mm. Metric thread. Good luck trying to find replacements. Not enough metal in the bar to bore out to real thread. Rendering the arms useless ounce the ends go. Very cheap Chinese joints.
Early in this thread someone said "not FK joints" anyone who bought these, including myself should have heeded that warning. Live and learn I guess.
 
calicojax said:
So I had a set of these ebay bars for a couple years. Until the heims went bad. The rod end is stamped SA22TK. This is a 22mm. Metric thread. Good luck trying to find replacements. Not enough metal in the bar to bore out to real thread. Rendering the arms useless ounce the ends go. Very cheap Chinese joints.
Early in this thread someone said "not FK joints" anyone who bought these, including myself should have heeded that warning. Live and learn I guess.
Click to expand...

This is an email I have from TC when I asking them about replacement parts (since the eBay ones appear to be TC ripoffs). Wonder if these parts would work.

"The cheapest place to get the actual heim joints is Summit Racing, here are the part #’s for them:

Upper and Lower Link Heim Joints: Part# FKB-JMX14T-770

Panhard Bar Heim Joints Part#FKB-JMX12T"
 
Do some more homework. The ebay upper control arms DO NOT have a good reputation. There are constant failures, fall joints fail, this junk is to be avoided. It's your life and others on the road.
 
As some have suggested, these are not Total Chaos's reject parts, and certainly aren't the same strength. Carbon steel of unknown thickness vs 3/8 wall chromoly steel. Being the same diameter as the stock lower links, I wonder how they compare in weight and therefore strength?

But they are cheap.
 
Inv4drZm said:
As some have suggested, these are not Total Chaos's reject parts, and certainly aren't the same strength. Carbon steel of unknown thickness vs 3/8 wall chromoly steel. Being the same diameter as the stock lower links, I wonder how they compare in weight and therefore strength?

But they are cheap.
Click to expand...

You get what you pay for. What is your life worth? Don't be cheap when it comes to something like this.
 
2016 4Runner SR5 said:
You get what you pay for. What is your life worth? Don't be cheap when it comes to something like this.
Click to expand...

You're talking to a guy that wouldn't blink at welding his own lower links and link mounts to the frame and axle, has designed and welded his front bumper, and cut off his rear crossmember to weld together a rear bumper that is entirely being held on by 3 bolts, chopped his stock body mounts and left them open, drove it 11hrs home with a loose upper uniball bolt, and drives it full speed (one of the tallest 4wd 4Runners) though windey Colorado and Utah roads with dropoffs on the outside of the turns without sway bars.

Plus, I wasn't interested in buying them, just commenting.
 
Inv4drZm said:
You're talking to a guy that wouldn't blink at welding his own lower links and link mounts to the frame and axle, has designed and welded his front bumper, and cut off his rear crossmember to weld together a rear bumper that is entirely being held on by 3 bolts, chopped his stock body mounts and left them open, drove it 11hrs home with a loose upper uniball bolt, and drives it full speed (one of the tallest 4wd 4Runners) though windey Colorado and Utah roads with dropoffs on the outside of the turns without sway bars.

Plus, I wasn't interested in buying them, just commenting.
Click to expand...

So he's a total hack, got it lol.
 
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