patkelly4370
New member
Now have rear lean spacer. All required parts are gathered.
Flaps can be installed later
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Flaps can be installed later
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Going to need upper control arms
- Thread starter patkelly4370
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patkelly4370
New member
Got home this morning, typical 5 days on the road. It was like Christmas.
Eibach 2.0 Pro Truck coilovers w/adj tool, rear springs and shocks.
Front and rear driver lean shims.
JBA upper control arms were already here.
Also a normal spout for our jerry cans. And new cowboy boots.
Installation of the suspension parts may be delayed. Looking into having a concrete slab poured for working on vehicles. Otherwise, it's working on rocky dirt.
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Eibach 2.0 Pro Truck coilovers w/adj tool, rear springs and shocks.
Front and rear driver lean shims.
JBA upper control arms were already here.
Also a normal spout for our jerry cans. And new cowboy boots.
Installation of the suspension parts may be delayed. Looking into having a concrete slab poured for working on vehicles. Otherwise, it's working on rocky dirt.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
patkelly4370
New member
In addition to the Eibach suspension and JBA control arms, CBI aluminum skid plates have been ordered.
Have bids on the concrete slab and carport, will be going forward with that home investment.
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Have bids on the concrete slab and carport, will be going forward with that home investment.
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patkelly4370
New member
The slab is a go. Should be another few weeks for that.
In the meantime the nice, pretty, bright red paint on the JBA control arms is not right for my 4runner. The black paint will be well-cured by the time the slab is ready.
CBI aluminum skid plates will be here and painted by then too.
Toss in the Eibach 2.0 Pro Truck suspension all at the same time, we'll be ready to rumble for summer.
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In the meantime the nice, pretty, bright red paint on the JBA control arms is not right for my 4runner. The black paint will be well-cured by the time the slab is ready.
CBI aluminum skid plates will be here and painted by then too.
Toss in the Eibach 2.0 Pro Truck suspension all at the same time, we'll be ready to rumble for summer.
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patkelly4370
New member
Skid plates have arrived
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lewdog998
New member
All this talk makes me wonder if I should upgrade...my dirtking ucas just arrived.
2020 trd pro
The before alignment is mostly in red because I had just added the eibach lift springs for the trd fox shocks. As you can see the after/current caster is in the red. Not sure if he did best he could, but I know he did not remove skid plate, so I don't think you can adjust rear cams without removal. If that even matters.
Anyways, I don't currently rub on body mount, will putting the dk uca cause me to have to do a bmc?
Any input welcome...
2020 trd pro
The before alignment is mostly in red because I had just added the eibach lift springs for the trd fox shocks. As you can see the after/current caster is in the red. Not sure if he did best he could, but I know he did not remove skid plate, so I don't think you can adjust rear cams without removal. If that even matters.
Anyways, I don't currently rub on body mount, will putting the dk uca cause me to have to do a bmc?
Any input welcome...
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patkelly4370
New member
The only contact my 285 tires rubbed was an ever so slight touch on the front inner fender.
My current hub to fender is 22" to 22¾" all four corners with front spacers, I'm assuming there are spacers on the rear springs too. Experienced forum members thin kill I'm currently raised about 2½". I'll find out when i remove the rear springs. I'm going to do the rear first to see what that new ride height is. Hopefully it stays the same or slightly lower. I don't want any taller. The new front coilovers are threaded/adjustable.
Work began on the 20' x 25' slab yesterday. Graded and substrate. Back Wednesday to frame it.
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BlackWorksInc
New member
It's worth watching this guys' content before you choose your suspension. He clears up a lot of misinformation that's been often considered to be fixed knowledge. Tinkerer's Adventure - YouTube
For example fox TRD Pro shocks have about 1.5" of extended travel over the normal ones. AND - the stock UCA has plenty of ball joint range of motion for extended travel shocks. Also many aftermarket shocks are extended travel - they just don't say on the marketing. Bilstein, Ironman, OME etc often have just as much travel as the "extended" travel ICON or Fox setups.
I found that the JBA arms were great - except that they interfered with my tires without spacers in some alignment setups, but not in others. It's very close and happens on full steering lock. But it's something worth considering. It was more of an issue with the 20" wheels than the 17's. I trimmed the material a bit to clear. No reason to buy the HD version. There's practically no load on the UCA and they just add extra dead weight for no reason.
Lots of good options out there for UCAs. They are wildly overpriced for what they are. They should cost about $200/set. I'm not sure why there's so many options north of $500 without meaningful competition bringing prices down to earth. But that's kinda what you're stuck with.
Be careful with the ABS wires. They're very fragile. Take the extra minute to pull the abs wires off the UCA and lower attachment point so you don't stretch em. Otherwise it's $50 for a new one. I've broken them twice.
Good luck!
I know the large majority of the "higher-end" UCAs are expensive mainly due to things like machining costs (for anything of the Billet variety), manufacturing costs (things like tubular UCAs with a lot of manual welding/bending), and pedigree.
I have found that most people don't need UCAs for "articulation" or any sort of direct benefit off-road; the factory ball joint is pretty decent in terms of angles and realistically unless you change a lot of things in the IFS you don't gain a significant benefit from just a UCA change in terms of flex/articulation.
Rather the two main reasons are clearance and alignment, even a front leveling kit pulls the caster vs. camber balance significantly down to where you're often sacrificing caster for neutral or slight negative camber for better tire wear on off-road tires. Additionally the very "fat" stamped sheet metal of the factory UCA often rubs against most wider off-road tires on factory wheel specifications (width & spacing).
I do agree, I am surprised no one has just made a factory style stamped UCA with "thinner" edges and maybe like an eccentric cam to allow more adjustability. I could see someone like MOOG doing it for a reasonable cost.
I have been meaning to sit down and really look at this guys videos; I have skimmed a couple of them before and found the information rather good. I had a couple quips about his approach/opinions, but not having watched the full videos it wouldn't be fair to say anything without full context. It's on my to-do list.
I ran SPC UCAs on my 4th gens when I had 33" tires and never really had an issue with them besides the bushings. Now mine were earlier designs and apparently in the year and a half I had bushings issues they upgraded the design and materials like 3 times (they covered new bushings under warranty when the first set failed after I want to say under 10k miles?), the newest design of bushing is much much different and I haven't heard any complaints on them.
The only time I ran into issues with the SPC UCAs was when I installed the 35" tires and really bounced the 4Runner around, the UBJ would slide inwards even when torqued to something like the 250ft.lbs or so they recommended at the time. I think this could be alleviated by making some sort of serrated face like a Nord-Lock Washer or something. Beyond that they are solid UCAs in my opinion.
patkelly4370
New member
I'm dealing with a lot of unknowns as I bought this 4runner with the lift (spacers) and aftermarket wheels already on it.
All I was going to do was replace the UCAs to get the caster in the green. The suspension kit was "right place (here) right time (had the funds)".
The skids, I've wanted them and still had funds. I'd like real bumpers and a winch too (and have funds for that too) but getting the Wife a nice Mothers Day present. A real greenhouse. Not the tent thing she replaces every year. This one is stainless steel frame and polycarbonate panels.
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All I was going to do was replace the UCAs to get the caster in the green. The suspension kit was "right place (here) right time (had the funds)".
The skids, I've wanted them and still had funds. I'd like real bumpers and a winch too (and have funds for that too) but getting the Wife a nice Mothers Day present. A real greenhouse. Not the tent thing she replaces every year. This one is stainless steel frame and polycarbonate panels.
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I have had JBA UCAs for almost a year now (put over 15k miles on them) this has been on road and off road a lot handling all the trails in Sedona with ease. I also have a 3in OME lift up front and Toytec 2in lift in the rear. I grease the JBAs every oil change, (every 5k miles) and have not had any issues or regrets yet.
Just if you were wondering.
To be honest, I was going to go with the Eibach lift that you got, however, I have a front bumper with a winch and needed stiffer coilovers.
Just if you were wondering.
To be honest, I was going to go with the Eibach lift that you got, however, I have a front bumper with a winch and needed stiffer coilovers.
Installed Dirt King tubular ball joint uca yesterday and got an alignment today with 5 degrees caster and everything else within OEM spec. it really is a night and day difference driving and I wish I did it sooner. I had them sitting for a long time and finally got around to it. UCA are totally worth it, even with just a 2" lift.
lewdog998
New member
Did it cause any rubbing?
What lift and do you have a bmc?
Any wheel spacers and tire size?
Thanks
2" lift front and rear, no BMC, 285/70/17 BFG.
I had already done fender liner mod and front bumper trim. When I first put the arms on there was significant rubbing on turns(I still have mud flaps) even going in and out of the driveway. After alignment I have not experienced any rubbing on the mud flap again yet.
Great to hear. Mine is going in Thursday to put my JBAs and Fox 2.0s in the front and align to 5 degrees. Really excited to see how it drives after.
tbh it only makes a difference in straight line driving as it tracks straight better. But because i drive a lot of straight highway to work I notice it for a longer period of time and is more significant for me.
patkelly4370
New member
All the parts have arrived. UCAs, assembled coilovers, rear springs & shocks, lean spacers, and skid plates.
UCAs and skids need to be painted.
The slab this work will be done on is being poured today. Then 20'x20' carport. Then install parts.
Slow going having only 2 days each week at home.
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UCAs and skids need to be painted.
The slab this work will be done on is being poured today. Then 20'x20' carport. Then install parts.
Slow going having only 2 days each week at home.
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Last edited:
honda250xtitan
New member
All the parts have arrived. UCAs, assembled coilovers, rear springs & shocks, lean spacers, and skid plates.
UCAs and skids need to be painted.
The slab this work will be done on is being poured today. Then 20'x20' carport. Then install parts.
Slow going having only 2 days each week at home.
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they really just poured it on grade huh. concrete always cracks but at least throw some ABC rock and compact it lol. no footers for the carport posts to set on either?
patkelly4370
New member
It has compacted underlayment, it's just the same color as our soil. Also, Wife doesn't photo doc things too well.
The carport was supposed to arrive Tuesday. It's still in transit. Not the end of the world.
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I got everything installed yesterday. They were only able to get it to 4.5 degrees as at 5 it whacked camber out. Maybe because I'm only at 2" of lift. It's pulling right a little bit which I knew (they told me and I test drove it) and it's livable, so took it anyway because I was there and they offered to have me bring it back whenever to get the alignment perfect. The shop owner is a friend of mine. Otherwise, it rides and drives well.
I'm wondering if I go back down closer to factory spec (3.3) it will make a difference in the right pull. Maybe 3.5-4 degrees with a little difference between the sides to make up for the crowned roads? Or, does it just need a finer tuned alignment.
