IFS Uprgrades?

[Grimarine]

So I purchased my sonoran steel 1.2 kit with radflo coilovers a few months ago and I've already blown through my ball joints, tie rods and cv axles. I have no welding/fab experience and I don't have a lot of money but I'm wondering what are some of the cheapest upgrades I can do to eliminate all these weak parts. What bolt on options are available that aren't going to run me dry $$$?

 

[kolelt]

So I purchased my sonoran steel 1.2 kit with radflo coilovers a few months ago and I've already blown through my ball joints, tie rods and cv axles. I have no welding/fab experience and I don't have a lot of money but I'm wondering what are some of the cheapest upgrades I can do to eliminate all these weak parts. What bolt on options are available that aren't going to run me dry $$$?

To replace them all ?

But on a serious note. This is what I'd so because it's what I have done. I'd get uniball UCA, get new CV axles or rebuilt old ones with ALLPRO extended CV boots. Slap the new boots on. Then replace lower ball joints with OEM and same for tie rods. Then get alligment.

 

[Grimarine]

I have tacoma lower ball joints and tie rods right now, that was a cheap and easy fix but UCAs are quite expensive. I'll have to look into the all pro cv boots because that is what keep tearing on mine, I haven't broken an axle yet just tore boots on both sides.

 

[absalom]

I have tacoma lower ball joints and tie rods right now, that was a cheap and easy fix but UCAs are quite expensive. I'll have to look into the all pro cv boots because that is what keep tearing on mine, I haven't broken an axle yet just tore boots on both sides.

If you keep tearing boots, you might consider lowering the front end.

Get SPC UCA's ... much cheaper. Add to cart to see price.

 

[turbo8]

Did you lower the diff yet?

Any pictures of how your 4runner sits?

 

[A.Wilson013]

If you keep tearing boots, you might consider lowering the front end.

Get SPC UCA's ... much cheaper. Add to cart to see price.

If you decide to go the SPC route, Headstrong Offroad beats this price by a few bucks with free shipping.

 

[Grimarine]

Yes I have lowered the diff with a 1" tapered drop. I have been considering getting the Lr/spc uca from headstrong but I have heard bad reviews about their bushings and failures. Any word on that?

 

[Grimarine]

I've have also been camping a lot lately and I have loaded the rear with a lot of weight and a think that when you push the rear end down it also makes the front raise up making it sit higher. Does that sound like a possibility? I drove ~600 miles with the rear loaded. I'm also planning on putting a 12,000lb winch on the front which might help lower/weigh it down.

 

[snivilous]

Yes I have lowered the diff with a 1" tapered drop. I have been considering getting the Lr/spc uca from headstrong but I have heard bad reviews about their bushings and failures. Any word on that?

Holy shit how much lift do you have? No body lift and it looks like you have like 5" of lift. What's your fender to center of hub measurement? Suspension isn't cheap, either fork out the dough or lower the whole thing or just say **** it and keep replacing stuff.

 

[Grimarine]

Ill get measurements tomorrow but I have FZJ80 coils in the rear and they are anywhere from 3.5-5" of lift. I made the mistake of not measuring before the lift so I don't know what its gained. Sonoran Steel's website said that the rear will be 1" higher than the front. I measure from fender to tire and the rear was a 10" gap and I adjusted the front to a 9" gap so that the rear was 1" higher like they said.

 

[BrandonF]

Ill get measurements tomorrow but I have FZJ80 coils in the rear and they are anywhere from 3.5-5" of lift. I made the mistake of not measuring before the lift so I don't know what its gained. Sonoran Steel's website said that the rear will be 1" higher than the front. I measure from fender to tire and the rear was a 10" gap and I adjusted the front to a 9" gap so that the rear was 1" higher like they said.

Measuring from the center of the hub to the fender is the only accurate way to measure lift height.

And that does look like a lot of lift in the front. Im betting you have next to no downward wheel travel and your suspension is constantly topping out. With stock LCA's, 2.5" is the max amount of lift that you should run.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Ill get measurements tomorrow but I have FZJ80 coils in the rear and they are anywhere from 3.5-5" of lift. I made the mistake of not measuring before the lift so I don't know what its gained. Sonoran Steel's website said that the rear will be 1" higher than the front. I measure from fender to tire and the rear was a 10" gap and I adjusted the front to a 9" gap so that the rear was 1" higher like they said.

Ah man, that sucks.

Your front is wayyyyy too high... I imagine you've got some 9 wraps or something in the back to get that much lift.

I think it's pretty widely accepted that you want to keep the front hub to fender measurement under 23". I bet you're closer to 25".

 

[Grimarine]

What will be effected greater by the lift - the ball joints or the Cv axles? I measured from hub to fender and subtracted 1" to account for the body lift and the rear is ~24.5" and the front ~24". So I'm 1" over the 23" that you recommend.

 

[Grimarine]

Here is what it originally looked like with no lift, I did have the 33" tires on though.

 

[the great him]

you have almost 4.5" of lift up front, max is really 3" with out some serious modification... there is your issue

 

[Grimarine]

Ok so right now I have replaced the LBJ and Tie rods with Tacoma parts, I just installed the SPC light racing UCA's and the problem I have right now is the CV boots tearing. Who makes CV boots? I know All Pro makes and inner boot but my outers are the ones tearing.

 

[Tyota89]

I think it's pretty widely accepted that you want to keep the front hub to fender measurement under 23". I bet you're closer to 25".

Sorry for thread jack but curious
Why do you want to keep your front under 23"? I am sitting at 21.75 stock and was going to try and add 2-3" of lift.

 

[KidVermicious]

I've have also been camping a lot lately and I have loaded the rear with a lot of weight and a think that when you push the rear end down it also makes the front raise up making it sit higher. Does that sound like a possibility? I drove ~600 miles with the rear loaded. I'm also planning on putting a 12,000lb winch on the front which might help lower/weigh it down.

I wouldn't run a 12,000 pound winch unless you replace the rope. A winch that strong will normally have a rope strong enough to go with it, and that's strong enough to tear itself right off your truck. You want the winch to fail before the mount does. I'd go 10,000 at most, 8 or 9 would be better.

Do you live in West Valley? I'm trying to remember if I've seen your truck around.

 

[1985taylor1925]

It has already been mentioned, but that lift is way too high in the front. The stress on the lower ball joints and a arms is absurd. I worry about my lower ball joints failing and I'm only lifted 2" in the front. Seriously, for your safety and those riding with you, you need to lower that front end.

 

[BrandonF]

Ok so right now I have replaced the LBJ and Tie rods with Tacoma parts, I just installed the SPC light racing UCA's and the problem I have right now is the CV boots tearing. Who makes CV boots? I know All Pro makes and inner boot but my outers are the ones tearing.

Have you lowered the front end yet? I know lots of lift is "cool" to some, but trust the guys on here. 23" hub to fender is the max you want to go. If you are at 23" or below, you won't have problems with new OEM CV boots tearing on you. When you are above 23", the cv's are at such an extreme angle that the flutes on the cv boot are constantly rubbing against each other as you drive down the street and simply wears through. Pretty much any CV boot will tear from these conditions. Think of how much friction is being generated when you're driving down the highway at 70 mph.

Sorry for thread jack but curious
Why do you want to keep your front under 23"? I am sitting at 21.75 stock and was going to try and add 2-3" of lift.

21.75" sounds very high for stock height. You may have measured incorrectly. I believe even a 99 (the tallest stock suspension year) will sit at 21" hub to fender.

In terms of why you should stay under 23", the front suspension has been engineered to work properly at the factory height (20-20.5" I believe). The further you get away from this stock height, the more stress is put on all of the components. One reason is what I mentioned above with the CV boot angle. Another big thing is that you will end up with no down-travel. This means that when you are at ride height, the suspension is already close to its full extension. Therefore, when you hit a bump and the suspension rebounds, it will "top out" harshly, meaning there is still lots of built up energy in the suspension, but it hits the end of its travel. I blew one of my bilstein 5100's this way, and it also puts a lot of stress on the ball joints.

I am now sitting at 22.75" hub to fender and the suspension feels so much better both on and off road. I have noticeably more traction off road because the suspension is actually riding properly within its stroke. I am also no longer topping out harshly over speed bumps, which is uncomfortable, sounds terrible, and breaks stuff. Unless you go with an expensive long travel suspension setup, you start to lose performance the more you lift it.

Besides, low trucks with big tires look way better than those running huge lifts anyways :rockon: