My lift parts have landed! Researching install tips. Input welcomed.

[Road Bull]

So this box from Sanoran Steel showed up today. I am pretty stoked.

Here's what I got:
Sanoran Steel 1.2 rear only lift.
Sanoran Steel different drop spacer kit.
King 2.5 Extended Travel Coilovers.
SPC Light Racing UCAs.

I also ordered front and rear MStudt's extended sway bar end links that should be here shortly.

Steve's SS directions look pretty straight forward. And the King coilover install looks pretty straight forward as well. I even watched a few SPC Light Racing install videos on YouTube. I have not done a vehicle lift, but none of it looks like rocket surgery. I just want it to do it right the first time.

I have a couple of questions:

In general, how did your SS 1.2, King coilover, and or SPC Light Racing UCA install go?

Is there anything that you would have done differently, or made it easier?

"King coilover specific": Do you know what initial height Kings come set at?

As far as getting an alignment goes, If I take this to my lifetime alignment from Firestone shop, are they going to know what the hell to do to align using the SPC Light Racing UCAs?

It looks like the SS kit, and King kit comes with new mounting hardware. Is there any other "reusable hardware" that would be easy or smart to replace to make life easier?

Thanks for reading!

 

[ziegler]

subscribed!! can't wait to see everything done!

 

[JayRolla]

Very nice setup. Exactly what I would have built my suspension if I had the cash at the time. It's going to perform great!

The hardest part of install is getting rear shocks out if top bolt is rusted. When installing UCAS you can slightly bend the fender so you can slide the long bolts out. Removing battery might be needed.

For the spc arms you want to set them yourself and then Jane it aligned. They will have no idea what to do even if they say they do.

I recommend setting the spc arms on the G setting. This pushes the tire forward giving clearance at the wheel well so you can run 33-35s with clearance. This also puts it at 0* added caster but tell the alignment you need as much positive caster from the LCA bolts. They should get you 1.7-2* caster if they do it right.

 

[theesotericone]

It's not rocket surgery at all man. I haven't had any issues with my SPC arms and the install was super easy. You'll probably break a few plastic retainer clips when you take the skirts off the front fender wells. Those can be gotten from any auto parts store for a few bucks a box. You'll have both sway bars removed so now is a really good time to redo those bushings. Other than that just get dirty and get it done.

 

[mtbtim]

Here's a video of [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I installing a mild lift for another member. It's not exactly what you're doing to your rig but maybe some of the information in the video could help you out.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0HJx6HH2yno" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Road Bull]

subscribed!! can't wait to see everything done!

Thanks, me too brother.

Very nice setup. Exactly what I would have built my suspension if I had the cash at the time. It's going to perform great!

The hardest part of install is getting rear shocks out if top bolt is rusted. When installing UCAS you can slightly bend the fender so you can slide the long bolts out. Removing battery might be needed.

For the spc arms you want to set them yourself and then Jane it aligned. They will have no idea what to do even if they say they do.

I recommend setting the spc arms on the G setting. This pushes the tire forward giving clearance at the wheel well so you can run 33-35s with clearance. This also puts it at 0* added caster but tell the alignment you need as much positive caster from the LCA bolts. They should get you 1.7-2* caster if they do it right.

Thanks for the tips JayRolla. I watched a couple good videos about the SPC install that mentioned the same about the fender and clearance. Yeah, this has been a long time coming researching and reading the various builds. Yours has been a favorite of mine. I finally got my settlement from being rear ended back in June of 2015. So I wanted to wait and put my best foot forward.

It's not rocket surgery at all man. I haven't had any issues with my SPC arms and the install was super easy. You'll probably break a few plastic retainer clips when you take the skirts off the front fender wells. Those can be gotten from any auto parts store for a few bucks a box. You'll have both sway bars removed so now is a really good time to redo those bushings. Other than that just get dirty and get it done.

Yeah, sway bar bushings would be smart. Good idea. Any suggestions for kits?

Here's a video of [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I installing a mild lift for another member. It's not exactly what you're doing to your rig but maybe some of the information in the video could help you out.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0HJx6HH2yno" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks mtbtim! That's a good video that I have watched a few times before. It's well done and a good reference tool for sure.

Thanks guys. I appreciate your help.

 

[Road Bull]

King 2.5 coilover question.

Does anyone know what height King ships their coilovers at? I think I am shooting for 2.5 up front. I know that the LC coils with put the height in the 4" range to settle over time and use, so I am just looking for baseline.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Does anyone know what height King ships their coilovers at? I think I am shooting for 2.5 up front. I know that the LC coils with put the height in the 4" range to settle over time and use, so I am just looking for baseline.

I do not know. Probably around 2.5" or so. You have a bumper though, don't you? It'll probably be lower, if so.

As for the UCAs, I just brought the instructions with me to Firestone the first time, and then they never asked about them again.

 

[Road Bull]

I do not know. Probably around 2.5" or so. You have a bumper though, don't you? It'll probably be lower, if so.

As for the UCAs, I just brought the instructions with me to Firestone the first time, and then they never asked about them again.

I figured it would be around 2-2.5". I have an AOR front bumper. No winch yet, and waiting to pick up some skids soon.

 

[theesotericone]

Yeah, sway bar bushings would be smart. Good idea. Any suggestions for kits?

I ordered front and rear from Prothane on Amazon. I'd heard a lot of people say they squeek but mine have been in for a few months and I haven't heard a sound. I did lube them up really well with vaseline before I put them in. Speaking of that, am I the only one who's gotten a very strange look from my wife when I was laying under my truck, covered in grease, with a hand full of vaseline? lol

 

[JayRolla]

I ordered front and rear from Prothane on Amazon. I'd heard a lot of people say they squeek but mine have been in for a few months and I haven't heard a sound. I did lube them up really well with vaseline before I put them in. Speaking of that, am I the only one who's gotten a very strange look from my wife when I was laying under my truck, covered in grease, with a hand full of vaseline? lol

Petroleum based grease or vasoline is known for eating away polyurethane bushings. The environment will also wash it away after time and squeak. You want to use lithium based grease. Sway bar bushings barely get movement so they don't squeak easily. Control arm bushings is a different story.

 

[zoombyu86]

I'm not sure if it is the same with coilovers since you can raise/lower on the vehicle, but i'm putting 5100 on my front and needed to used the bottle jack to push the upper arm down far enough to get the lower shock mount to line up.

 

[shootmymime]

take alook at my build thread around page 3-5 when i installed my lift.

Use the factory jack to push down the control arms / rear axle so you can put springs in.

for the front u put the stock jack in between the top of the wheel well and the upper control arm. As you crank the jack apart it will push the upper and lower control arm down so you can easily remove the strut assembly. you man need to remove one of the bolts for the sway bar links (i see your replacing them) so you should be good.


for the rear use the jack on the bump stop and the axle to push the axle down to help you remove the springs and insert the longer one. This part is almost needed for the installation process.

For cranking the kings down it gets difficult making adjustments. as the preload collar moves down you start running into the upper arm.

ENJOY! i just rebuild my kings this summer.

 

[Mighty Buffalo]

I just put an ICON lift with uniball UCAs in. It was easier to put the UCA in first, then the shocks. It's harder to get the amount of travel from the old UCA to put the new shocks in.

Also, OEM LBJ would be a good thing too.

 

[Road Bull]

I ordered front and rear from Prothane on Amazon. I'd heard a lot of people say they squeek but mine have been in for a few months and I haven't heard a sound. I did lube them up really well with vaseline before I put them in. Speaking of that, am I the only one who's gotten a very strange look from my wife when I was laying under my truck, covered in grease, with a hand full of vaseline? lol

I was looking the other day and noticed, I think on the Toytec site, that they had sway bar bushings for 96/97 4runner, but nothing about something for 2002. I will have to do some more research.

Petroleum based grease or vasoline is known for eating away polyurethane bushings. The environment will also wash it away after time and squeak. You want to use lithium based grease. Sway bar bushings barely get movement so they don't squeak easily. Control arm bushings is a different story.

Noted about the Vaseline. The SPC UCAs came with their own grease for installing the sleeves into the control arms.

I'm not sure if it is the same with coilovers since you can raise/lower on the vehicle, but i'm putting 5100 on my front and needed to used the bottle jack to push the upper arm down far enough to get the lower shock mount to line up.

Yeah, the bottle jack seems to be fairly useful for these lifts, at least till you get them on, then that's another story. LOL.

take alook at my build thread around page 3-5 when i installed my lift.

Use the factory jack to push down the control arms / rear axle so you can put springs in.

for the front u put the stock jack in between the top of the wheel well and the upper control arm. As you crank the jack apart it will push the upper and lower control arm down so you can easily remove the strut assembly. you man need to remove one of the bolts for the sway bar links (i see your replacing them) so you should be good.


for the rear use the jack on the bump stop and the axle to push the axle down to help you remove the springs and insert the longer one. This part is almost needed for the installation process.

For cranking the kings down it gets difficult making adjustments. as the preload collar moves down you start running into the upper arm.

ENJOY! i just rebuild my kings this summer.

Nice. Just checked it out again. I remember you doing it at the time and cleaning up the finish for your Kings. Sweet.

I just put an ICON lift with uniball UCAs in. It was easier to put the UCA in first, then the shocks. It's harder to get the amount of travel from the old UCA to put the new shocks in.

Also, OEM LBJ would be a good thing too.

Right on. I will attack the UCAs before the C/Os. I already knocked out a fair amount of things I wanted to get done pre lift. I have replaced inner and outer tie rods, as well as LBJs with OEM parts. I replaced my CVs with Napa. And I knocked out the TBU with braided steel brake lines. There are a few more maintenance items on my list, but I am catching up.


Thanks for the input guys.