Nightmare lift install

This is gut-wrenching. Obviously, the tech has had no training and no one inspects his work. If this happened to me, I would talk to the manager/owner of the shop and do my very best not to go postal. I would be asking for a complete refund. If they insist on one more chance to make it right ... it's hard to call it on letting them do it ... maybe if they put their very best mechanic on it ... but what guy in that shop is willing to fix another guys mess? I suggest looking for an advocate to get involved. Here in Phoenix, we're fortunate to have a shop owner and local consumer advocate for dealing with situations like this. Perhaps you have an investigative TV reporter in your area willing to expose this? If so, that gives you some leverage on the owner/manager to offer a refund or something that compensates ... I don't know what the latter would be at this moment.
 
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You will need to ask for a complete refund for labor and also for any parts they damaged during the install. Anything less is inadequate. You want want to do a further inspection as it is possible they break or re-installed something incorrectly. Do not even let that shop try to provide another solution.

Installing suspension parts on a 5th Gen T4R is capable by any green shade garage mechanic. I cannot believe this shop managed to royally screw it up. JBA UCA's are a breeze to install, as in any UCA for the 5th Gen. Regardless, a complete refund for labor and any parts you need to replace due to their negligence is the minimum they can do to remedy this.

Post the shop's name so that you can prevent any future occurrences like yours from happening to other members.
 
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If it were me, he'd be refunding my labor costs and paying for the stuff you bought from JBA. This is ridiculous. Make a big deal.

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chester4Run said:
Not an excuse, but these do go together tight. It took me a couple tries to get mine in place with all the washers in there.
Click to expand...

Agreed, they’re definitely tight. I had to have a friend use a 2 foot pry bar to spread the wings of my JBA UCAs apart while I inserted the 4th washer. Not easy.

But... we’re just average dudes and we got it right. This is really bad. Sorry you have to deal with this. Probably only the bushings are damaged.

I just... how did they install that 8 foot long bolt backwards? I can’t even... whut...
 
Sadly this type of poor service is all too common these days.

Personally I'd be worried about your safety or perhaps doing damage to your vehicle/new lift, who knows what else is wrong, other missing hardware, shit not torqued properly. That is sketchy as hell.
 
MaddoxPics said:
Is this a respected shop or the cheapest one out there? Either way just awful and one of the dumbest responses I've ever heard.
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Here's a dumber one: I had a respected shop install my MetalTech front bumper. They left off a pair of braces. When I took it back to them and pointed out that parts were missing they claimed that the parts were not included in the box. I told them they should have said something about the missing parts, and they said they had no way of knowing anything was missing. I said, Didn't you read the instructions? They said, "Why would we do that? We never read the instructions."
 
Contest the charge

I would, without a doubt contest the charge on your card. Explain the big picture to the bank, and be adamant about NOT paying, but tell them the facts. They will send you paper work, fill it out the exact same responses you gave over the phone when first contact was made. Do not change your story. As long as you haven't abused this system in the past, you will win. But all of this takes months to work out. Great success and stay safe. C-19...damn chinese.
 
ferrisDJB said:
I would, without a doubt contest the charge on your card. Explain the big picture to the bank, and be adamant about NOT paying, but tell them the facts. They will send you paper work, fill it out the exact same responses you gave over the phone when first contact was made. Do not change your story. As long as you haven't abused this system in the past, you will win. But all of this takes months to work out. Great success and stay safe. C-19...damn chinese.
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This is exactly my plan. Never filed a claim with my card before!
 
My son just moved to Denver and is about to have Toytec install a lift on his Gen 4. He got a quote from another garage but said something just didnt feel right about them. Good luck with the repair. Hopefully the shop makes it right.
 
Update: Found a solid Toyota dealer who was super chill and was willing to fix this mess. Shocking the hardware actually does go with the UCA’s. Would you look at that! Rear springs will be fixed tomorrow.
And I will make sure everything is torqued properly myself.
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Do yourself a favor and get some needle nose pliers and bend the larger clamp on that brake line so it’s loose. With a lift, you risk stretching that cable (which you can see in your picture).

This is from my self install. Notice the upper guide on the UCA bracket is still intact.

369122d1600210832-abs-line-too-tight-after-jba-uca-install-722d3224-9f07-49c0-98cb-e01ff76c6207-jpeg
 
I4CUTigers said:
Do yourself a favor and get some needle nose pliers and bend the larger clamp on that brake line so it’s loose. With a lift, you risk stretching that cable (which you can see in your picture).

This is from my self install. Notice the upper guide on the UCA bracket is still intact.

369122d1600210832-abs-line-too-tight-after-jba-uca-install-722d3224-9f07-49c0-98cb-e01ff76c6207-jpeg
Click to expand...

This might be stupid but are you talking about the side of the bracket? Can you draw an arrow to where you're talking about?
 
TheJokingExplorer said:
This might be stupid but are you talking about the side of the bracket? Can you draw an arrow to where you're talking about?
Click to expand...

Yes. On the ABS bracket that screws into the UCA, there are two formed clamps that hold the ABS line. The first clamp is smaller in diameter and is on the top of the bracket as the wire leaves the engine bay and the second is a larger diameter and it holds the ABS line to the side of the UCA as it travels down to the brake assembly. The second, larger one, is very tight post lift, but can be opened up to let that part of the line out and give it more slack for any potential increase separation from articulation between the bracket and the brake assembly.

If you look at the picture I posted, look to the right of the bolt that holds the abs bracket to the UCA. Notice how there is no clamp on that side and the brake line is free to move.
 
I4CUTigers said:
Yes. On the ABS bracket that screws into the UCA, there are two formed clamps that hold the ABS line. The first clamp is smaller in diameter and is on the top of the bracket as the wire leaves the engine bay and the second is a larger diameter and it holds the ABS line to the side of the UCA as it travels down to the brake assembly. The second, larger one, is very tight post lift, but can be opened up to let that part of the line out and give it more slack for any potential increase separation from articulation between the bracket and the brake assembly.

If you look at the picture I posted, look to the right of the bolt that holds the abs bracket to the UCA. Notice how there is no clamp on that side and the brake line is free to move.
Click to expand...


Yup. I see what you’re saying now. This seems like a good idea. I will be doing that soon. Thanks


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CSM4runner said:
My son just moved to Denver and is about to have Toytec install a lift on his Gen 4. He got a quote from another garage but said something just didnt feel right about them. Good luck with the repair. Hopefully the shop makes it right.
Click to expand...

RSG off-road, Lakewood, CO, is a great shop
 
That pisses me off, those rear springs are a no brainer. Hell I had 4 months off during the C-lock down, I coulda been doing installs. UCA bolts and washers are a little difficult, but NOTHING to warrant that mess. I've done all the work on both my 4th and 5th gen with the 4th getting a TC dual shock set up with gussets everywhere. I had to hire out the welder, but he just did the glue, I was in his shop mocking everything up and calling the plays. Never worked in a shop before and far from being certified.
People need to quit doing weed and heroin at work and read some damn instructions. Unacceptable.... SMDH
 
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