Springs are rubbing since lift.

[The Green Guy]

So I installed the Daystar lift kit ... I know, I know. Anyway everything was good until I noticed rubbing on my coils. So it seems I need to get LR UCA's right? But here is my question. What kits can I install without needing to replace the factory UCA? I'm willing to do adjustable Bilsteins, Toytec's, anything other than the spacers if I don't have to swap out the UCA. BUT, if its a must do regardless of the kit, then I guess I will just have to order LR UCA's and save up for a real suspension lift kit in the future. What do you say?

 

[cbielat]

How are your springs rubbing? What size spacer did you use? Are you sure it's not your sway bar? You can get away with just your stock UCA on a spacer kit.

 

[The Green Guy]

Rubbing up toward middle of coil near control arm. Lift is 2.5 in front and only passenger side has any visible damage or rubbing. Probably because it sits higher than driver side.

 

[1engineer]

If a lift and alignment are done correctly you should not rub anything with stock UCA's. What does your alignment sheet look like? If you are rubbing something is not right. Did you do the lift yourself or did you pay to have it done?

 

[SouthernSS]

What year is your truck? That ball joint on your UCA looks like it has a torn boot.

 

[The Green Guy]

It's a 2011, I paid for all the work to be done. Shop didn't give me alignment sheet. I asked for one he said he was out of ink. Guess I should go back and take a picture of his computer screen.

 

[The Green Guy]

Good eye, but it's not torn. Just dirty, I ran out and checked.

 

[cbielat]

Something doesn't seem right. The spring shouldn't be rubbing your upper control arm.

 

[NorthWest 4R]

The installer should have noticed this when installing, it listed it in some lift-kit instructions info but not all. Try re-indexing the coils, or rotate the lower spring perch 180 degrees.

Also it could just be pure install error, their is a certain way the top plat with the 3 bolts have to go in, usually with a little arrow facing outward.

 

[The Green Guy]

I have a theory that this may have happened before my alignment. I put about 30 miles on it before I could get it aligned. The shop said it was a mess when it came in. Way off! Asked me if it had been in accident. Which of course it has not. I put some touch up paint on the coil this morning, thinking if it's still rubbing it will scrape off the new paint. So far so good.

 

[NorthWest 4R]

I have a theory that this may have happened before my alignment. I put about 30 miles on it before I could get it aligned. The shop said it was a mess when it came in. Way off! Asked me if it had been in accident. Which of course it has not. I put some touch up paint on the coil this morning, thinking if it's still rubbing it will scrape off the new paint. So far so good.

yes, a possibility. Try this, jack the front wheel off the ground, then put you`re hand in or look and see if it is contacting at full droop.

 

[Ducmonsta]

Rubbing up toward middle of coil near control arm. Lift is 2.5 in front and only passenger side has any visible damage or rubbing. Probably because it sits higher than driver side.

It is absolutely, physically impossible for anything to rub the middle of the coil spring. Unless somehow your tire is folding itself past the spindle. Or your spindle is made of rubber and is flexing into the coil spring itself. Are you hearing a rubbing noise? If so, its probably just your tires hitting the upper control arm. In your picture, I'm assuming you think the rubbing is where there is a clear white mark on the middle of the coil spring. There also appears to be rubbing on the upper control arm in the same pic just above the white mark on the coil.

 

[NorthWest 4R]

It is absolutely, physically impossible for anything to rub the middle of the coil spring. Unless somehow your tire is folding itself past the spindle. Or your spindle is made of rubber and is flexing into the coil spring itself. Are you hearing a rubbing noise? If so, its probably just your tires hitting the upper control arm. In your picture, I'm assuming you think the rubbing is where there is a clear white mark on the middle of the coil spring. There also appears to be rubbing on the upper control arm in the same pic just above the white mark on the coil.

The mark he is referring to is the upper mark (right below the UCA)

The same spot where he has contact is what I was referring to in my first post on indexing them again. I have seen it a few time's on them all Tacoma, FJ, Tundra, & 4R. If somehow during the process the installer doesn't pay attention or doesn't know better, then the UCA will definitely make contact with the spring at droop.

 

[NorthWest 4R]

Photo for reference :

This is what it will look like if indexed wrong when at full droop. They will still lift and work just fine, most wont even know of the problem until it presences it`s self with a loud BANG! Then the witch hunt begins...

 

[The Green Guy]

I haven't heard or felt anything. Just noticed it after cleaning the wheels. I suppose there is a very good probability it happened during installation. My mechanic has years of experience from a Toyota dealer, but maybe not the same tools and lifts to do things more cautiously. I don't know. Just would hate to keep spending money on things and then this problem pops up again.

 

[NorthWest 4R]

I haven't heard or felt anything. Just noticed it after cleaning the wheels. I suppose there is a very good probability it happened during installation. My mechanic has years of experience from a Toyota dealer, but maybe not the same tools and lifts to do things more cautiously. I don't know. Just would hate to keep spending money on things and then this problem pops up again.

Welp, I guess you are all fine then. You posted asking seeming concerned, I said I have seen this before and was letting you know "why" you`re coil is contacting the UCA, and how to eliminate through process of elimination. Now twice you have already came to you`re own conclusion as to "why" or "how" when you we`re the one who posted this thread asking for help. Seems you should have just went to you`re Tech from the get go and save us all a bunch of time...



Fix it, leave it, :shrug: hmmm, what sounds good for dinner....

 

[barryhiram]

I haven't heard or felt anything. Just noticed it after cleaning the wheels. I suppose there is a very good probability it happened during installation. My mechanic has years of experience from a Toyota dealer, but maybe not the same tools and lifts to do things more cautiously. I don't know. Just would hate to keep spending money on things and then this problem pops up again.

The Green Guy, replied on your home page (5/21), the factory upper control arm would rub spring under full droop, not a big deal, but changing UCA's to aftermarket would gain you additional control arm to spring clearance, not to mention additional alignment adjustability (mainly caster).

Bet when they did alignment they were only able to get 0 degrees of caster at best...................

How do I know, been there, done that! Installed my Daystar kit 2 years ago, had the same exact issue of spring rub. Decision for replacement UCA's came after alignment shop couldn't get any where close to factory specs (scary to drive at highway speed).

After installing LR UCA's, ball joint set to "D" setting, caster was able to be set at +4 degrees, truck drove great! I know there a few people in this forum that have had issues with LR, so far mine have been fine, but if you wanted something different check these out Camburg Upper Control Arms Set - 310040 "Ball-Joint"

 

[The Green Guy]

Welp, I guess you are all fine then. You posted asking seeming concerned, I said I have seen this before and was letting you know "why" you`re coil is contacting the UCA, and how to eliminate through process of elimination. Now twice you have already came to you`re own conclusion as to "why" or "how" when you we`re the one who posted this thread asking for help. Seems you should have just went to you`re Tech from the get go and save us all a bunch of time...



Fix it, leave it, :shrug: hmmm, what sounds good for dinner....

Thanks for the help. I appreciate your willingness to reply to my thread. My tech has no idea what happened. Nor do I. I've heeded the warnings of others on the forum and any future suspension work will include new UCA's because I like to do things right the first time, but when get so many different accounts of how installs go its hard to say what will be the results until you try. Some say no need, some say must have. Oh well, thanks again.

 

[Jhalko]

Sometimes I post a question, then I read a bit and post thinking out loud what could be an answer, nothing wrong with that in my mind. When you know enough to be dangerous you seek people that know more and have experience, there are so many smart folks on here that are amazingly helpful (if you search first). I suppose a post doesn't give tone and thought process and some could interpret it in a way not intended.

Anyway, I know nothing about why a spring would rub but I figure if [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] isnt making a crack or search comment you are doing just fine.

 

[1engineer]

Thanks for the help. I appreciate your willingness to reply to my thread. My tech has no idea what happened. Nor do I. I've heeded the warnings of others on the forum and any future suspension work will include new UCA's because I like to do things right the first time, but when get so many different accounts of how installs go its hard to say what will be the results until you try. Some say no need, some say must have. Oh well, thanks again.

If you want to do things right then leave it stock, especially when you have to depend on the guys you have doing the install. Every vehicle is different though and there are cases, very few mind you, that you could not get positive caster without going to an aftermarket UCA. Most of the time you are going to lift it up a few inches, a good alignment shop is going to do a good alignment and bring you to 2.5-3 on caster, the install shop will know their asses from a hole in the ground and have done a good install and everything is good. Reading your original post led me to believe you were currently having a problem, not trying to do forensics on an already solved problem. The reason you were rubbing is a comedy of errors, not the wrong UCA. As a matter of fact if they HAD installed LR UCA's it could have really f'd up your day.