Has anyone had issues with the TC UCA and what are the advantages? I'm running OME lift with 285/65-18 and would like to also know if it improves tire to UCA clearance from the stock one.
Are the Total Chaos UCA worth it? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mtnbike
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
The advantage of using the Total Chaos upper control arms has two major benefits. First is allows your factory alignment to back to stock for larger lifted applications, the stock uca doesn't have enough misalignment. Secondly it will let you have additional down travel because of the unibearing design. We have installed a lot of these UCA's on FJ Cruisers, Tacomas, 100 and 200 series Land Cruisers. We do have them available and if you have any other questions let me know.
https://www.metaltech4x4.com/p-76-08-landruiser-uca.aspx
https://www.metaltech4x4.com/p-76-08-landruiser-uca.aspx
New 11 LC200 soon to arrive. Pretty new to this technical stuff. Question: On my current 08 LC200 I had Slee install OME front and rear Nitro HC struts and shocks with lift. OME coils f&r. ARB front and rear bumpers. Ride is pretty stiff for a guy who drives around in the city and on I-70 wearing his WYO. ball cap & boots and a bride of 35 yrs. who will only stay at a FS or RC(she hates it when her latte spills out of the cup when we hit an expansion joint on the Hgwy) Will the Total Chaos UCA's soften the ride?
LT, correct me if I am wrong, but the UCA's will allow more up travel and allow for the caster to be set to factory settings. They will have no bearing on ride comfort. That will be dictated by the spring/shock setup on the vehicle.
Moneyman, it sounds like the only thing your missing are winches on the front and rear of the LC. You dont want to get stuck in the mall between a Prius and a Smarty Car.
Moneyman, it sounds like the only thing your missing are winches on the front and rear of the LC. You dont want to get stuck in the mall between a Prius and a Smarty Car.
The 1-22-11 "Fox shox on a LC200" thread guy has same OME coils as I have. His "comfy" comments I guess now are directed at the FS coilovers and not the UCA's. After installation of my OME struts, coils, shocks and lift part of installation is to have front end re-aligned. It is common upon acceleration for the front to pull to the right. I guess it has something to do with the amount of up travel. As I understand it, and it may be a misunderstanding, with UCA's this issue will not occur. What I didn't know is if it would impact the ride. By the way TS21, I drive my 73 Chev. Vega wagon with a Thrush muffler and 230M miles on the aluminum block to Park Meadows. This is interesting.
Your problem with the stiff ride is the suspension you are currently running. I am guessing you have a OME heavy duty spring which will have a stiff spring rate which creates for a bumpy ride on the road. If you are looking for something that has a better ride quality and still retain the same lift height I would suggest going to a coilover like the Icon that is designed for ride comfort on the road and maximum performance offroad.
https://www.metaltech4x4.com/p-80-08-up-land-cruiser-front-coil-over-shock-kit.aspx
The Total Chaos UCA's allow for more down travel because of the unibearing design. Your up travel still remains the same and that is the max compressed length of your strut/coilover.
The Total Chaos UCA's will correct your alignment so your problem with your 200 series pulling to the right will be eliminated.
LT, thanks for your input. Give me your thoughts regarding maintenance on coilovers. I live in a rural area in SW Colorado. Would I be required to check the nitrogen in the coilovers every 3 months or so? Also, do you think I could run in to trouble finding some one who has the knowledge and product to service them as needed?
There is very little maintenance on the coilovers. You might need to adjust the preload on the spring over a period of time due to slight spring sag but your nitrogen and oil seals will be perfectly fine for 3 - 5 years.
As for servicing the coilovers they are all pretty much made the same with their own little quirks. Icon do require a special needle to check the nitrogen levels but that's the only unique thing.
As for servicing the coilovers they are all pretty much made the same with their own little quirks. Icon do require a special needle to check the nitrogen levels but that's the only unique thing.
I'm quite concerned about the reliability and durability or maintenance needs of these arms. How long do those urethane bushings last? How often do they need grease? The same questions arise in relation to he unibearing thing.
Can you confidently leave home for a 16,000 mile trip with these arms installed?
I don't know if I would install them unless I can get clear answers to these questions.
Can you confidently leave home for a 16,000 mile trip with these arms installed?
I don't know if I would install them unless I can get clear answers to these questions.
Total Chaos has been in business for over 10 years selling upper control arms with the unibearing design with zero failures to the arms. Matt the owner/designer of these arms has been in the desert racing scene for over 20 years with experience to back his work up. These arms are designed around the same philosophy as their long travel kits that people use to compete in desert races with.
For the poly urethane bushing they will last for years as long as your keep the properly greased. You will need to grease them about once a year maybe every 6 months depending on the road conditions where you live. You can easily go 16,000 + miles and have zero issues with these UCAs.
The unibearing that Total Chaos uses is the highest quality in the industry. They use a FK bearing made specific for their applications. Of the 4 years that we have been a dealer for Total Chaos we have replaced one set of unibearings for a customer. That was due to him driving through Montana and New York during the harsh winter conditions and people putting the extreme damaging solvents on the road. If in the event the unibearing needs to be replaced you simply remove the snap ring and press the old one out and press the new one in and reinstall your arms.
For the poly urethane bushing they will last for years as long as your keep the properly greased. You will need to grease them about once a year maybe every 6 months depending on the road conditions where you live. You can easily go 16,000 + miles and have zero issues with these UCAs.
The unibearing that Total Chaos uses is the highest quality in the industry. They use a FK bearing made specific for their applications. Of the 4 years that we have been a dealer for Total Chaos we have replaced one set of unibearings for a customer. That was due to him driving through Montana and New York during the harsh winter conditions and people putting the extreme damaging solvents on the road. If in the event the unibearing needs to be replaced you simply remove the snap ring and press the old one out and press the new one in and reinstall your arms.
LT at MetalTech installed my Total Chaos upper control arms about 3 months ago and they rock. I was having alignment, wandering and rubbing problems with my OME medium lift and the installation fixed all of it minus some very minor rubbing when I do a full crank turn.
I do remember they put marine grade lubricant on the urethane bushings, which they said was better for the environment up here in Portland.
I do remember they put marine grade lubricant on the urethane bushings, which they said was better for the environment up here in Portland.
- Thread starter
- #13
Thank You all for the replies. My rig continues to pull to the right a little. Looking forward to installing the Total Chaos UCA real soon.
- Thread starter
- #14
Whats the best price anyone has gotten on a set of TC UCA. The best I've found with 8.75% sales tax and with free shipping is 763.59 from Off Road Warehouse. Damn sales tax!
We sell them for $717 and it's about $22 in shipping to your door. No sales tax.
https://www.metaltech4x4.com/p-76-08-landruiser-uca.aspx
https://www.metaltech4x4.com/p-76-08-landruiser-uca.aspx
- Thread starter
- #16
Thanks LT! going to purchase it when I get back from my trip next week.
Forgive me for a stupid question, but after an OME suspension lift my main problem with wheel alignment appears to be too much positive camber. Even after repeated attemps to get the wheel alignment sorted, camber is too positive with LCA adjustment settings to their maximum. The only way I can see to get this fixed is using a slightly "shorter" UCA, keeping the top of the tires closer together. Total Chaos only speaks of improved caster, can anybody confirm that these arms are indeed slightly shorter than the original arms and thus improve camber in addition to caster?
Thanks,
Nan
Thanks,
Nan
Wouldn't a slightly longer LCA realign the wheels so they aren't so close in to the vehicle? I know when I went to put on snow chains for winter offroading, I couldn't because there wasn't enough room to clear the UCA. Maybe someone will come up with a fix for both? A shorter UCA would only make the tolerance between the tire and the UCA even tighter.
When you adjust for negative camber the UCA will rotate downwards so the tire clearance isn't an issue. With the 1" unibearing it will allow for camber adjustment and caster correction, there is no need for a shorter UCA.
That is a back spacing issue with your factory rims, all the aftermarket UCAs have a suggested 4.5" back spacing on the rim for proper clearance which can be done by using a 1/2" wheel spacer.
