Aftermarket UCAs - Slee vs Total Chaos vs Nitro

[gregnash]

Question that keeps running around in my mind is at what tire size and/or lift size should you necessitate the caster correction. Don't get me wrong, I am all for "new shinnies" on the truck but is that just because or is it something that could/should be utilized elsewhere (speaking of funding).

So for instance, @sleeoffroad sells their diff drop kit even with the low end OME 1.5" medium lift kit. However, it is hard to really tell if that is a necessity at that increase in lift simply because many times the "kits" are not really a one size fits all. Or at least in my mind...
I understand the basis of the diff drop, it is to maintain OE angles on the CV Axles to ensure longevity of said axles and NOT produce excessive wear due to a compromised angle that is continuously being run. However, at what point do you hit that "point of no return" for the axle angle change? I am sure that Toyota built them to sustain a certain amount of "deflection" (if that is the right term) in the angle change, but where is that point? Or is that really just one of those You have to find out the hard way, type of situations?

 

[sleeoffroad]

Tires are not really relevant. What is relevant is total lift on the front end. The stock eccentrics allow for some variation of adjusting caster and camber. However the range of adjustment was really intended for a stock vehicle and to accommodate some variance.

When you lift the vehicle the geometry at ride height change. From experience at about 1.5" of front lift, we can still get the truck aligned to factory spec,any lift height above that, you could get it in spec, but the low end of spec. When we go to the max height on the front of the 100 (based on reasonable down travel measurements) then we can not get it in spec. Coupled with the fact that we set the trucks up with caster at the higher end of spec when lifted for better driveability. That is why we recommend the SPC arms.

Same applies for camber, except that we set camber to spec. Also for large tires, it allows us to manipulate the tire position in the wheel well to minimize rubbing and / or cutting we have to do for larger tires.

 

[gregnash]

Interesting tid-bit... Randomly found myself yesterday on the Febest website cross referencing some part numbers for bushings and realized they actually make a whole slew of other items for the 100 series, not just bushings. So as I was digging through I found that they actually make FULL UCA/LCA for dirt cheap. I question the capabilities of this but with the OEM stuff being ~$300 a pop and aftermarket starting at ~$650 for a set, I thought it was interesting that they are offering an OEM replacement for $38/ea!

Reason being, my upper ball joints look to be completely shot (boots are nasty and torn to all high hell). So this is another larger expenditure that the PO either didn't know about, didn't care about and/or didn't tell me so I am going to have to R&R the parts to correct his issues (again).

 

[Imgra8ful]

Interesting tid-bit... Randomly found myself yesterday on the Febest website cross referencing some part numbers for bushings and realized they actually make a whole slew of other items for the 100 series, not just bushings. So as I was digging through I found that they actually make FULL UCA/LCA for dirt cheap. I question the capabilities of this but with the OEM stuff being ~$300 a pop and aftermarket starting at ~$650 for a set, I thought it was interesting that they are offering an OEM replacement for $38/ea!

Reason being, my upper ball joints look to be completely shot (boots are nasty and torn to all high hell). So this is another larger expenditure that the PO either didn't know about, didn't care about and/or didn't tell me so I am going to have to R&R the parts to correct his issues (again).

38 bucks. Yikes. That UCA in the eBay ad you linked looks like it was made with coke cans and a decent pair of pliers. I want my UCAs to at least be made out of Sapporo cans. *Maybe* Foster's.

 

[gregnash]

38 bucks. Yikes. That UCA in the eBay ad you linked looks like it was made with coke cans and a decent pair of pliers. I want my UCAs to at least be made out of Sapporo cans. *Maybe* Foster's.

That is kinda what I thought, but then I was looking at partsouq and they have it listed as an OE alternative???? I mean that cost is literally about 3x the cost of a new boot kit for the upper ball joints (which I may do to see if I can salvage mine) but just was a WTF?! moment. Really want a set of Trail Tailor UCAs but gotta keep costs low at the moment, too many other things that need taken care of at the moment taking precedence.

 

[Imgra8ful]

That is kinda what I thought, but then I was looking at partsouq and they have it listed as an OE alternative???? I mean that cost is literally about 3x the cost of a new boot kit for the upper ball joints (which I may do to see if I can salvage mine) but just was a WTF?! moment. Really want a set of Trail Tailor UCAs but gotta keep costs low at the moment, too many other things that need taken care of at the moment taking precedence.

I hope your uppers end up being usable. I'd hate to see you have to use such a sketchy part to do such an important job. But then maybe don't listen to me. I run (and trust) SPC uppers (to get back on topic) that according to some, will likely implode and kill me at any moment. Oh well. It's been a good run, and it was a life well lived with full UCA adjustability, and no clunks or squeaks. YOLO