Aftermarket UCAs

[Yukon LX]

Ok, good point

 

[jonharis]

It's important to others who read this thread to know if he has any actual experience with this product. If he has run them or seen them in action then his opinions are valid. If he has not ever run them or ever seen them in action then they can draw their own conclusions about the validity of his comments.

very good point.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

It's important to others who read this thread to know if he has any actual experience with this product. If he has run them or seen them in action then his opinions are valid. If he has not ever run them or ever seen them in action then they can draw their own conclusions about the validity of his comments.

Go tell that to the N74L doubters like you're telling it to me about the UCA's.

NOBODY who drives paved or regular-ole forest roads and/or moderate trails benefits from an aftermarket UCA on the HUNDRED SERIES. It's not rocket science and they will NEVER be installed onto my 100.

 

[Mxndrnks]

For your application the aftermarket UCA's offer ZERO benefit over OEM. OEM cost less, last a long time as you know and require ZERO maintenance.

Aftermarket UCA's offer almost ZERO benefit to a rock crawler style of wheeling.

I can see their use ONLY if somebody has some certain driving style where they need to fit a special shock that does not fit in the stock fashion.

UCA's can offer more benefits on certain other rigs...on the 100 they are mostly worthless.

John, while I think you bring some benefits to the site... most of the time you are like a bad case of the crabs.... you just wont go away. He is specifically asking for people that have been running them for a while and THIER experience with them. You have repeated numerous times you have no experience with them on our rigs..... and you will never run them. Therefore, once again you bring nothing to this discussion...

Bringing this one back to life, guys. Thanks.

Time to replace the OEM UCAs on my '98 LX. 150k miles and the DS is starting to get some play in it. So, question is:

To those of you who have now been running aftermarket UCAs for a while now, was it worth it with regards to squeaking and maintenance? I really don't do much articulation-necessary driving on hard core trails. I do, however, plut a lot of miles on the truck, fully loaded, on back roads throughout the US and CA.

Need to get this done prior to a 6k miles trip to Guatemala coming up in Dec. The cost b/t OEM and aftermarket is more or less the same. I drive Christo's old pearl white LX, btw, with OME lift, Slee diff drop and resi shocks, and 315/70/17s.

Any thoughts on which way to go? You guys who have done the Carl's or Total Chaos, would you do it again or go with OEM?

Thanks for the help.

Wes

I havent had my TC's on nearly as long as others on here. But, I have no squeeks yet and the maint. is very minimal. Take a grease gun and squirt the zirk.... takes a couple minutes at most. I am not sure I would recommend them if you are heading south. But, I dont have a strong argument for that either. I just think aftermarket support while in remote regions would be difficult at best.

I would highly recommend talking to Spresso. He runs his probably harder than any one else and was one of the first to adopt them. So, he can give you some great insight and thoughts.....

 

[Anthony.L]

NOBODY who drives paved or regular-ole forest roads and/or moderate trails benefits from an aftermarket UCA on the HUNDRED SERIES. It's not rocket science and they will NEVER be installed onto my 100.

And that's your right to never own them, but don't tell other people they are useless. That's about as incorrect statement as humanly possible.

The internet strikes again, take a big crap on whatever you don't own!

 

[Newps]

Go tell that to the N74L doubters like you're telling it to me about the UCA's.

NOBODY who drives paved or regular-ole forest roads and/or moderate trails benefits from an aftermarket UCA on the HUNDRED SERIES. It's not rocket science and they will NEVER be installed onto my 100.

This thread has nothing to do with the N74L.

Do you have any actual experience with this product, yes or no?

 

[Anthony.L]

I appreciate your attempt Newps, but Shotts proved over and over it's like talking to a brick wall. This thread about to go downhill fast in 3....2....1.....

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Bringing this one back to life, guys. Thanks.

Time to replace the OEM UCAs on my '98 LX. 150k miles and the DS is starting to get some play in it. So, question is:

To those of you who have now been running aftermarket UCAs for a while now, was it worth it with regards to squeaking and maintenance? I really don't do much articulation-necessary driving on hard core trails. I do, however, plut a lot of miles on the truck, fully loaded, on back roads throughout the US and CA.

Need to get this done prior to a 6k miles trip to Guatemala coming up in Dec. The cost b/t OEM and aftermarket is more or less the same. I drive Christo's old pearl white LX, btw, with OME lift, Slee diff drop and resi shocks, and 315/70/17s.

Any thoughts on which way to go? You guys who have done the Carl's or Total Chaos, would you do it again or go with OEM?

Thanks for the help.

Wes

I'm trying to SAVE this guy from doing what MANY folks do in the land of "modification".

Some people invest in a mod because it's just that...A MOD. Some mods are WORTHLESS for almost all applications.

One example...putting an aftermarket exhaust on the 100 in order to increase power. BULL...not happening...a waste of money.

Another example...aftermarket UCA's on a 100-series. I'm sorry if your feelings get hurt because you bought them. Reality is they provide almost ZERO improvements while they offer some negatives. They are 100% uneccessary on 99.9% of the 100's out there on the road.

For THIS guy who's asking it'd be a total waste of cash. You don't need to have them to know this. I don't have my Z06 yet, but I can tell you 100% it's going to KILL my Rx8. I know...you'll say I can't know that until I get the Z06.

 

[Anthony.L]

Comparing UCA's to exhaust. I rest my case.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Comparing UCA's to exhaust. I rest my case.

Eaxactly...you made my case. You don't get the comparison...you must have bought the aftermarket UCA's.

 

[Yukon LX]

This thread has nothing to do with the N74L.

Do you have any actual experience with this product, yes or no?

Can you answer this?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Can you answer this?

Ya...enough to know they are a dumb buy for 99% of the 100 owners. We're not talking Tacoma's and other vehicles. We're talking 100-series.

Is this the best objection you can come up with? Answer = Yes...because you cannot list a CREDIBLE list of benefits to the mod becuase there are none.

So will the Z06 kill my Rx8? Can you not answer because you don't drive BOTH? ANYBODY who would spend 5-minutes on-line could learn the true answer and they wouldn't have to go buy and drive both.

 

[Newps]

Shotts it’s quite obvious now you have no experience what so ever with this product. Your opinions are not valid and lack any credibly. Do not bash someone else’s product without any personal experience. We are not kiddies on here, this is other people’s livelihood. You really need to think about the implications of your comments before you post on here.

 

[Yukon LX]

Ya...enough to know they are a dumb buy for 99% of the 100 owners. We're not talking Tacoma's and other vehicles. We're talking 100-series.

Is this the best objection you can come up with? Answer = Yes...because you cannot list a CREDIBLE list of benefits to the mod becuase there are none.

So will the Z06 kill my Rx8? Can you not answer because you don't drive BOTH? ANYBODY who would spend 5-minutes on-line could learn the true answer and they wouldn't have to go buy and drive both.

This is a yes or no question. If yes, please give your experience with he product.

If no, shut the $*&# up. And go print up some busted printed Ts.

 

[TheFuzz]

Can you answer this?

Probably not, he's too worried about how to subtly hint that he buys/owns expensive cars. He'll probably mention his TV at some point too.

Back on topic, I like the idea of aftermarket UCAs for the simple fact that you can get the alignment to spec. If there is a way to do that without them, I'd love to hear it. I'm not even at Max lift yet and the shop couldn't get it exactly right. Granted that is an expensive option just to get your alignment in spec, but the additional droop and option to run a longer front shock give a prospective buyer something to think about IF his intended use for the rig could benefit from the added travel. Increased CV angles aren't a huge issue because you aren't constantly running at those angles, just over obstacles. Added noise? Doesn't seem to be a big issue either. Its all personal preference based on needs. For Wes, probably not necessary. This thread isn't about one person though. Telling people that they are "mostly useless" isn't accurate until they determine that for themselves.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

OK experts...EDUCATE ME!

List all the beneifts of aftermarket UCA's on the 100-series and lets debate. Seriously...tell me what they offer and why we all should add them on?

 

[pfran42]

- Better alignment (easier to get tighter to spec).
- 1"+ increase in droop (You can be up higher and still get your minimum 2 inches of recommended droop).
- Stronger (Cromo/DOM construction vs. stamped steel on OEM).
- More clearance for larger tires (this is especially true when airing down 35s).
- More clearance for aftermarket shocks and their associated remote reservoir runs.

Probably more, but this is off the top of my head. Every one of these points is FACT. If you can't prove me wrong on these points in three posts or less then you have to agree to stay off of this thread for 30 days...Agreed?

 

[Mxndrnks]

They are 100% uneccessary on 99.9% of the 100's out there on the road.

I dont think any one here will argue with that. However, We are not talking about road performance nor are we talking about rock crawling.

Reality is they provide almost ZERO improvements while they offer some negatives.

Instead of spreading vague information that may or may not be correct, why don't we list the improvements and negatives of after market UCA's on lifted trucks. The biggest thing I hate when ever the L-shock mod comes up is the lack of clear reasoning either way. This is way more useful for any one else reading:

Negatives:

• Have to grease the zirk fittings takes 2 min.
• "May" squeak. If so see above
• ???

Improvements:

• Corrects ball joint angle
• Returns caster back to factory spec values on lifted rigs
• Adds around 1-1.5" of droop to the front
• Better alignment (easier to get tighter to spec).
• Stronger (Cromo/DOM construction vs. stamped steel on OEM).
• Serviceable
• More clearance for larger tires (this is especially true when airing down 35s).
• More clearance for aftermarket shocks and their associated remote reservoir runs.

Edit: I see others where typing while I was.... Added some pros to the list above

John... Other than the squeak and having to grease a zirk fitting... what do you have.... And BTW 99% of 100 series owners do not need them because they still only take trips to the mall and dont come here to Mud looking at these as an option. We are discussing the 1 percent that are here on MUD....

 

[TheFuzz]

They've been listed. Several times.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

- Better alignment (easier to get tighter to spec).

Not better...100's running aftermarket lifts get alignments in spec every day.

- 1"+ increase in droop (You can be up higher and still get your minimum 2 inches of recommended droop).

Extra droop not required. Extra droop would be a plus IF it did not come at the cost of extreme CV angle...and the angle is already extreme as CV leakage is already an issue.

- Stronger (Cromo/DOM construction vs. stamped steel on OEM).

OK...true...though it's meaningless on a part that does not break in the first place. We're not talking axles from a Jeep. We're talking UCA's on a 100 and there have been ZERO breakages.

- More clearance for larger tires (this is especially true when airing down 35s).

OK...though again not needed whatsoever. IF the tire you're contenplating rubs then consider ANOTHER TIRE. Don't waste $1000 on arms so you can fit the ONE tire model you want. There's a boatload of 315's out there that fit without rubbing and without wheel spacers.

- More clearance for aftermarket shocks and their associated remote reservoir runs.

This is the ONE thing I said that merits the buy. But how many 100-owners NEED to run this ONE rare model shock? Under 1%?

Probably more, but this is off the top of my head. Every one of these points is FACT. If you can't prove me wrong on these points in three posts or less then you have to agree to stay off of this thread for 30 days...Agreed?

RESPONSES ABOVE
I don't have to prove anything and I have the right to post any time I'd like.