Alignment Issues After Ironman 4x4 Nitro Gas Lift 100 Series (1 Viewer)

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Here's a story about specialty ball joints.

A friend with a 2nd Gen Tacoma decided to upgrade to SPC control arms. Unfortunately, he farms out most of his mechanical work.
So he bought the arms following a large group of Tacoma owners that reported good results with the newly designed SPC arms.
I think he found an alignment shop to do the installation. So far so good.

He puts a lot of miles on the truck and drives in harsh off-road deep water and mud crossings often.

Roughly 18 months after purchase he noted the ball joints were worn out. WHAT?

It turns out the installer didn't tell him that SPC ball joints need to be greased. AND if you submerge your truck in water and mud, you need to periodically check your ball joints on a more rigorous schedule. The ball joints only had the factory installed grease.

I think the SPC seller made the joints good. He instructed the service center to keep an eye on greasing the ball joints.

I think that any specialty UCA with greaseable ball joints and bushings requires some level of care and understanding by the owner.

If you use your rig as a submarine or amphibious vehicle, use more care with your ball joints than driving in dry conditions.

I think it's good that we have multiple choices for UCAs that use common (easily acquired) ball joints.

The only thing I have seen when it comes to some of the lower-cost UCAs is the quality of powder coating. A crack or defect in power coating turns into a rust problem in areas with road salt.
I had similar issues with SPC ball joints on a 3rd gen T4R that I used to own. However, in contrast to your friend, I greased them religiously at every oil change and also anytime potential submergence occurred. I still had to replace them every ~30k miles. I think SPC has improved their ball joint and boot design in recent years, though.

Regarding aftermarket UCAs for the 100, I generally think they're unnecessary. I'm at 21" CHTFL in the front with OEM UCAs and have had no issues getting or staying in factory alignment specs. But *if* I was going to go down the aftermarket UCA route to get some additional caster, hands down I would choose the Dobinsons, solely because they use a tried and true ball joint that we know is high quality (Sankei 555) and is actually serviceable. Worst case scenario you lose an upper ball joint with the Dobinsons while you're on a trip and you just go to the nearest Napa and overpay for a new 555 joint (Napa's NPC line is 555). Best case, you buy spare 555 joints for cheap from Cruiser Outfitters or RockAuto (the ACDelco joints are 555s).
 
I had similar issues with SPC ball joints on a 3rd gen T4R that I used to own. However, in contrast to your friend, I greased them religiously at every oil change and also anytime potential submergence occurred. I still had to replace them every ~30k miles. I think SPC has improved their ball joint and boot design in recent years, though.

Regarding aftermarket UCAs for the 100, I generally think they're unnecessary. I'm at 21" CHTFL in the front with OEM UCAs and have had no issues getting or staying in factory alignment specs. But *if* I was going to go down the aftermarket UCA route to get some additional caster, hands down I would choose the Dobinsons, solely because they use a tried and true ball joint that we know is high quality (Sankei 555) and is actually serviceable. Worst case scenario you lose an upper ball joint with the Dobinsons while you're on a trip and you just go to the nearest Napa and overpay for a new 555 joint (Napa's NPC line is 555). Best case, you buy spare 555 joints for cheap from Cruiser Outfitters or RockAuto (the ACDelco joints are 555s).

I agree. I was just thinking about this while working on mine this morning.

Unless you really have a "true need" for a performance UCA, keep your life simple and go with a good old OEM that lasted for the 1st 20 years.

Mine is a low mileage "strictly for off-road" use case. I estimated 5,000 miles per year when I bought it. So far I've come in at 9,000 miles in two years.

Usually, for each weekend of off-roading, there are two weekends of cleanup and maintenance to get ready for the next adventure. No kidding. Ha!

If the SPCs give me any trouble, I'm sure they will be quickly replaced with some Dobinsons.
 
Dood-

Almost anyones lift requires installing aftermarket UCA if you intend to achieve more positive caster. Diff drop is a good idea too- as your CVs will prob start slinging grease soon.

Positive Caster = proper steering control, better return to center and reduced torque steer. The Max caster you can get with stock UCA and 2” lift is about 1.5degrees- +\- which is half of what you need. However the adjusters are typically frozen and the alignment techs won’t bother to inform you, giving up and leaving them unadjusted-and sending you on your way which is evidenced by your caster numbers being worse after the camber was adjusted- and the caster not being touched. Return to them and max out your caster.

If you understand how to adjust your torsion bars and take measurements you can also adjust the front end down to improve your caster. Your target on stock UCA and stock rear springs would be approximately 20” ~ hub center to fender lip. Anything more and you start to get torque steer and increase the forces on your ball joints.

Read the FAQ link to Slee’ suspension install thread and you’ll figure it out.
 
^agreed.

I understand the simplicity of being able to keep factory arms. From a cost and labor perspective.

If those are a concern, keep closer the the oem side of things with cranked out bars and being able to maintain factory caster.

If you’re throwing a set of bars up front and coils in the rear, I’ll never understand not wanting to upgrade other parts of the suspension. Gaining that extra 2 degrees or so, plays a huge difference in how your truck handles. That’s the case with many lifted vehicles.

Same thing with rear controls and Panhard. Shocks.

Maybe some overdo it in others eyes, but I daily my truck. My kid rides in it. The wife. I want my truck to perform. I want it to respond and feel right. 60 miles a day I’m in it, these things all seem useful to me.

I understand the other end of things, these trucks don’t need much to be very capable. That’s part of it I enjoy at the same time.
 
^agreed.

I understand the simplicity of being able to keep factory arms. From a cost and labor perspective.

If those are a concern, keep closer the the oem side of things with cranked out bars and being able to maintain factory caster.

If you’re throwing a set of bars up front and coils in the rear, I’ll never understand not wanting to upgrade other parts of the suspension. Gaining that extra 2 degrees or so, plays a huge difference in how your truck handles. That’s the case with many lifted vehicles.

Same thing with rear controls and Panhard. Shocks.

Maybe some overdo it in others eyes, but I daily my truck. My kid rides in it. The wife. I want my truck to perform. I want it to respond and feel right. 60 miles a day I’m in it, these things all seem useful to me.

I understand the other end of things, these trucks don’t need much to be very capable. That’s part of it I enjoy at the same time.
Yep.. Personally, have a drop diff installed. SPC caster adjustment maxed out. Lucky to have an alignment shop that specializes in cruisers and SPC adjustments.

In the end, no torque steer, straight tracking, no steering pull. Life is good.
 
I'd check my measurements up front then try a different alignment shop before chasing UCAs. Not all shops that do alignments are created equal.
I agree.

After 2" lift install, took to local shop who swore he has done before. This was a fri afternoon. Owner left for weekend leaving 2nd in charge. Took delivery with a lot of out of alignment flags. 2nd in charge said that was best they could do. I returned that Monday with fsm alignment section. Challenged the owner to show me the procedure he used. Couldn't produce. Gave him the fsm section and watched as they implemented. vioila...truck aligned.

Moral of story...not many shops in general know these rigs.
 

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