I'm interested in hearing how these work out!
Freedom Off-road UCA (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 2020 Rocks
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JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
I agree. Aftermarket UCAs are a waste of money on these trucks, in my opinion. If the IFS was instead a coilover setup that could actually be lifted, then the aftermarket UCAs would be worth buying.
That’s what I’m thinking, but I wasn’t going to get into it with some guy on the phone. Anyhow I was considering new UCA’s since I might change out the ball joint and bushings. Seems easier and less time consuming to just buy the UCA with bushings and all already installed. I’m tracking down this strange thumping noise from my front right ever since the lift was installed. OME lift. It’s like dull thud sounds when running over bumps. Just considering it might be a ball joint. Don’t know yet. Still evaluating.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Bad ball joints typically “pop”, not thud. Easy to check ball joints: Jack up wheel off ground, put crowbar under tire, and pry up. You’ll see vertical movement in the ball joints if they’re bad.
jLB
Another one followed me home. Can we keep it?
Maybe so, but is seems to me, that the front UCA limits travel more than the shape of the spring. What limits the travel in the front suspension of a 100 series?
Length of shock?
UCA joint bind?
UCA collision with shock (or coilover, if converted)?
Length of the UCA/LCA?
CV Axle?
The shape of the spring?
In my experience, the primary reason to add an aftermarket UCA, is to get the tiniest bit of extra droop (by avoiding shock collision, and joint bind), so you can get a tiny bit more lift, without running out of droop. A secondary benefit is that it also allows additional caster, which is lost in lifting the IFS.
No, there isn't much travel in the IFS of the 100 series, and maybe adding an aftermarket UCA for and additional ~1" of lift/droop isn't very cost effective, but I don't know that I'd call it a complete waste. Isn't that somewhere around a 15-20% gain in very limited travel?
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do you actually gain an 1" if droop from an aftermarket UCA or are you just throwing that out there as hypothetical? 1" of droop is a pretty big deal. even if you had 2" of down travel after the lift, another inch is a 50% increase and potentially a better ride.
jLB
Another one followed me home. Can we keep it?
You gain some from aftermarket shocks, and some from the aftermarket UCA, the 1" figure is based on my observations of the difference between stock (AHC) and aftermarket (Tough Dog/Nitro UCA) on my personal vehicle. I really didn't spend too much time determining how much was shock, vs how much was UCA, but comparing the stock UCA to the aftermarket UCA, the difference in additional clearance for the shock was obvious, the additional ball joint movement was pretty apparent, but less obvious. With the aftermarket UCAs you ensure that you are limited by the shocks, which is why the vendors that offer "extended shocks" for the 100 series, "require" aftermarket UCAs, as the OE UCA would collide with the shock.
This is also based on our 2000 TLC, that was rather unhappy with its OME lift with the front sitting at ~21.5" with OE UCAs (not enough droop). Adding a set of SPC UCAs seemed to cure the droop issue, and the driving experience was transformed.
We're currently in the process of lifting our 99 LX, and at this point adding the after market UCAs (Trail Tailor) was just automatic.
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JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
1” is a 13.3% increase over stock travel, which, to me, isn’t worth $1,000 in UCAs and extended length shocks.
jLB
Another one followed me home. Can we keep it?
If 1" is a 13.3% over stock, that would mean stock travel is ~7.5", that seems a little generous, but could be accurate. Note that the 1" measurement wasn't using any of the fancy and expensive extended shocks, but I will agree that lifting an IFS Land Cruiser is a whole lot more expensive than previous generations, with a solid front axle, and it yields much smaller gains for a fair bit more (maybe questionable) money.
To each their own.
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My decision to use these UCAs is simple. I needed/wanted to replace my ball joints since the lower right is squeaking like crazy. Uppers showed some signs of wear as well. These complete units are $380. I also had some Amex/Amazon rewards points which means I paid $294 for these shipped. Upper ball joints are about $60 for the pair at Cruiser Outfitters. Im hoping to save some time and labor by not having to press the uppers into the factory arms.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
100 Front Suspension Travel
Does anyone have the numbers on stock 100 front suspension travel? Then a comparison between stock suspension travel and travel after installation of a lift? I know there are many different lift configurations, but I am just looking for a generalized comparison. Thanks!
forum.ih8mud.com
jLB
Another one followed me home. Can we keep it?
100 Front Suspension Travel
Does anyone have the numbers on stock 100 front suspension travel? Then a comparison between stock suspension travel and travel after installation of a lift? I know there are many different lift configurations, but I am just looking for a generalized comparison. Thanks!
If we also consider the direction of the suspension travel, and the loss of droop by changing its resting point (torsion bar lift), maybe it becomes more significant than your 13.3%...
If we take a measured: 22.75” full droop
Use your provided value of: 7.5” total travel
We can calculate a value of: 15.25” for full compression.
From there we can extrapolate:
+0” lift:
19.5 Factory ride height
4.25 factory compression
3.25 factory droop
+1” = 30% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs,
+2” = 60% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+1.5” lift:
21” ride height
5.75” compression
1.75” droop
+1”= 57% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+2”=114% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+2.0” lift:
21.5” ride height
6.25” compression
1.25” droop
+1”=80% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+2”=160% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+2.5” lift:
22” ride height
6.75” compression
0.75” droop
+1”=133% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
+2”=266% increase in droop from shocks and/or UCAs
Maybe an additional inch is just an insignificant +13% of total travel, or maybe it's a significant 80% increase in droop that makes the vehicle drivable. In my experience, I find some benefit in using aftermarket UCAs and shocks, you seem to think they're a waste of money, and would prefer to to spend your money elsewhere. Use them, don't use them, it really doesn't matter to me one way or another.
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I had finally talked myself into ordering these this morning since I could get them on amazon and use some points to help the price even more but do not see a link for the 100 series UCA’s. Anyone else having this problem?
- Thread starter
- #54
Search ball joints instead of control arm, on Amazon.
Still nothing. Only seeing them for the 200 series.
- Thread starter
- #56
I can't find them now either, you snooze you lose. I wonder how long before they have more and are listed on Amazon again. Seems as though they sold out of their first run.
Well dang. At least you confirmed that I’m not bad at searching on amazon.
do you know what vendor it was selling on amazon?
do you know what vendor it was selling on amazon?
- Thread starter
- #58
I don't, but on the first page of this thread is a ling to their website, you could see if you can order directly from them. Amazon was attractive due to free shipping and points, etc.
Ordered from the website. It was free shipping and no tax just couldn’t use my points.
Hopefully they are nice, I have SPC on my other 100, curious to see how they compare.
Hopefully they are nice, I have SPC on my other 100, curious to see how they compare.
I ordered these from the website as well. I'm not in a place to spend tons of money at the moment, and the price was right. Although, it does seem to be back-ordered until at least July at the moment.
