LC250/GX Suspension Thread (2 Viewers)

[Pauly]

@crikeymike thanks so much for the knowledge! I just ran across the video when I was looking into what a diff drop kit was and know some of his other videos were well regarded so I shared. Appreciate this forum for exactly this kind of knowledge.

 

[Jeremy556]

I hate the way he generalizes every brand of front strut in that video. Some brands do reach longer than the ones he's testing, and without a diff drop in place, the CV's WILL BIND at full droop, just like the Icon link that was just posted. Ironman's and Bilstein's options are not extended travel enough to warrant the need for a diff drop kit, which is why they don't require it. Dobinsons on the other hand have longer extended travel front struts that do require a diff drop, regardless of the lift height. At full droop, the CV's will bind without it in place.

So for those that listen to this youtuber, then blow a few $500 CV axles, or get a $3000 repair bill like above, I hope they're happy with the information they got.

On the 120/150 at least, it doesn't matter. Droop travel is limited by the upper ball joint. Even with stock length uniball UCAs that have more droop travel, the OEM CVs do not bind or over extend.

The over-extended CV failures like above that I have seen, are usually caused by missing fasteners. One of the 2 LCA to lower ball joint bolts, one of the LCA to frame bolts, or the UCA to frame long bolt backs out until 1/2 a UCA is free to flop around.

 

[Theboudinking]

Installed the WesScott lift, Spidertrax spacers and 295/70R18 Toyo Open Country AT3 on my dad's GX. Zero rubbing and zero cutting to fit!

 

[ace10]

Interesting turn of events on the Icon/4th Gen Taco failure. Toyota dealer, while inspecting the damage found that the Icon Diff Drop Brackets were present but only partially secured. And no evidence that they ever were installed properly.

 

[crikeymike]

Interesting turn of events on the Icon/4th Gen Taco failure. Toyota dealer, while inspecting the damage found that the Icon Diff Drop Brackets were present but only partially secured. And no evidence that they ever were installed properly.

Well crap, a loose front differential would definitely cause all that damage. Wow, that's really not good at all, to whoever installed it.

 

[joseywales]

Installed the WesScott lift, Spidertrax spacers and 295/70R18 Toyo Open Country AT3 on my dad's GX. Zero rubbing and zero cutting to fit!

View attachment 3787126

So that’s Wescotts 2.5” / 3/4” collar/puck kit? Looks great. How big a spacer are you running? 25mm?

 

[Theboudinking]

So that’s Wescotts 2.5” / 3/4” collar/puck kit? Looks great. How big a spacer are you running? 25mm?

Yes it is. The spacers are 1" thick from spidertraxx.

 

[Dixon Santana]

Hey bud. The cruiser is looking good!!

Can you measure the hub to fender length on the rear?

Just now seeing this going through my notifications. Apologize for the delay. Happy to get you the measurement if you still need it.

 

[turbo8]

Made billet rear lower control arms that use 200 series oem type bushings for the 250/GX.

 

[turbo8]

On a side note, when loosening the control arm bolts, don't lossen from the nut side, loosen from the bolt side. The nuts have 4 teeth on them that dig into the frame.

 

[Oakleyguy]

Made billet rear lower control arms that use 200 series oem type bushings for the 250/GX.

View attachment 3806701

View attachment 3806708

I'm digging those. Aluminum I'm guessing?

Are you doing the CNC work in-house?

 

[turbo8]

Yup, 6061-T6 with a hard anodize. Parts are outsourced.

Made a few sets.
250 has them now too.

 

[Sandroad]

From a post in the 200 section. This is a LC250 in Australia on a tow truck.

 

[crikeymike]

From a post in the 200 section. This is a LC250 in Australia on a tow truck.

View attachment 3816371

Looks like they lost the bolt. The mount is still on the LCA

 

[turbo8]

Looks like they lost the bolt. The mount is still on the LCA

Good thing the 250s still have a dedicated bump stop, unlike the tacomas, which bump off the shock.

 

[crikeymike]

Good thing the 250s still have a dedicated bump stop, unlike the tacomas, which bump off the shock.

Yeah, that just seems like such an insane idea!!

 

[PhredT]

@Dixon Santana What part number or model Radflo's did you use front and rear? There seem to be several LC250 options. I'm curious which you chose and why. Thanks.

 

[Jetboy]

From a post in the 200 section. This is a LC250 in Australia on a tow truck.

View attachment 3816371

That's wild. I'd love to know if that was an OEM assembly or if someone had removed that bolt and not properly torqued it back on (and/or if the FSM requires a thread locker on it). The design is relatively common, but not a common failure. That's why I'd suspect it was removed by someone at some point. The Tacoma LCA is more like prior generations with a double shear design, so if it did come loose, it would just ride in the bracket bucket and not drop onto the bump stops like this. Overall I think the Taco LCA is superior design, but the bump stop thing is a pretty odd omission. On my J150 I often had the opposite problem of having to cut the through-bolt out to remove - enough times that I kept a spare one in my parts box for when I needed to service the shocks. But it only ever happened on one side. Possibly this is also the case for the LC250 in this config where it'll tend to work loose on the left hand side. Either way - probably want to use some thread locker on there going forward.

 

[Catching Neutral]

Can someone help my barnacle brain understand the Westcott lift? 2.5” front & 3/4 inch rear. Why the 1.75 inch difference?

 

[CarcaineProblems]

The front end is lower from the factory. Stink bug look. There are spacers just for the front to level the vehicle out (which I run). So the lift is setup for those without the front spacer kit