LCA Sleeve (1 Viewer)

[baldilocks]

I considered sleeping mine when after only a couple Rubicon runs the lowers were slightly bent. My 94 has 265k on the off so I figured new bushings were also in order. To get everything I needed in one quick,simple package I bought Metaltech adjustable uppers and lowers. A couple hours later it was Miller time and I had what I wanted.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

You guys seem to be trying to reinvent the wheel. Just do what the Arizona guys do. It works great and only $45 dollars worth of DOM.

Best fit
Strongest pipe
Cleanest look
Best clearance
Delivered to your door

The trouble free smart way to go.

After woody broke his rear UCA I used the same set up as the LCA on the uppers.

Rear Upper control arm mod <link

 

[Tools R Us]

... By the way I sometimes go over the Boulder barriers out at the entrance of logging roads to prevent people from wheeling, so I've smacked a few rocks.

So, the land manager closes a route and you go anyway? This is the type of action that destroys the reputation of responsible OHV users. For those of us who fight for OHV access, this is one of the biggest obstacles, have examples of this type actions thrown at us all of the time. Speaks, enforces their fear, conviction that the OHV community can't be trusted to do the right thing.

... Schedule 80 is some tough stuff for sure, but it is more brittle by itself is the only issue. Then you go and add heat to points along the length creating weaker more brittle points. But as long as the LCA tubing is nice and tight inside the Sch80, you should t really have issues.

Poop pipe is low carbon mild steel, designed to be bent, welded and often used in applications where failure/leakage would not end well, gas, steam, etc. In other words, ductile, for this application, not significantly more brittle than any other tube. To meet the spec it is tested, bent, flattened, etc, could be argued that it is tested more than tube. It's cheaper mainly because it's common, lots of it is made, and the dimensions are not as tight, not an issue in this application.

... Personally I look at it like, if I'm driving down the freeway and my daughter is in the back and some previous damage to the LCA results in a catastrophic failure going 70mph, is my cruiser going to remain controllable until it's safely off the road? Or is it going to dip to one side, steer my cruiser from the rear a bit and cause a rollover which could result in my little girl getting hurt? Regardless of the the way it would play out and the mechanics of losing an LCA on the freeway, I would never take that chance and my material for the top and bottom control arms was heavy wall stuff and ran me $78 for all of it. $78 of assurance my little girl is protected. Either way you go, it's all in how you use your rig and what you feel comfortable with. I always say, if there is a question of safety cost shouldn't be a consideration, you can always save and wait.

The predictable "my kid is important" FUD argument gets drug out! So the rest of us are disposable? For that, one would think that you would only run arms made by a reputable company that only employs certified welders?

Have only seen one rear arm broken and it was in a significant accident and the bolt hole was compromised at the frame bracket. It could be easily argued that any reinforcement method used by a competent fabricator will be significantly stronger than stock. On the ones that I have seen fail, (one adjustable came loose, unthreaded/stripped and several bolts falling out installed by the "don't believe in torque wrenches" crew) didn't hugely affect handling, some were only found by looking for a clunk, had been that way for a while.

 

[Summiteer]

Have done a bunch of them, mainly with poop pipe. Most on rigs that get wheeled often and contact rock, with zero failures. If you are slamming them hard enough to damage them, even with poop pipe, are likely to also damage/deform the factory bushing holders and/or frame mounts, have seen this without bending poop pipe reinforced arms.

Mine have 2" x 1/4" angle welded to them, done in 2006, have hundreds of trail days on them. One is slightly bent, but was a very memorable event, my teeth still hurt just thinking about it!

Curious if you remember what size pipe you use and if you sleeve the old arms or just make new arms out of the pipe and the ends.
The stuff I picked up is schedule 80 has a 1.5" ID which will create a small gap if I sleeve. I really don't think a snug fit is necessary however since when you cut the stock arm in half it renders it useless unless it is somehow reconnected with a butt weld. I see the strength from sleeving mainly coming from the larger OD of the new pipe and not necessarily the overall thickness of the two combined although it certainly helps.

I'm also liking the idea of using two pieces 1/4" or 5/16" angle and boxing the arm with it, similar to what I mentioned earlier about cutting the pipe in half but using angle instead. If boxing with 2" angle you could leave the bottom of the arm flat kinda turning it into a skid plate... that might be a stretch but that's how I'm seeing it.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

So, the land manager closes a route and you go anyway? This is the type of action that destroys the reputation of responsible OHV users. For those of us who fight for OHV access, this is one of the biggest obstacles, have examples of this type actions thrown at us all of the time. Speaks, enforces their fear, conviction that the OHV community can't be trusted to do the right thing.

I could give at least 3 instances where I've witnessed poo pipe break at the welded area...not the weld...just behind it. Of course I bring out the kid card because it was part of my personal consideration when sleeving mine. I don't need a company with " certified welders" because I have worked for a very large fabrication company who started the manufacture of the old road armor bumpers and numerous other off road components and they had 2 out of 9 day shift welders who were certified and they didn't do any of that welding, only the nicer stainless and aluminum stuff. Lastly the reason I have travelled over said barriers wasn't to wheel, it was because I have several physical disabilities from serving my country for 8 years and it's a lot easier for me drive over the barriers and load a f*cked up recliner of partially burned couch or a bunch of trash or whatever is dumpped out there and left or lit on fire than it is to try and haul it out by hand the whole way. But thanks for that. I am a firm believer in picking up that crap in hopes that the land manager will see that we who use the trails care in hopes they will keep areas open for use. I have had a winch since the last time I travelled over a barrier and now use it instead.

 

[Rwhat]

Honestly, the easiest thing is to go the DOM route. I did it and never looked back. I pressed out the bushings. Also the older cruisers have larger diameter control arms. So the listed DOM won't work.

The arms sleeve into the DOM like butter.

When I pulled my previous arms they were bent up and to the inside.

 

[baldilocks]

This thread is killing me because I thought the Metaltech adjustable a were a no brainer. Yes $600 but I'm done with that forever plus I got new bushings. This equals

 

[Summiteer]

This thread is killing me because I thought the Metaltech adjustable a were a no brainer. Yes $600 but I'm done with that forever plus I got new bushings. This equals

Wow... If I can get the same result or close to it for $10-$50 that seems like a no brainier to me. Sorry but $600 seems like a complete rip off! I'd rather spend the $550 of savings on gas for a road trip or 100 gallons of ice cream...

 

[bmac1996acc]

Wow... If I can get the same result or close to it for $10-$50 that seems like a no brainier to me. Sorry but $600 seems like a complete rip off! I'd rather spend the $550 of savings on gas for a road trip or 100 gallons of ice cream...

Well not really a similar comparison there. MetalTech Arms have a Johnny Joint and new Bushings for each arm. Just the joint runs $45-$50 each. They are also powder coated. What $40-$50 for PC? I get wanting to save money but you aren't ending up with the same result (more flex but a harsher ride as you said you didn't want). If you need bushings on your newly sleeved arms that will cost around $180-$200 ($300 if you want oem bushings)

 

[Rwhat]

I thought johnny joints were for jeeps.....

 

[landtank]

Wow... If I can get the same result or close to it for $10-$50 that seems like a no brainier to me. Sorry but $600 seems like a complete rip off! I'd rather spend the $550 of savings on gas for a road trip or 100 gallons of ice cream...

If you have the means, the skills and this solution meets your needs that's great. Others have different needs so there are other products out there. All which are more expensive that whatever it is you're going to cobble together.

 

[bmac1996acc]

I thought johnny joints were for jeeps.....

Well yeah... just like mud tires, lift kits, sliders...

 

[inkpot]

I thought johnny joints were for jeeps.....

Yea, and so is powdercoating. As soon as you wheel your rig and kiss a rock with those pretty, shinny new beefed up LCAs, your gunna kiss a rock with them and the PC is done. You cant touch them up worth a crap. $5 rattle can is a lot more practical if you want to keep them from rusting. JOhn

 

[OLD DAWG]

Wow... If I can get the same result or close to it for $10-$50 that seems like a no brainier to me. Sorry but $600 seems like a complete rip off! I'd rather spend the $550 of savings on gas for a road trip or 100 gallons of ice cream...

Hey Summiteer, you must have checked DOM prices down here in Montrose at Recla. Them boys give you nothing for old scrap but SURE like to charge you when you buy something

 

[Summiteer]

Hey Summiteer, you must have checked DOM prices down here in Montrose at Recla. Them boys give you nothing for old scrap but SURE like to charge you when you buy something

That's exactly where I checked... Was really in disbelief when he quoted me the price. Love the price on their drops though!

 

[Summiteer]

Got an old suburban I was gonna take them... Only $50 a ton

 

[baldilocks]

Wow... If I can get the same result or close to it for $10-$50 that seems like a no brainier to me. Sorry but $600 seems like a complete rip off! I'd rather spend the $550 of savings on gas for a road trip or 100 gallons of ice cream...

Didn't mean to step on your toes. By the time you build what I bought you are in way farther than $50. New bushings, adjustability and a warranty is what I paid for. The reinforcement part is all you are considering here. No, I am not endorsing this product. I love to fire up my welder and plasma cutter just as much as you do but I can't weld in adjustability and new bushings. Did I mention adjustability and new bushings? My pinion angle rocks!! Now I'm laughing at myself!

 

[Rwhat]

3 of us bent our control arms on the same trip. One buddy went with Land Tanks and another buddy went with Metal tech.

Either route is good. I went the cheap way and it actually was less then $50. I pressed out the bushings before I welded them and pressed them back in after I welded it. I made them 3/8" longer. Then rattle canned them.

 

[ssyork]

3 of us bent our control arms on the same trip. One buddy went with Land Tanks and another buddy went with Metal tech.

Either route is good. I went the cheap way and it actually was less then $50. I pressed out the bushings before I welded them and pressed them back in after I welded it. I made them 3/8" longer. Then rattle canned them.

How much lift are you running to justify the extra 3/8? I'm going to be running 2.5-3", with 35's,but don't have the lift yet.

 

[jcardona1]

I did my lowers with DOM. Got a 5' stick for $52 shipped from Amazon.

Last night I finished one of the adjustable uppers. Still have on more to go