Moab disaster turned best experience. Grandpas Garage!!!! BUY THE BRACKET!
- Thread starter kelly saad
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I have the IM bracket, which looks pretty much the same as the OME one. I've already installed it under the TB anchors a couple weeks ago, but was nervous about drilling the arm. Next week I'm leaving for a looong trip to Romania and I think it is time to do it - it would drive me mad if it cracked with the bracket partly installed.
However I have a problem: My bracket doesn't lie flat on the control arm but is pointed downwards towards the front of the car. I'm not sure if I can even drill & get the first bolt in - the one that's closer to the TB (as per instructions) like this. I was wondering if I'd put some pressure on the bracket with a jack would help with this? Not sure what's going on here.
However I have a problem: My bracket doesn't lie flat on the control arm but is pointed downwards towards the front of the car. I'm not sure if I can even drill & get the first bolt in - the one that's closer to the TB (as per instructions) like this. I was wondering if I'd put some pressure on the bracket with a jack would help with this? Not sure what's going on here.
- Thread starter
- #64
I wouldn’t be worried about drilling those holes. Sounds like something isn’t fitting correctly if it isn’t lined up. I personally would bend it close and get those bolts in, then tighten them down and suck the bracket tight against the arm. Can’t see what’s going on though. Maybe take a picture.
Thank you! I’ve figured everything is normal. the only confusion right now is that Ironman says: bolt, flat washer, spring washer, nut, while OME says bolt, spring washer, flat washer, nut. The OME one seems more rational, but not sure which way to go, and if the IM way, does the spring washer go under the nut, or under the bolt? So which side of the control arm should it be. I wonder why they can’t give a proper install guide with their products.. this is not the first time..
Judging by their installation manual picture, it goes under the nut and not the bolt, but it seems a bit strange to me..
- Thread starter
- #66
Most likely it really won’t matter, they are just holding the bracket in place. I would use flat washer on bolt head side, lock washer against the nut and you could put a flat washer on that side too but not against the nut. You want the spring washer against the nut. I’m sure there are plenty of other people here on Mud that know better than me, but that is how I would do it.
Thank You!
Does anyone have a pic of a cracked control arm ? How common is this with stock TB’s and oem control arms ?
It mostly happens on diesels
See post 1 for a photo. It can happen when wheeling fairly hard. I doubt this would be an issue if the roughest driving you do is dirt roads.
Eyedaho
SILVER Star
I just want to say THANK YOU for this post. You raised the awareness with me to install the brackets when I upgraded my TBs. It was very easy to do at that point. I know you were trying to raise awareness about this issue, so I wanted to let you know it worked!First of all, if you dont read this whole tread that's fine, but buy this stinkin bracket and don't wait. Cruiser Outfitters has it and it's pretty cheap. Look on the suspension page on their website.
OME 100 Series Front Torsion Bar Reinforcement Bracket (sold as pair)
Part# OME FK27
While attending Cruise Moab with my wife and 6yr old girl, on our first trail (Fins & Things) and on day 1, we broke the 100. While creeping down the steepest section of that trail, at the bottom, when I compressed the drivers front suspension, I heard a loud POP. At first, I thought that I had just hit my bumper but then I heard my tire rubbing on the inner fender plastic. As we headed towards the lunch break location, I felt as if the vehicle were leaning to the left. After I stopped and looked at it, I noticed the tire was tucked up in the fender, it looked like a "low rider", not cool in this situation.
The pressure of the torsion bar bracket or the inner bolt broke off the thin section of the lower control arm. At that point, I was riding on my bump stop. After much help from other generous attendees, we decided to hobble down a "short cut" and get out on the main road, if possible. It worked! we made it with the assistance of a couple wing men and drove into camp solo after that. View attachment 1970108
I need a welder, grinder, tools, and some steel.....and.... a lot more of
Well, let me tell you I was disappointed that we were not on Hell's Revenge trail this day, but this experience would turn out to be much better. Grandpas Garage has every tool you need to fix your broken down vehicle! Best part, it only costs the price of paying forward the generosity that he offers you, and anyone that needs help. There is no mechanic on site, just the shop and tools, but that is a savior if you are mechanically inclined. He had some scrap metal with the exact size hole and thickness of steel I needed! I cut the old chunk of ripped metal off the control arm, fabricated a new piece, checked the alignment of the bolt and Boom!View attachment 1970116
All welded up nicely, and ready to assemble.
View attachment 1970121
View attachment 1970122
Turns out, a lot of people I spoke with did not know of this guy and his garage. He is a life saver, a modern hero! Helping out people in these situations, while on family vacation is just outstanding and quite rare. If you are broke down in Moab, look up Grandpas Garage! Super cool guy and he is there to offer his shop to all that need need it.
- Thread starter
- #72
- Thread starter
- #73
Here is my fix for the control arms. I used my factory Toyota arms (fortunately I kept them) and welded a reinforcement on the inner side of the weak spot. There is an overlapping seam, and I welded my piece in there flush with the seam. Then, I overlapped that seam, just for an extra layer. Still need to drill the hole in these photos.
Thank you.. just trying to get a idea of where it was cracking and if welding In a reinforcement plate would help.
Also thanks to the OP for bringing this up.. as cheap as the brackets are it’s something I need to do. Even though my off roading this vehicle is mainly Forrest service roads
Also thanks to the OP for bringing this up.. as cheap as the brackets are it’s something I need to do. Even though my off roading this vehicle is mainly Forrest service roads
I was talking to my Toyota master mechanic that wrenches on my Cruiser and he highly suggested this while we were looking at refreshing the whole front end and all the bushings today. He told me that this is a very well known issue for the 100 series worldwide, lifted or not and that this should of been a recall that Toyota should of taken care of and has plagued the whole 100 series run (‘98-‘07). Cheap part doesn’t matter who you buy it from or the price but it seems that most companies that make this are based out of OZ.
My mechanic at Toyota just did this preventative upgrade for me today and he said it is more common than you think especially on stock and said that this was a know issue worldwide for all 100 series years and should of been a recall decades ago on the LCA
It's surely not a bad idea to install while you are "in there." But the vast majority of cracked lower A-arms are on Turbo Diesel HDJ100's. The engine with the manual transmission is over 350 lbs heavier and all of it biased over the front end of the vehicle. It comes stock with (2) lead acid batteries in FRONT of the wheels/axle vs our (1).
Obviously, as shown by the OP, a UZJ can crack the A-Arms. It's just not common.
Obviously, as shown by the OP, a UZJ can crack the A-Arms. It's just not common.
Where, Is this phone order only item? I didn’t see it in the supensio section.FK27 - $21.50 @ Cruiser Outfitters
Thanks
I went with the Ironman ones as they were slightly cheaper and with the coupon code for their Black Friday sale going right now I saved even more. Give those a peep. They came super fast (orders on Monday night, 11/8 at 3am and they were delivered on 11/9) shipped from Sherwood, OR and put the rig up on the rack over at ROM Garage in Monrovia, CA and should have it installed and everything buttoned back up by tomorrow and ready to hit the road to Moab
Do you need to remove the t-bars completely or just the front section where the FK27 is to be installed?
I was hoping to just unbolt the front and slip in the FK27.