Total Chaos upper control arms

[02 Beast]

Now if someone wants to bring their 100 to our shop for awhile I can take a look and see if we can put new suspension mounts on, then install an already available long travel kit, hybrid it for the 100 spindle and do a coil over conversion. We are kind of doing this right now to our company FJC moving the front IFS suspension forward 2". Ton of work but in the end we can fit 37" tires on a 4" IFS long travel lift. (putting on 36"s and having a pile of spare CV's on hand! )

Shoot why we are at it we can put a long travel kit on the rear. Here is shot of an FJC with what we can do:

Saving my allowance and I'll let you borrow mine!!

 

[wildsmith]

Yes the TC product clears any obstruction allowing the suspension with long travel shocks to get full travel.

That's great, thanks

 

[helocat]

We are installing a set of TC UCA's on a 2011 Tacoma today. So a nice chance to show the propitiatory bushings and extra thick center sleeves TC uses. Note the small ribs on the inside of the bushing next to the steel sleeve. These are grease galleys so when you use the grease zirks (90* angle to make them easy to use) the grease is distributed across the bushings.

There are some UCA's made out there we have had customers bring into our shop (that we don't sell) that use leaf spring bushings off the shelf that are smooth and do not have the grease galleys. These leaf spring bushings also use a thin wall inner sleeve, not the best way to go. The TC inner sleeves are a full 1/4" wall CNC cut DOM tubing.

Also before someone asks: "But the galleys are in the center, how does grease from the outside of the bushing make it to the center as well?" TC thought of this and makes their bushings a two part (photo shows only one in place) Since the "hat" or flange of the bushing is fully supported by the 1/4" wall thickness tubing the whole bushing goes into, they have a about a 3/8" gap in the center between the two bushings . The Grease zirk is also centered so the grease is allowed to pack into both the inner and outer of the custom bushings. Like I have said before, TC leads the industry in UCA's. Things like this they figured out long ago.

NOTE: When you grease ANY UCA's using the grease zirks, loosen the main mounting bolt! The hydraulic pressure from the grease gun can blow out the bushings. Should also be noted in the mfgr's install guide but good to keep in mind, so Jiffy Lube guy does not blow out your bushings! (If they do, its $55 for a new set for both sides with TC...... in stock at Metal-tech 4x4. [/Shameless plug])

 

[jgray]

What else does Metal Tech have in the works for the 100 series cruisers? I saw earlier in this thread that you guys will have 100 series sliders available soon... Any front or rear bumper plans? Any bumper kits like 4x4labs offers for rear bumpers? I have the metal tech med stinger bumper kit on my FJ40 and it looks great!

 

[helocat]

What else does Metal Tech have in the works for the 100 series cruisers? I saw earlier in this thread that you guys will have 100 series sliders available soon... Any front or rear bumper plans? Any bumper kits like 4x4labs offers for rear bumpers? I have the metal tech med stinger bumper kit on my FJ40 and it looks great!

Just the sliders for now. We have had them in the works for quite some time. Just slow since we don't have easy access to a test truck. We are waiting on our custom laser cut and formed bodies right now for the 100's. Last summer we had 200 grade 8 u-bolts made for these. Its just down to the main bodies now. They are not easy (or cheep) to have formed so it takes time. Would be allot easier to just use off the shelf box tube and put our propitiatory (or at least we thought, getting knocked off left and right these days) two stage rub rail on it. However we like the strength and light weight performance of our custom channel for the main bodies so we are waiting to do it right.

Mark

 

[r2m]

Have I missed it, or has anybody mentioned just how much more travel one can expect by adding these UCA's, assuming you have the optimum setup of shocks, diff drop etc.
In fact, on that note, what is stock travel and what would be the ultimate front end setup for maximum travel/articulation without sacrificing on road ability and durability (read: being able to do 75 mph and not being scared to death, or replacing ball joints, etc. every couple thousand miles) what would that travel be?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Have I missed it, or has anybody mentioned just how much more travel one can expect by adding these UCA's, assuming you have the optimum setup of shocks, diff drop etc.
In fact, on that note, what is stock travel and what would be the ultimate front end setup for maximum travel/articulation without sacrificing on road ability and durability (read: being able to do 75 mph and not being scared to death, or replacing ball joints, etc. every couple thousand miles) what would that travel be?

Stock wheel travel is 7.5 inches on the front of a 100-series. Same travel with OME shocks.

Most of the talk about aftermarket UCA's is that they add about one-inch-ish more in the way of down travel.

Me...I think it's not a good way to go on the 100's IFS. Too much CV angle. I won't do it on mine. Plus, I'd not consider any UCA unless it had a OEM bushing for maintenance-free and noise-free operation.

Of course the other argument is that one usually only gets to full droop off road and at lower speeds so the CV angle isn't a big deal. Probably true for the most part. I've been contemplating this recently and some day I might climb on board.

I think the biggest issue for me is the bushing type. No way would I go with an "open/exposed" bushing regardless of cost and travel benefits.

 

[r2m]

Thanks for chiming in ShottsUZJ100. I think I've mentioned it before, but I plan on using your rig as a basis for mine (and it doesn't hurt that it’s the same colour as mine too!). So to hear your thoughts on this is well appreciated considering that you've been and still are going down this path.

I'd also like to hear from anyone else who's been/on this journey. Not the armchair rationalist or window shopping wishers, but vendors and doers.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Awesome. Well, and let me throw in one more word about the mod/UCA's. I actually think that in time as these catch on (cause I think they will) we will hear that the CV's hold up for on-road and trail use. Not sure if they will hold up for higher speed desert travel. Maybe. The 100's a different beast and it's very heavy.

I think I'd bite and take the CV risk...IF they had a sealed/OEM type bushing.

 

[r2m]

I'm not into the pre-runner stuff. Been there, built that. In fact, when we're out wheeling, and we happen to be on wash board fire roads, I have to tell my wife to cool her rockets, and not blast down those roads, although she gets a kick out of it. I tell her these are not built for running the Baja. But that's her 98 LC. My 98 LC is being built for expedition use and a daily driver, when I'm not riding my motorcycle to work. To give you an idea of what I'd like to build, this was my previous truck before I rolled it about 3 years ago. The only difference is that my LC will not be quite so high. But this truck was great! 3 air compressors, dual batteries, ARB front and rear Deaver springs, 12,000lb winch and the list goes on.
A side note, I had to go through all my receipts for the insurance and I had spent about $45,000 on this truck, that's not including the purchase price, any of my time fabricating (which I did a lot), or my stereo (about $3,000).

 

[OregonLC]

Drop us an e-mail info@metaltech4x4.com and we can quote everything for you. As for the Metal-tech 100 sliders, the fixture is sitting down stairs. Few more tests and we can put them into production. Projects move at the speed we have open and we have been rather busy. We hope to have these out very soon.

Mark

I'd love to see them! I'm very close to you, this could be a good option for me. Might be able to be a test rig if needed... PM me if I can help.

 

[helocat]

I'd love to see them! I'm very close to you, this could be a good option for me. Might be able to be a test rig if needed... PM me if I can help.

You got it! Will add you to our contact list. We have a truck out of Hillsboro and one from Corvallis as well we have been working with. But always good to have others too!

Most of the talk about aftermarket UCA's is that they add about one-inch-ish more in the way of down travel.

Me...I think it's not a good way to go on the 100's IFS. Too much CV angle. I won't do it on mine. Plus, I'd not consider any UCA unless it had a OEM bushing for maintenance-free and noise-free operation.

Of course the other argument is that one usually only gets to full droop off road and at lower speeds so the CV angle isn't a big deal. Probably true for the most part. I've been contemplating this recently and some day I might climb on board.

I think the biggest issue for me is the bushing type. No way would I go with an "open/exposed" bushing regardless of cost and travel benefits.

We run the same CV's in the FJ Cruisers (the 100 had them first). Your second comment is key, you go full travel very little unless you are always getting on it on the trail. The thing that kills CV's is the guys who take that extra 7/8" travel and lift their trucks higher just to clear bigger tires. The day to day driving lifted extra high is what will kill them. (usually its the inner bell CV is to go when this is done)

Mark