UCA & toytek Question

[boiler_taco]

I am going to be adding a toytek 3" lift kit with 884 coils. I was wodnering if changing the UCA to a larger one, like total chaos, is necessary. will i still be bale to get a correct alignment? how many people out there have aftermarket UCA's with toyotek lifts? thanks

[TucsonTRD]

i don't have any experience with the aftermarket uca's, but aren't they smaller? i'm sure they have a slighter different geometry designed for lifted vehicles. but you don't need to get different uca's. a good shop should be able to get your alignment to spec with the factory uca's.

[toku58]

YES! You will need to get a set of UCA's inorder to correctly align your truck, Mainly your caster. Although a shop will be able to align your truck into specs, for the camber and toe.
Good luck!

[PiercedTiger]

Can someone explain in layman's terms why I would need a UCA for a lifted truck? I have a 3" toytec lift, but plan on doing a SAW or DR upgrade at some point and figured I might as well do the UCA upgrade if needed. So far my truck is aligned just fine without one even with the 3" lift. The DR or SAW kit would keep the truck at the same height is now so is it really worth the extra $$$$?

[SilverStreak05]

Like Toku said, camber and toe are no problem, but caster WILL be out of spec if you lift the truck. Caster affects stability, especially at high speed. If you're comfortable with how the truck drives, then no, you dont need new UCA's.

Getting them allows you to put the caster back within spec, they also give a bit more suspension travel.

[PiercedTiger]

Originally Posted by SilverStreak05

Like Toku said, camber and toe are no problem, but caster WILL be out of spec if you lift the truck. Caster affects stability, especially at high speed. If you're comfortable with how the truck drives, then no, you dont need new UCA's.

Getting them allows you to put the caster back within spec, they also give a bit more suspension travel.

Thanks! I have no problems now and I tend to be one of those "bob-n-weave" drivers getting through 3 lanes of traffic on the way to work. Truck handles better than my car even with the lift. So it's hard for me to justify coughing up the $400-$600 (or whatever it is now) for new UCA's along with $1,000+ for suspension. Toytec spacer works great, but I'm thinking a coilover like DR or SAW or something similar would give better travel and shock absorption when off roading. The toytec is rather harse on sudden bumps like rocks, or climbing over a curb to access a trail.

[SilverStreak05]

Since our trucks are IFS the travel of the front suspension is fixed, so with the exception of a long travel setup there's nothing gained there. You will however lose a lot of that harshness by going with a setup that doesn't use a preload spacer.

[PiercedTiger]

Originally Posted by SilverStreak05

Since our trucks are IFS the travel of the front suspension is fixed, so with the exception of a long travel setup there's nothing gained there. You will however lose a lot of that harshness by going with a setup that doesn't use a preload spacer.

Ok thanks. I kinda figured that. I'm also assuming (maybe incorrectly) that I lose a little articulation with a preload spacer. I was assuming that the spring is already partially compressed due to the spacer, and therefor would fully compress (and stop) before a different setup.... Maybe I'm not thinking about it right tho...