Total Chaos UCA how-to Install

With practice I'm sure many folks can get these out quickly by bending the metal, but this being the third time (and Youngblood's first) for me installing UCAs on a Tacoma, I can say it was FAR faster to cut the heads and slide new bolts in from the bottom. I begged him to bend the pinch but he stood his ground and IMO made the right choice. It's not always about speed to me anyway. If I assist anyone else with lifting their truck, I'll recommend they cut and install new bolts if they have a sawzall. I can bring one if they don't. It was so much cleaner and quicker. Props of course Chris4x4, your posts helped tremendously with my mods.

 

I've been asked a couple times for the alignment numbers after this install. For those of you that asked I know it's been a while...I thought I had lost them, but just recently came across the paperwork again. So, I thought I would post them up....hope it helps out.

The work was done at the local Goodyear tire shop.

 

I'm hopeing Santa brings me some tc uca's! I put on a 3in. Lift and now have had two alignments and still have wandering issues and some nasty bump steer! My question is does anyone have problems with there tires rubbing the uca? I only have about a half an inch between my tires and the stock uca's? Also thanks for the thread and all the imput! I'll be installing mine soon and can't wait, for I've been driving it this way for two years! And have forgotten what it is supposed to drive like?

 

The UCAs definitely improve the accuracy of the steering response.

I'm running TC UCAs and stock TRD wheels with 285/65 16 tires. It is close in there maybe 1/2" but they don't rub.

Going with bigger rubber is going to require a wheel with greater offset. I'm planning to go the same route as woods247 with some 17" BBS with a 4.75" backspace.

Enjoy your new UCAs!

 

Who has the best $$$$$price$$$$$ on these????????????????????????????????

 

anyone in the southern wisconsin area that wants to help me install some TC UCA's?

 

I was trying to remove my OE UCA tonight and could not get it off the spindle. The upper part with the long bolt was no problem. With the spindle part I tried prying, hammering, and using a clamp. All were quite unsuccessful. Is there any trick to it that I am missing?

 

A little trick if you want to keep and re-use the upper ball joint is to flip the nut over once you get it off and screw it back on upside down. Then you can hammer on the nut to pop the ball joint out and you wont damage the threads.

 

Thanks for the input. I will just pick up a pusher...seems a little less destructive than smacking the hell out of it with a hammer.

 

It's funny how this varies by truck. Mine were a bitch to get out also, I couldn't hammer them out. I ended up using a big crow bar to pop them off...but when I helped Rene (tacoskim) install his UCA's, his popped right out with 1 hit from the hammer.

 

i'm saving for the total chaos. while my truck handles nicely lifted..i feel something changed and it is less responsive than stock. it just feel "looser". camber set at spec was impossible for my poor alignment guy.

i'm going back in!!

thanks chris. you and the wife ever come to the bay area..beer is on me.

 

So after you cut off the old bolt do you reinstall the new one the opposite direction? ie. front to back instead of back to front? Nut side where the 'bend' would have been, reverse of original direction etc. Thanks.

 

Yes indeed.

 

Cool. It was actually obvious once I went out and looked at it. I'd rather not bend the pinch-weld just to get a bolt out. Thanks.

 

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So what im getting out of this is if we were to do a six inch or higher lift and we dont want to have wandering issues then invest in getting a pair of uca's? sorry im new to all this stuff and i researched i think on total chaos website and i thought now i might be crazy but i thought it said for all tacomas up to 2008 ... will they fit my 2010?