Just installed icon stage 4

Upper control arm bolts were the most nastiest bitches in the world only damn obstacle. I thought the driver side was difficult but the passengers side took it to a whole new level...

 

UCA bolts suck. I just started by unhooking the wires on the engine side of the fender well, then bent the shit out of it with some channel locks and BFH.

 

I thought I read the driver's side was harder because of the battery tray or some such shit. I did the passenger side first & just about threw a jug of kerosene on the entire house & lit the bitch up before starting the driver's side. Fortunately it was a little easier but if I had it to do over again I probably would have ordered new bolts & then just cut them up & taken them outing pieced instead. Probably would have saved me an hour of time just for that step.

 

Hindsight being 20/20 I would have just cut my UCA bolts out and installed new ones. Fuck removing those bitches. It will be easier for me next time since I reinstalled the bolts backwards, but I would have saved myself some frustration.

 

bro if i had a spare bolt i would have done that too i used a small disc wheel grinder and cut away

 

i cut away with a disc grinder installed them how factory done it cuz im an idiot

 

so quick question guys i did a few test runs and is the new system naturally kinda clunky on sharp turns and shit? also i never really noticed it until now but is it normal when you turn maxed out and hold it there, like i did it sationary in the lot, to hear a small grinding type of noise coming from somewhere in the trans

 

If you're holding the steering at the lock you'll hear a grinding as steering stop hits the LCA. that's normal. if you turn the wheel back a little the noise should go away.

 

cool i never ever noticed that til a few ago thanks i was like wtf is this shit normal

 

So how ids the off road ride

 

^^^^
This.

I looked that up on here before I started.

Cost $25 CAD.

Come to think of it, I look everything up on here.

 

but..... if you are putting new bolts in wouldnt the fenders need to be just as bent to get them in as they would to take them out?

 

Yes if you cant take them out how are they going to go in. With a little patience they are fairly simple to remove and install.

 

It is not advised to install the bolt backwards. The factory position has a slant and some sheet metal that will retain the bolt if the nut loosens. If you install the bolt backwards, and the nut loosens, the bolt is able to fall out of the uca which would lead to a catastrophic failure. This has happened and will happen again as long as people keep installing these backwards.

Here is an example of the bolt being retained by the factory installation position.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/uca-bolt-came-out.190921/

 

I check the torque on mine periodically and have run them that way for 20k+ miles with some hard wheeling. I've had no issues.

 

I hope everyone that installs it backwards is as diligent. Failure of the UCA at high speeds would be disastrous.

 

i used locktite on every bolt when i installed it

 

too me an hour and a half for passengers and took me about 30 for driver smh

 

↑^^^^^^^^^↑ This.

I don't think it took more than 10 min per side for me, but I went right to bending. Also cussing.

 

The way I see it, the bolt is installed before the body goes on (at the factory).

I check everything periodically. Good move!

Common sense for suspension parts.