Question on Lift and UCA

Hey guys I've done a lot of searches on this thread and research and am still confused. I have a 2014 single cab 4x4 Tacoma that I want to do an old man emu 2 inch lift to because my rear leaf springs are pretty much flat and the Nevada desert has taken its toll on my suspension. I have 245/75/16 fallen wildpeaks and the stock steel wheels which I would like to keep. I am still confused on if I will need new UCAs to get proper alignment and if they will rub the tires. The local shop told me I will need new wheels so my UCAs don't rub but I kinda think they were trying to upsell me. I'm on a shoestring budget and like my steel wheels and tires anyways so I don't really want to change them. Also if I need control arms I looked at the freedom brand ones. Not sure if they are any good but wondered what y'all might say about them. Appreciate it guys and thanks in advance!

 

Buy the JBA UCAs don’t buy SPC. Freedoms okay but you might rub with them. Also I bought some used leafs from a 2015 - under 40k - off Craigslist for $50 & added a toytec aal. Your wheel combo should be fine but they will look small afterwards & you’ll want bigger tires. Tell them what you want or just go to another shop

 

Thanks for the advice. Those JBA UCAs look way better and aren't really that much more expensive. You think they will cause rubbing issues? I think for now I'll have to run the stock tires but will eventually get some bigger ones when these wear out I'm not so worried about it looking a little goofy. I moreso just want a stuffed suspension for offroading

 

There's nothing wrong with SPC UCA's and with their adjustability, you can pretty much do the alignment yourself (assuming your LCA bolts are not seized up). Which OME coils/shocks were you looking at? My truck has the 885 coils and nitro 90000 shocks and it sits at least 3" higher and rides pretty stiff. I would suggest the 884 springs if you're not looking for too much lift and to keep the ride softer. My truck also has add-a-leafs in the back and the springs seem to be doing fine with them. 245's will look small even with only 2" of lift. You may want to look for some takeoff springs on Craigslist and FB Marketplace to help keep costs down. If you're sure you want to keep the 245's, then you don't really need 2" lift springs, just some stock replacements that somebody else took off to lift their truck should work fine.

 

Am running OME with stock UCAs and no problems whatsoever. Alignment is in spec, UCAs do not rub. Drives just fine.

 

I think one fact that most will agree on is that everyone's setup after mods (and probably before) is slightly different. You're not going to get a single straight answer. For example, I targeted a 2" susp lift (bilstein + HS 2" coils and progressive AAL) and ended up with about 2.5". Why? No idea, but the tape measurement doesn't lie. This quickly exposed the age of my wheel bearings = new wheel bearings. Which exposed the needle bearing = ECGS. Then the alignment --- technically in spec but the caster was much lower and didn't track like before = UCAs followed by some driveline angle shenanigans to really get it dialed in. Given my personal experience, in my humble opinion, I would be prepared to add the UCA and be ready for the ECGS and either accept or deal with other noises and vibrations. The best way to work on a budget is to DIY, which also has the great benefit of doing all this yourself and knowing what/how to address the issues you'll face. If you don't need the UCAs and other items you'll be thrilled at all the $$$ you saved if you DIY you'll be thrilled that you get to tinker with the truck every weekend

 

Some words of wisdom right there.

 

Could you by chance send me some pictures of your truck? Are you running stock wheels? Thanks!

 

In theory, no, you don't need UCA's with a 2" lift. If your wheels are clearing fine now, they likely will with the mild lift as well.

It's possible you'll bind at full droop, but it's hard to know for sure ahead of time.