Fitting 33" tires with NO CMC and maintaining OEM Specs.

The upper ball joint location 100% moves the tire forward or back in the wheelwell, just the same as the lower ball joint does. Also, both lower and upper ball joints can adjust the angle of compression, aka caster.

 

You may need to re evaluate your understanding of what aftermarket UCAs are designed to do.

 

Having dozens of threads on “Flat Earth” doesn’t make it true. Sorry not trying to be an ass.
Just want the true information to be out there.

 

You are absolutely correct! That is why I included all my data to give a good foundation to this information.

also my truck can still move the tire forward a bit more. I only have the UCAs set at setting “F” I can go to setting “G” and gain a small amount of clearance.

 

I think the point that some people are missing here is that I speak from actual experience. I do the R&D on the write ups I make. I try to give the most current information possible. (I also update any "write up" when I discover new information that may change the data)
This thread is purely for information. Not for any debate of opinions.
If you actually have solid data I welcome a civil discussion to come to common ground. Geometry and physics are absolutes.

Hope everyone can take some direction to do their own research. Remember everyone has an opinion.
Not all opinions are true.
Take it with a "grain of salt" and hopefully it can be a good starting point to seek the truth!

Like it has already been mentioned, these set ups have a million different variation. So no one can tell you beyond a "shadow of a doubt" what will or will not work for your set up.

I'm simply providing the data as I find it to be true. (Not what I read as true)

Good Luck everyone!

Have a Wonderful Day!

 

Not at all. You can physical shift the wheel forward and backward with the lower cams. You can rotate the spindle back and forth all you want but the wheel movement is negligible. Check out post #138 and you both can educate yourselves.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-that-wheel-and-love-alignments.594309/page-7

Great, then include your photos and measurements on compression. Otherwise this is just another "flat earth" thread. Should also update the thread title to "Fitting 285s" as there are variations of 33s that fit.

 

Again with hearsay???? What you are stating is how to adjust Caster and Camber. (What the alignment shop does) NOT What the UCA's do.
What you are failing to understand is that by relocating to upper ball joint with aftermarket UCA you are moving the wheel "as a unit" forward or backwards. Thus increasing or decreasing the CASTER.
BOTH play role in CASTER and CAMBER.
"Cherry Picking" certain words that we are mentioning to try and prove a misguided point isn't understand anything. I understand that you have read a lot of post but it seems you don't grasp the dynamics of the IFS suspension.
Consider what we are saying and hopefully it will start to make sense.

 

Did you even read the post. Anyways I’m out, useless thread.

 

I did read your thread as it was being populated. You guys went through the use of SPCs. So why you insist that the UCA don't play a role in moving the tire forwards confuses me?
Like I stated earlier it will allow the tire to be moved forward and not get a ridiculously high Caster. (which really stress out the Rack)
This is a good option for those who are looking to clear 285's (33") Not with 35" tires. Size wise 285 without any suspension can fit into our fender well space, if positioned correctly. (May still rub at extreme stuff) However 35" tires won't fit. Even if you move the tire forward it will rub like crazy! Simply because the tire circumference is larger than the factory fender opening.

Does moving the tire forward help with 33" tires to clear the cab mount? Absolutely!
Will the 33" tires rub if I do extreme articulation? More than likely. Will it rub under moderate off-roading and overland expeditions like 90% of Tacoma user do? Probably not! (More than acceptable not to do a CMC)

I understand that If? you're trying to say that the movement that the UCA provides has a negligible affect towards moving the tire forward? Then I agree! But it does move! (Enough to affect alignment specs)

This movement although slight helps to keep your Caster and the other numbers within reasonable specs. and also help to clear the Cab mounts. (SPC designed it to do so)

Can you move the tire just as much forward with only the LCA's? (No UCA's) YES!
The range of movement for the LCA"s have NOT changed! They are exactly the same as stock!
However the SPC allow the CAMBER to be corrected, while you're increasing the Caster on a Lifted truck. IFS suffers from the loss of Caster and the loss of Camber. (One affects the other) Caster is lost due to the angle of how the UCA are mounted on the frame. (The lower it articulates the more you lose Caster).
The SPC's by design Can gain 3/4" of the tires moving forward (Clearance from the cab mounts) while still remaining in the factory specs.

 

Oh brother. Great looking truck Toku

 

Moral of the story? Don’t be a wuss and just do the CMC. It’s not scary and if you have a decent fabricator do it, you won’t even notice it was done after ground down and painted. Don’t be scared and just do things the correct way the first time. Then slap on your aftermarket UCAs and tires and never think about a hitting a cab mount ever again.

 

Stock suspension running 285/70/17 here. No rub even at full stuff/any wheel angle. THANKS TO CMC. Just chop the damn thing and move on.

 

Aftermarket UCAs add caster by moving the upper ball joint backwards. That decreases tire clearance at the firewall/cab mount.

 

Glad it works out for you guys! I guess I'm not as Macho? LMAO!! No sliders for you guys? Just charge to prove your macheesemo!
I prefer to do it with as little damage as possible. The less I need to cut or alter the better.
As I get older I understand it's not always about brute force.

 

The brown stuff is scary up here tho…

 

The post you mentioned literally says 3 times that moving the upper ball joint backwards decreases clearance at the firewall, and moving it forward increases clearance. Not as much as the lbj, which is obvious, but it does change the clearance.

 

Not in the same way the LCA cams do as you said. It’s angle changes as the UCA pivots, this is experienced on compression. This is where you tend to rub the firewall or upper pinch weld. UCAs have minimal impact on tire spacing to the CM.

Disconnect your upper ball joint and move your spindle back and forth and let me know how much the tire moves.

No one is saying that there isn’t some movement but it’s negligible and not remotely on the same level of the LCA adjustments which is what you argued.

I can change my UCA settings from minimum to maximum without affecting my cab mount clearance, I know this because I've ran every setting. However, when I have too much positive caster (about +4), I rub the firewall on compression so I reduce the caster to clear the firwall and am sitting at around (+1.75).

 

Dude the brown stuff is no joke! I see it on 2 year old vehicles around here. Mind boggling

 

I have done this a lot on not only my own truck, but several customer's trucks. Lots of cycling suspensions without the coils etc. I've also tubbed several vehicles for 35's, including my own which is running 37s. I also spend a lot of time doing alignments. I have a pretty solid understanding of how it all works together! Maybe I should make a video for my YouTube channel cycling suspension without a coil, with different alignment specs at the lower and upper control arms one of these days to show everything.

The biggest factor for how a tire clears (or doesn't) in my opinion is tire width and wheel offset/backspace. This, more than anything else, determines how much rubbing there will be.

 

Couldn't agree more, this is something I advocate often on the 3rd gen forum because so many people think a lift is all you need.

That being said, 90% of the rubbing issues are resolved with the LCA adjustments (Thats why some just opt for Taco tabs and be done with it). Maximizing wheel space with the LCA, then adjusting for drivability with the UCA