DIY UCA question: alignment?

Greetings,

I'm trying to decide whether to install a set of UCAs, such as the forged KSP ones myself when I install new front struts and AAL, or to just pay the extra for the parts and labor when I take it for an alignment the next day.

I would need to drive for approx 20-30 mile on it pre-alignment which makes me a bit anxious regarding the UCA as it would have a greater impact on the steering and stability then the added angle from the ~2" of front lift.

Are UCAs pretty easy to rough align to a good enough point with simple tools that I could do a small amount of highway driving on my way to the alignment shop?

The reason for aftermarket UCAs is primarily aesthetics as they're going to be a lot more visible with the lift, as well as potentially giving me more alignment adjustment for fitting 33"s if I go with them over 32s

 

The UCS isn't adjustable, unless you have heims or SPC. Alignment is adjusted from the LCA

 

I would get the toe as close to 0 on both sides by eye. 20-30 miles should be ok to drive, just keep speeds low. I lift trucks almost every week, and sometimes I'll roughly set the toe if it's really off.

You would be amazed how close you can get doing it by eye. Can use the rear tires as a gauge for what is straight. Bad toe is the spec most likely to chew up your tires. It's adjusted with the outer tie rods.

 

Thank you, I just watches a video explaining caster,.camber and toe.

It sounds like the SPC UCA might be a good choice for my build as they can be set to positive caster, potentially eliminating the need for a CMC?

Other control arms aside from aesthetics would mainly just help reduce the likelihood of tires rubbing the UCA or the UCA contacting the strut coils I assume?

 

no that everything works perfectly every time but back in day we use to find a good flat spot on the LCA get a paint pen and a laser pointer. put the laser pointer on the LCA in a spot then put a dot with the paint pen on the shop floor, or on a fender liner. we could get it a bit close enough to be able to be driven to a shop for more accurate work. or a magnetic level on the face of the rotor and get things close enough again not perfect but enough to get things drivable for a trip to the alignment rack

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-do-an-alignment-at-home.252256/

 

After extensive research, I decided to order the JBA standard high caster UCAs for a couple of reasons.
I had worries about the SPC camber slipping out of alignment if I were to have hard enough of a bump off-road. They will also greatly limit where I can get the vehicle aligned as well as increase the difficulty of the alignment due to how they work.
As far as the Billstein UCA, they aren't as transparent as JBA is regarding their angles and tire fitment. The JBA on the other hand provide 3* of caster which helps both with handling and tire fitment without being too extreme of an angle. I assume the billsteins are primarily to try to make the vehicle configurable to OE spec easier after a lift.

I opted for the STD over the HD UCAs as the HD are substantially more expensive as well as don't provide much effective benefit unless I were to reinforce the mounts and a few other components that would fail under the same conditions.

Going to paint em satin black once they arrive

 

My JBAs have 100k on them and I’ve had zero issues. Still have the original bushings and ball joint zero play.

 

Yeah they seemed to be a solid option, going to paint em satin black though as I don't really want the loud red in my fender well.

 

Are you ordering them unpainted? If so I’d have them powder coated in flat black will last much longer than rattle can paint.

 

They come pre powder coated red, after thinking about it I'm likely going to just leave them their original red color

 

Good idea. I bought mine in 2018 and the original red has never chipped.

 

Related question: Should I have relatively minimal problems in theory if I were to swap suspension components, install a lift and then do a quick rough toe and go before driving 20 miles , under 35mph to the alignment shop?

 

Correct just mark everything. Line up the marks, get toe close. The 20 miles will be fine.