Game Changing LCAs (BTFFabrication)

Just tube the front end and do whatever you want

 

Tie rod to shock clearance would be poor, more ackerman angle, possibly bumpsteer, etc. 35s would rub more than they already do on the inner fender as the tire wouldnt be "centered" in the wheel well and would cram the battery/airbox area.

 

I definitely lost a lot of my turning radius with these new arms pushed all the way forward. I think the rack has more to go. I guess I could shave the stops, but I think I'll wait until smarter people add these and see what they do, if anything. I'm still a 10/10 on the purchase. I still need to check clearances stuffed lock to lock, but I haven't rubbed since the install driving to/from the mall which has been nice.

 

what's the current limiter for steering angle if the LCA to upright doesn't have stops (or do they just hit the "neck" before the BJ?)

 

What UCA's are you running, and what size tires and wheel backspace are you running?

Thank you for being an early tester for the rest of us!

 

Can you elaborate on why you lost turning radius and how much?

 

The BJ and the LCA frame is basically forward of OEM ... so the steering stop hits that sooner - my scribble in red attempts to show the steering distance I lost. I really don't know 'how much'. In my street out front, I used to be able to U-turn. It's now a 3 point turn. It hasn't bothered me other than that u-turn. I would guess the total diameter of the turn would be 2-4' greater. Maybe the width of a sidewalk.

 

thanks for the picture, but i'm surprised. Looks like the balljoint to arm contact point on the front side looks similar to the stock
but with a long wheelbase truck i suppose a couple degrees makes a big difference.
did you max the LBJ forwards with this arm? or did you maintain the same alignment but without maxing the cams?

 

Some LT kits that push the LBJ forward an inch like JD have you cut off the factory stop. Maybe try that? When my steering finally bothers me I’ll probably do the same or when I go to a tundra rack, that limits some steering anyway so I may just keep it the same. Who knows.

 

Alignment was pretty damn near the same. I had already had the rear cams maxed forward away from the rear fender and kept it maxed after. For the front I didn't have them fully inward before but I think they're fully inward now - but it was very close. My unscientific flat bar camber measurement is 89.6* at rest so I"m doing to stick with it. Here is a pic where it hits the LCA closer to where you noted above.

This is what I figured - It doesn't bother me enough at this point but I wanted to at least let others know what to expect. Thanks!

 

Is that gouge on the LCA from the steering stop? I wonder how that’ll age over time and what long term structural issues that could present. Feel like that’s something that should’ve come up relatively quickly in the testing phase. I’d at least want to grind and smooth down the factory steering stop so that the profiles match a little closer and they’re not digging into the arm.

 

It looks worse than it is. right now it is just the powdercoat but I do think I'd run into issues over time. I'm going to shave the stop to try to get a clean contact and, worse case, weld a thin plate on the LCA at the contact point to further protect it. The better news is that I'll cycle the suspension again and get some pics or a video lock to lock showing where I hit the fenders.

 

Hi all, I was just told this thread existed. In regards to the arm/steering stop issue, there’s a few things that could be done, but I felt adding more material to the arm to create a “pad” would do nothing but decrease steering angle even more. I didn’t want to narrow the arm in that location, since it’s where a lot of stress already is. I think smoothing out the edge of the balljoint reciever would be the ideal so you still have a solid stop but not one that’s hitting a sharp angle onto the arm if that makes sense.

As far as strength issues, the balljoint receiver plates are machined from one solid chunk and extend further down the arm than where the stop contacts, so it is all a solid block there.

 

Following up on my earlier post. Here are a few pics with no shock. This is full lock. I I have a thin tape measure in there to see if I can slide it back and forth. I am sitting on the bump using the weight of the vehicle. It barely clears.


However, I now hit the front right up under the headlamp when turning the other way.


if I turn the wheel straight I hit the bumper but I've since cut that off.


Over the Christmas break I'm going to cycle without the coil and check shock lengths. And I may just add a 1/4" bump spacer or see if I can knock back the fender. I did some easy slow crawling over the weekend and never rubbed anything.

I haven't done anything to get the full steerlng back as it doesn't bother me but I still need to figure out how to Smooth the stop or gusset the area where it hits.

 

I'm just glad more of this stuff is coming out. I'd like to run 35's without going all the way to CMR, so hoping this does the trick.

 

You can run 37s with the stock cab mount, without moving the knuckle forward.

 

wowzers in my trowsers.

 

Has anyone else purchased these with results or pics?

 

I was just about to pull the trigger on a set of these tonight but after seeing the current issues; I'd wait until someone has a viable solution. - Thank you for the informative review

 

Been talking to Brandon and almost ready to pull the trigger on a set for my 2nd gen. I've been running the DK performance LCAs for a couple years now with Poly Taco Tabs to set max caster.. So I like the similarities of using a lower BJ and the stock steering stops. I already trimmed my stops down for the DK's, so it shouldnt be a problem with the BTF's either.. if anything, I'll just have to trim more possibly.. OR.. none at all to limit steering angle if that becomes the binding area with these and everything pushed forward 3/4".