Going long travel - would like some opinions before pulling the trigger.

So an LCA needs to be replaced on my tacoma, well a bushing really, so I'm turning this $15 repair into an excuse to go long travel. I've already justified it in my head.

Mechanic wanted $300 for labor, so in my search before agreeing to a rectal exam I found a fabricator who has long travel kits on sale. I forget why they are on sale, the connection was bad on the phone, but he needs money, and I need my front end in order. here's the breakdown:
$2k for:
2 Coilover Single Rate Springs
2 Fox 8" travel coilovers (picture in ad shows a res on the shock, not sure if included in pricing)
2 Tundra axles to retain 4wd
Coilover single rate springs
And the LT kit as described:

Toyota tacoma long travel race kit includes:

Upper Uni-ball A-arms
Lower Uni-ball A-arms
Brake Lines
Limit Straps
Steering Extensions
Hardware

This high end Long Travel kit you will find nothing but the very best in A-Arm
performance. Starting with our lower arm, uni-ball lower ball joint replacement,
and a stout boxed race arm. The upper arm pivots on urethane bushings with
zirk fitting and 1′′ race uni-balls replace the stock ball joints. We join the uni-ball
to the spindle with heat treated stainless steel adapters. Utilizing SPEC 8′′ travel
coilovers by King Foa radflo Sway-A-Way or FOX there is no need to cut the
stock coil-over mounts. The shock design has an external flange adapter . The
steering upgrade includes a Heat treated steel ty-rod and inner clevis which
utilizes a 3/4′′ rod end / heim joint. This system will yield up to 18′′ travel on a
2×4 and 16′′ on a 4×4. This system can also be upgraded with our dual shock
mount and a 2.5′′ 3 tube by-pass shock can be added to the system. So to sum
it up this upper and lower uni-ball Long Travel System is for the ultimate in
performance so if you are into trail running or desert racing or just exploring
Moab you have found the ultimate in performance!

Prerunner models are able to run a coilover, bypass shock and air bump
stop 4wd models can run a coilover and air bump stop or coilover and bypass
shock, not all 3 like the Prerunner models


My first question is what is the deal with coilover and air bump stops VS coilover and bypass
shocks? Air bumps aren't in my quote I've noticed.

Also, what other questions should I ask him? I've yet to get an answer as to whether or not the shocks have a res.

I'll be making a road trip to get the work done, I don't plan on ordering through the mail for several reasons.

Any input is appreciated, I feel that the kit is priced at a bargain and that now is a good time to pounce on it. I've read through the long travel threads more than I'd like to admit, but it's still pretty greek to me. I bought the truck with these things in mind:

I'm keeping it forever if possible
4x4 to go anywhere (Baja specifically)
double cab to bring my family along
I like to drive fast (roll cage will be in the future, so driving fast will have to wait. For now)

I don't plan on entering the truck into the Baja 1000 anytime soon, but it would be nice to not have to crawl to the beach on a dirt road because the bumps might hurt my truck. I remember an excessively long ride to a beach that I could plainly see in front of me when I was a kid, and I couldn't fathom why it was taking so long to get there WHEN I COULD PLAINLY SEE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

TL;DR: HELP ME PLZ.

Thanks.

Pics related:

 

added pics. hope that helps.

 

Kit looks good, but seems about a grand low on the price....be careful not to get scammed. Next thing to consider is you'll need longer axle shafts and glass fenders. I priced going LT. Good setup with fenders and paint (4x4) about 5.5K. I went mid travel.

 

He's got axles in the quote and I've already got glass fenders on. I bought some Duplicolor to paint the fenders so I don't stick out like a sore thumb, but I've been too lazy to sand and spray it on. I need t o get back on it though. He hasn't replied to my last few questions and I need the work done before the quote expires.

 

I would save your money and get a LT from a well known company. I wouldn't trust some no name LT kit on my truck especially if you plan on using it. Don't put your life online just to save some money. Good luck

 

Photos from Craig's list ad? Water jetted parts, TIG welded moly with all the stuff for 2K? Red flag! You show up with cash in hand and you could be robbed. You mail funds...goodbye. If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't. My two sense (spelled sense that way on purpose). Should you decide to go through with it, ask the perp...whoops, I mean seller, what name to make the cashier's check out to and present in person. That would not be a problem if he's legit.

 

I was just going to pay with my credit card. Anything wrong with that?

 

AHHHHHHHH!!!! Is that ZZR fabwerx???

Stay THE FUCK away from that bumpsteer kit. The guys is a lazy no talent hack that stole someone else's kit and failed at trying to copy it. Last guy I talked to said he'd gone through 4 sets of tires in 2 years because his alignment was so bad with that kit.

When I did business with Zip he overcharged me for some shitty custom work, and then when I dropped off a BAMF kit to be welded up, he sat on the kit for a month and half refused to send pics of what he said was "done" and then when I showed up for the finished work, he said he could "weld it up in like 20 minutes". When I finally told him I wanted my parts back and would go somewhere else, he threw my bag of parts at me and got all agro and said I owed him money.....for not doing any work.

ZZR fab is a POS garage fab company. Do yourself a huge favor and spend the extra cash for a kit that's got some good reputation to it

 

Is that his user name or shop name? That name doesn't sound familiar to me.

 

Let's say your going up there right? Ask for an address and Google map street view. Is it a shop? I run a John Deere dealership and we get scam attempts all the time. What are they after? Your CC #.

 

Also, he had that kit up on CL for like $1500ish for a couple years and it never sold. I tried to work a deal with the guy to rep him on TW and give him some good yelps and stuff, and try to work a deal on the LT kit...he quoted me more than the kit he had on CL.

 

If he's down in Imperial Beach, stay away.

ZZR fabwerx

Guys name is Ziplock or Zippy or something like that. He might have changed the company name by now, but it's junk

 

This dude goes by another name. He's got a place in San Diego and a shop in Yuma. I'm going to drive and have everything done in person. No mail. No Nigerians. I'll be sending him an email tomorrow to touch base. I'll keep this up to date after he gets back to me.

I tried to street view his shop, but I'm on my phone and it's not cooperating. There's a post office and a campground from the satellite view. Seems kind of odd.

 

Post the CL ad, I couldn't find it. That kit you posted looks exactly like ZZRs. So he's either going by a different name, or someone got swindled and is trying to recoup his cash

 

Yup STAY THE FUCK AWAY.... You have been warned man..DO NOT cheap out on this...I did and I regret it...now in rolling with camburg long travel and I wouldn't have it any other way..I repeat whatever you do do not do this. I know his work and that's it for sure. A friend had work done in San Diego by Zzr or zip of whatever the fuck he is and its complete shit with HORRIBLE welds that are grounded off and complete shit geometry....

 

Just look at the lca and uca. Pivots not even wrapped...absolute train wreck waiting to happen. Ticking time bomb

 

His kits have failed disastrously on a couple trucks. Horrible horrible fab work. Please please please don't cheap put on major suspension pieces like that. Not only are you endangering your own life, you're endangering the lives of everyone around you if that kit fails on the road

 

Ad looks expired. Here's his info.

S.M.F. Specialty Metal Fabrication
10812 Swede Way Yuma AZ 85365
928-817-7969

SMF fabrication has a Facebook page.

 

Hmmmm weird. I've stared at those pics for a while before, I'd put all my money on those being ZZR. I wonder if SMF took his jig and whatever kits he had and is trying to sell them or something. Regardless, the kits are dangerous.

Big thing to look for....they don't wrap around the bushing pieces, they're just straight welded on...big point of failure.

 

Whatever the name is we know the kit and have seen the pics...dont