HELP W SETUP - ICON STAGE 2 , METHOD NV's , SPC UCA's , TOYO OPEN COUNTRY R/T 285's

Hello Everyone,

In 2 weeks I will be ordering the following; Im open to any advice and or different components you think would workout better for my 2009 Double-cab Tacoma Pre-runner TRD. I appreciate all the knowledge from you Off-Road Guru's!

Suspension Lift : ICON STAGE 2 Kit

UCA's Option 1: SPC " Light Racing "
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...g)_Ball_Joint_Upper_Control_Arms_-_25470.html

UCA's Option 2 :
Camburg Ball Joint Upper Control Arms with Moog Ball Joints - 310078
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...trol_Arms_with_Moog_Ball_Joints_-_310078.html

UCA's Option 3 :
Total Chaos Uniball Upper Control Arms - 96504
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p205/Total_Chaos_Uniball_Upper_Control_Arms_ -_96504.html

Wheels : Method NV's 17in

Tires : TOYO OPEN COUNTRYS RT 17 285

 

I like the low maintenance and extra travel from my SPC balljoint UCAs, but I do live in a wet/ wintery climate.

 

Spc allows you to move the tire forward in the wheel well and not lose your caster. I run them on my truck, they take a beating, they have my vote.

 

I love the caster adjustability of my SPC arms, but I only have a 1.75in front lift and I am 85% on road, 15% off road.

 

One thing I want to throw out there that most don't think of with the SPC arms is that adjustable upper ball joint creates another potential failure point. I was wheeling with someone who had them on a 4Runner and on an open dirt road, he suddenly had a loud rubbing noise, we got out and investigated and the ball joint had slid all the way over and the edge of the arm was hitting his tire. This chewed up the tire and created an interesting trail repair where the whole group was standing around looking at each other hoping someone had a socket large enough for the huge nut there.

Moral of the story, it creates an extra and IMO, unneccesary failure point. I've never had an issue aligning a truck with any other arm without that adjustability so why put yourself at risk to have a problem? A lot of other arms offer ball joints if that's what you want.

 

Either the UCAs that were on that 4Runner were and older version or something else went very wrong. What you have described would not happen on the SPC control arms I have on my Tacoma. The caster setting is not something that can just slide if it becomes loose. It has a one side rounded and other side squared piece that fits into the control arm. Depending on which angle the piece is laid into the arm, determines the caster angle. The bolt must come loose enough to fall completely off allow this piece to rise out of the control arms' grips in order to change the angle of the wheel. With this, these arms are no more or less reliable than stock ones.