U bolt flip kits

Going to take for saying this but I wouldn’t flip your u-bolts if you run heavy with a lot of add-ons, sometimes carry a heavy load or tow a travel trailer. I wanted to do it also but have been recommended by a couple shops that I shouldn’t flip my u-bolts because they hold the axle less securely and the axle can more easily slip out of alignment due to higher torsion strains on it from towing and heavier loading on the truck.

Has anyone else been told this as well?

 

I've heard the best one is Archive with yellow bumps

this
does not say anything

 

Thanks. I was really looking for experienced opinions about it from those who tow trailers and such, as it makes sense when you are twisting the axle more when doing that.

 

people tow yes

 

I got the recommendation not to do it from 2 reputable off-road shops in town who actually sell the kits- Head Strong even recommended one of them to me (we all used to be in the same town) and they have been doing work on my truck since it was new. They also know the bottom of my truck better than I do because they are the ones that built my rear leaf packs, replaced all the shocks, rerouted my exhaust and do all my alignments.

 

Ive got some extended icons that are like and inch or two more than standard along with the icon leaf springs stage 3. I went with timbren for the ubolt flip. Been working awesome for me.

 

I went with the Timbren's. Been running them for over 3 years with no issues. I did cut the u-bolts down since these looked too long to my OCD.

 

I agree with this here. I dont think the wheelers are harsh but they do steal some uptravel which is very very important.

As for the front dont overpay for a chunk of rubber.

$32 Energy Suspension 9.9135R 2-1/2" Tall Universal Bump Stop

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CGUJHQ?ie=UTF8

 

@AccuTune Offroad rear bump here with specific spacer

 

Great photo!

We spent quite a lot of time with our foam bump stop making it just right. Actually, one of our engineers started with a foam block on the lathe in back to get the right amount of grooves. Its softer than most bump stops out there and we have different height spacers to maximize up travel. The shocks should be doing most of the work, but when that bump off-road is too much, the bump stop should not be knocking your teeth out. So far we've had a lot of great feedback from our kits.
https://youtu.be/okmkrwHm1BI?si=jAMofctfUJ4IgrEW

 

What you were told isn't true, at least with the Archive Garage U-bolt flip, thousands of our customers hauling and towing heavy can attest.
The 1999-2016 Ford Super Duty trucks and 1992-2014 Ford Vans (and many many other vehicles) came from the factory with "Flipped" u-bolt plates and they do some towing occasionally

What makes our popular Option 3 kit so good:
1) soft engagement
2) max bump travel
3) slowing weight down over more distance for progressive feel
4) no center hole in bump to fill up with water
5) two tough 3/8" bolts to hold our bumpstops down.
6) High strength steel U-bolt plate 30% stronger than competition
7) highly corrosion resistant design and powder coating
(We live with salted Buffalo, NY roads)

 

The ability to make length adjustments is a must have if you are maximizing spring and shock flex.

 

Does the @ARCHIVE kit have any adjustment for ext travel shocks? The Fox shocks I’m looking to use show a 14.7” collapsed length. I assume these would work with those shocks and RXT springs?

 

Wheelers U-bolt flip kit with SuperBump bump stops here. I used galvanize primer and rust paint on the plates.



The hole pattern on the Wheelers plate fits stock 4Runner/GX bumpstops, so a "value solution" would be to get the bare flip kit and install knockoff GX470 bumpstops like these:

1 Pair Rear Axle Bump Stop Cushion Left + Right 48036-60011 Rear Axle Crash Pad Compatible with 2003-2009 Lex-us GX470

https://www.amazon.com/Cushion-48036-60011-Compatible-2003-2009-Lex-us/dp/B0CLNR851D/

 

Spec measurements of the bump and flip plate would be helpful. For example, a Durobump flip plate is 3/8" thick and the base rear bump is 3.5", so nearly 4" total. So, a stock leaf unloaded will end up with only 1-1.5" of bump travel, which is basically your rear atop every bump.

1.5" of leaf spring lift arc increases that Durobump flip bump travel 2.5-3". 3-3.5" is stock bump travel with its 2.5" rear bump stop.

On my 1.5" lift arc leaf, I have been sawing down my Durobump rubber to match up my 15.2" compressed length shocks better. The bumps can't be cut much from the bottom to shorten them.

Maybe Archive or Accutune is softer/shorter, but be sure to maintain your bump travel space when you have a low lift arc leaf.

Durobump fronts have a great cushion travel and rebound however.

 

I've put a Wheeler's flip kit on a 1st and 3rd gen, no issues with wheeling on either, or towing with the 3rd gen. I've also used Superbumps on the 3rd gen, and a 5th gen 4runner, and they work well for softening hard bottom outs. There is a flaw in the Superbump design though, as mentioned, in that the hollow top (when oriented on a U bolt plate) does collect water, and if the fastener isn't totally corrosion resistant, it will rust.

 

Archive Garage !!! The owner is awesome and will answer any questions you have regrading your set up. even gave me a phone number to contact him and discuss. I have stage 3 flip kit, with AAL on stock tacoma leafs/ I run constant weight in the bed and it soaks bumps with ease. on road handling is really nice. I wouldn't go another route and I plan on running their HD Leafs in the future. I think these with Perry Parts Bump stops would be crem de le crem. but the archive bumps are really nice. I had to trim my u-bolts with a cut off wheel, just be careful of abs line and gas tank they should have shorter u-bolts now that don't require trimming.

 

Rear weight makes a big difference on rear bump stop feel and cushion. Durobumps rears are the same 1,500 lbs per 3/4" compression tops as the fronts

 

Archive Option 3 can be used, we don't recommend exceeding much past 15" collapsed length. Thicker leaf packs also provide some protection against bottoming out an extended shock.

Our kit is designed to ALLOW max bump travel, but we do also have a 1/2" spacer for say ~15.5" collapsed length shocks.



Start conversation for TW member discount code

 

The Archive bumpstop compresses to about half of its normal height. "Bump travel" is between the frame and compressed height of bumpstop.

People should avoid a kit that has a stand for the bumpstop which limits bump travel, because the Tacoma stock has less rear bump travel than an economy car