Best upper control arms for 1st get tacoma?

should I get the btf fab or the total chaos ucas, my truck has fox coils and I was wondering what's the next best mod for desert driving.

 

I am running SPC upper control arms on my 04. Probably had them on for about 8 years when I lifted my truck and put King coilovers on the front. I wanted a "sealed" ball joint, rather than on open uni-ball. I am in the Rust Belt, so the sealed ball joint made more sense.

I do off-road my Tacoma and have never had any issues to date. Mine came with the old style ball joints that required the boot to be pushed up and a grease needle stuck in the hole. It wasn't easy, but it was doable. I have replaced the ball joints and now have the newer style with the grease zerks.

I would definitely get the SPC again.

 

SPC IMO. I've installed them all. TC are built tough, but more likely to squeak. Spc are fully adjustable.

 

I’ve had all pro, and JBA, if I had to do it all over again I would probably do icons delta joint ones and be done with it

 

I have Total Chaos. No issues but if I had to do it again, I'd run SPC for the adjustability - specifically to run a bigger tire and push caster forward away from the pinch weld.

 

do you guys see big improvements with getting after market ucas?

 

It's an improvement for alignment.

 

Icons with the delta joint.

 

Idk if it’s just me or if the SPC adjustable option is a little exaggerated. I’ve adjusted them twice in both directions and didn’t notice much difference. From what I’ve read, the best way to truly adjust caster is from your LCAs.
I don’t totally regret getting SPC just yet but I am curious if uniball would’ve been a better option. Also the grease zerks are delicate on the SPCs. I snapped the nipple off one of them while I was greasing one day.

 

Best in the market are Total Chaos. Everything else is just chinajunk copies.

 

Icon Delta Joint

 

I have Icon DJ on the 4Runner. They are only good for ~60-70k with greasing then be ready to spend $350 to 400 to rebuild them with new bushings and sealed dj. I guess common with most aftermarket ucas

 

Not sure how you didn't notice. Before I put my SPCs on, I was rubbing on my mudflaps and back of the wheel well. Not to mention it felt funny driving down the road, like it "wandered" easier from side-to-side ND would turn quicker. By putting the SPCs on, it added the 2 degrees to bring them back to zero and the steering felt more like stick. I wish I had went ahead and added 1 more degree toward the front to move my tire more forward I'm the wheel well. The other thing SPCs.give you is more camber adjustment and allows you to dial in your alignment better.

 

I’ve installed many products on TW member vehicles as well as my own. Total Chaos hands down are the best out there. Quality is unmatched. The adjustability will meet all of your needs. The poly bushings do not squeak one bit with Super Lube grease and the uniballs last thousands of miles with triflow applied once every couple months. Product support is excellent as well. The offroad performance is outstanding.

 

So what setting are you on now?

 

Adjusting for more positive caster via the UCA will push the wheel closer to the pinch weld. You want more positive caster via the lower arms to push the wheel forward away from the cab.

SPCs are good for extra adjustment if, say, you bend something or have a tweaked frame and you can't get a good alignment. The extra adjustability helps achieve that.
I've had something tweaked in my front end for awhile, the shop is able to get me to track straight by adjusting the SPCs differently side to side. Saves my tires from excessive wear

 

So it sounds like adjusting SPCs will not guarantee increased caster at all.

 

It does just not ideally for the way most people want (clearing the cab), better to use the lowers for that.

 

Per SPC's site for the UCAs for 1st gens:
When you lift your truck you affect caster and camber. SPC’s arms have +1° of caster built into them. Using its patented ball joint design the arm will get you 0° to +4° of caster and ±2° of camber, so you can put your alignmnet angles back to specification.


That being said I have my SPCs set at their 0 setting. This sets my truck at +2 degree of castor so when it is aligned, it will be at the normal specs.

You can also use the adjustability to push you castor forward to prevent rubbing. I am running 265/75R16s right now and am close to the back of the wheel well. If I go up to 285s, I know I will rub and can use the SPCs to take away castor and tilt the vertical axis forward which will move the tire forward in the wheel well to prevent rubbing at the back side.

 

Why is this not ideal? You can add castor with UCAs without maxing out the adjustment on the LCAs. I think that is much better and gives you a better range of adjustment, specially if an "in spec" alignment can't be obtained after lifting.