Do I have to replace both UCA's and LCA's when adding 3" lift?

Hey guys! I'm trying to lift my 2008 Tacoma prerunner. For reference, I'll be using spacers and rear blocks to get a 3" lift on the front and 2" on the rear (please don't lecture on the dangers of spacers, that's not my question today). Another piece of info about the main purpose of my truck: it's currently being used as a method of transportation for my dirt bike to the track & back but when I upgrade to coilovers (when I have the funds), I will be using it as primarily an offroad vehicle, which contributes to the need for some strong UCA's and LCA's.

However, bc of the height I want to add, I need new control arms (I'll need these anyways when I buy coilover kits so it just works out to get them now).

I've researched UCA's a ton & found I either wanna run JBA ball-joint or Dirt King. As someone who's never lifted a truck or owned a truck prior to this vehicle, I'm a little out of my element.

While I've been able to piece together a lot of info on my own, my main question is: When I replace the UCA's to aftermarket ones, do I also need to replace LCA's at the same time and with the same brand?

What are the pro's/con's of replacing both at the same time? And does it make a difference?

Any helpful response is welcome, TY!!

 

Most setups I know only replace the UCA's for that amount of lift.

 

You need UCAs to be sure you can get a correct alignment.

Have you looked at lift spindles rather than spacers? Yea, a few bucks more, but a lot cleaner option.

 

thanks!

 

I have looked at lift spindles. However, I’d rather use spacers (while I’m not off-roading & saving money for the coilovers) because for the next few months, I won’t be off-roading it at all except maybe a dirt road with very few bumps. I want to save as much as I can but still get the beginning appearance of the truck I wanna build. Thank you though for the info on UCA’s!

 

@TheCrash no need for the LCA, and welcome to TW

 

Welcome! Maybe LCA if yours are rusted & or seized. Maybe eccentrics too if u cant get a good alignment

 

I am not going to lecture you on spacers. I don't know why anyone does. They simply do not ride great. That's all.
Taller front spring? $200 minimum.
Bigger leaf pack in the rear? Like $1k+.
Leafpack in the rear can support more weight.
Spacer will ride harsher and still provide lift but not as much load carrying ability, if carrying weight.
Why anyone would give a fuck if they are not personally Venmo'ing you $1k+ to buy leafpack to install on your truck so they can be happy? I don't know.

Why UCA? Different angles for alignment. Replaces a worn BJ and bushings while you're at it.
Prevents hitting the spring, travels up and down better, and outer ball joint (aftermarket) has farther angles.

Why LCA? IDK. I'm sure it has many benefits. Most people don't do it because that shit is like $1k+. If I had a lot of money, sure, I'd probably get it.
Hell, there's even the new Marlin RCLT kit which is what, $10k?
Performance? Great, I'm sure.
Cost? Unattainable to most.
One guy even made his own version of RCLT from common sense, probably before they even came out with it.
Cheaper I'm sure.

You can even try your luck with OEM style replacement parts even aftermarket, such as LCA, to put new things
rather than trying to service old things,
aka bending the stock LCA out of shape trying to replace torn bushings on it with a bottle jack and whatnot

Would I lift a truck for looks?
No.
Would I lift it for more ground clearance on a trail where it's needed? Yes. You kind of have to.

 

No lca needed. Most people change it when they want to go long travel.

 

Most people only get LCAs when either their cam bolts have seized and they can no longer get a proper alignment, or they're planning on doing something like a long-travel setup.

A spacer lift isn't bad, and may ride close to stock depending on how you do it.

The front: Get a spacer that goes above the coil/strut assembly. This method doesn't compress the spring, and is easiest to install. The ride quality should be like stock. Also keep in mind lifting the front is a 2:1 ratio. (1½" spacer provides 3" of lift).

The rear: Get an add-a-leaf to do the lift. Most should provide about 2" of lift, plus you'll increase load capacity. The ride will be slightly stiffer though, but not harsh. Blocks stress the leaf springs which might cause axle wrap and potentially break them.

 

THIS would pretty much be my EXACT response.
I've been running spacers for a couple of years now with no problems what so ever. Full disclosure, I don't 'wheel my truck hard' but most of us don't. And my ride didn't change at all that I could tell. Since you don't have front axle shaft angles to worry about, it simplifies things a bit.
I'm only running a 1" spacer which gives me two inches of lift in the front so mine's not too extreme. You may have to replace your LCA hardware to get it to adjust for alignment. You MAY have to replace your UCAs to get it to align. I also agree with the avoidance of blocks in the back. I did have a 2" block for a while but I took them out when we moved to southern Indiana. There's a stop sign by us where I'm starting out pointing pretty sharply uphill and in my 6 speed manual, it bucks like hell first thing in the morning.
You might also consider some type of locker for the rear end. I put one in a 2wd F150 I had years ago and it makes a remarkable difference in your off-road capability.

 

Thanks!

 

Once you have it apart, check the LCA bushings and ball joint, though.

For a 2008, you may need to replace them, and it’s easier to replace the whole LCA than do the bushings and ball joint.

 

Thanks! I don't plan on getting a long travel setup at all (I want to off-road it but nothing that would require that kind of lift). Luckily, the spacer lift is temporary (only a few months hopefully!). As for the spacer itself, I'm no mechanic and I have nothing to compress the spring in order to install in-coil spacers so yeah, above the coil is 100% my best option. As for the rear, I'm still in between the add-a-leaf and rear block spacers. From what I've read so far, rear block spacers don't pose toooo big of a threat if all I'm doing is using it as a daily driver for a short time. However, my other thought is that bc I'm going to w/ a coilover replacement, I know I'll want the

$190 add-a-leaf kit for 1995-2023 toyota tacoma - 21.5" short AAL set with isolator pads and square bend u-bolts

add-a-leaf kit before I off-road it so I might as well do it now? We'll see what I end up deciding, I'm still in between.

Thanks for the advice on the UCA/LCA question though!

 

Thanks for your reply! Luckily, I've already looked into my options for how I want to lift the truck. Thanks for the info on the LCA! I 100% want to replace the UCA's; I just wasn't sure about the LCA's. Thanks!

 

Thanks for your reply. Luckily, I've looked into all of the expenses and uses for the different types of lifts & pretty much made up my mind about how I want to budget it all out to decide what I want for my truck in the end (for when I do actually offroad it). I agree, many ppl are quick to judge spacers without considering how each person uses the vehicle. For example, I'm prioritizing getting new wheels before I'm prioritizing a 2k lift kit on a truck that won't touch dirt for another 3 months (desert szn ). Seems pointless for ppl to constantly bag on them when to be honest, ppl will do whatever the f**k they want in the end XD. All that aside, I appreciate your input on the LCA! I'm trying to prioritize spending right now (bc unfortunately, I don't have 10k to dump into this thing rn) so I'm sort of figuring it all out as I go. If I can avoid replacing the LCA's, I will. However, if it would damage the truck in the end, then I'd rather spend the money now.

 

Thanks for your reply! I'll definitely keep an eye on the bushings and ball joint, I'll have to wait to I take it apart to see if the previous owner recently replaced the LCA yet