What is the list of upgraded control arms for 4wd?

Title is short.

I've got a 2002 4wd extra cab TRD. Otherwise more or less stock(31s on 15" rims). No lift, no heavy duty wheeling, mostly a snow road buster in the winter and daily driver. I drive it hard in mountain roads... virtually zero freeway. I've got an FJ55 for hard wheeling and rock crawling.

The alignment is garbage and the truck has never been able to hold an alignment. So it eats tires like mad. I had an alignment Jan 1. It died within 6-7 months... then ate the tires.

I went to get an alignment last week and was told all control arm bushings are shot within five minutes of pulling up. Not sure I buy it since it got an alignment 6-7 months ago after pass side fell off and was repaired with ZERO comment about bushing issues.

But I figure I might as well see if there are any upgrades for the control arms that will help with more sporty driving.

Somewhat related, front shock bushings died in roughly same time frame. I put new Delphi bushings in the existing shocks around Oct/22. They are now in same crushed condition. Is there a better brand bushing? Or should I go straight to looking at new shocks? If new shock, what is good for sporty driving.

 

Sounds like something larger is going on here, but I hear that tightening up your shocks and lca bolts before the truck is back on it’s own weight will eat up bushings.

also, sounds like you may have already experienced lower ball joint failure but if you haven’t already, sounds like you’re in dire need of replacement.

 

My go to is to buy used Suspension Arms and rebuild them then just swap them out.

Unless your wanting to change the front suspension.

I have been told your vehicle is to old it is not in our Computer so often lately.

 

The lower control arm bolts are the adjusting cams for the alignment. The problem is with gravel roads the cams move because they are only held in position by the clamping of the bolt and nut which comes loose on rough roads. The whole bolt sleeve and nuts will likely need to be replaced when doing the lower control arm bushings. I reccomend polyurethane bushings as they seem to be a bit tougher. Check all your bushings ball joints and shocks too. When you replace the cams get a locking cam kit. These will make sure the cams won't move. They do require welding to install.

 

You are somewhat correct. Passenger side upper ball joint blew out and the lower ball joint sheared at the control arm. It also ate the CV. I had a shop handle the work since time was of the essence.

I can't tell you if the shop did anything right or wrong. But I find it odd that they didn't report any control arm bushing issues when they replaced ball joints on that side then had an alignment done. But new/different alignment shop is telling me the control arm bushings are toast within five minutes of pulling into the shop. I've crawled under the front and I can't visually see anything that makes me point and say "yup, those are bad".

I'm partial to upgrading if there is a reasonable upgrade that helps. As noted, I drive a bit too sporty in the truck on my mountain drive home. I can't think of the last time I took it "real" offroading. Most of the 4wd has been when the roads are snowy and I'm driving.

I may go the route of 'used arms' and rebuild them over 'cheap' aftermarket stock arms.

As noted above, I can't think of last time I did real offroading which includes gravel roads. The roads in my area are not great but not car swallowing potholes (Outside Georgetown, California) I haven't really nailed any good pot holes.

I forgot to mention in OP that both front tires are getting extreme wear on the inside edge. By extreme wear, I am talking inside edge going bald while outside edge is almost full tread. My brief searching has said this is toe in/out issue and not caster/camber issue. With as bad as the wear is, if it were a camber/caster issue, I should be able to see it front the front.

 

Just replace the bushings; unless physically damaged, no point in getting aftermarket arms unless you're lifted and needed the additional caster for a proper alignment.

Even then, many people (myself on 2 vehicles) didn't need aftermarket arms with 2" of lift and I had brand new Icon arms to install but never did.

 

Toe being out half a degree can cause extreme tire wear and you'll never be able to see it. I don't see a reason to get different arms then what you uave unless they are rusty. The reason no one will mention lower control arm bushings is they will have to be Sawzalled out. Took 8 hours to do mine. Most of that is sitting there cutting the bolt sleeves out.

 

Do you ever rotate your tires at all.

Finding a Good Front end alignment shop can be difficult .

I use my Trucks hard loading 1000 pounds is common towing 2000 pounds is normal.

I go an easy 15,000 miles between alignments .

 

As I noted, if upgraded control arms will aid in my sporty driving, I am willing to consider going that route.

I was commenting about camber/caster being so far out that it would eat maybe 1" of tire would have to look like / or \ if I looked from the front.

For toe, I'm not seeing any visual indication that there is damage to tie rod ends/steering rack to have just magically knocked it out. But as you note, it could be minute.

15k miles? Bwahahaha... this alignment didn't sniff 15k and the tires didn't even get there. When the alignment is gone, the tires won't go 2k miles before showing bad inside edge wear. So no, I didn't rotate the tires.

FWIW, I had a 99 Tacoma that I bought new off the lot. I NEVER did an alignment in 144k miles that I owned it. I beat it offroad like a step child(think pinball) It never ate tires like this Tacoma. The 99 Tacoma got better mileage on Super Swamper and Baja Claws than the mild set of trail terrain style tires(ie one step milder than all terrains.

The fact that this alignment shop won't touch the truck says they must be reasonable.

I hear you on working trucks... I've lost track of number of trips I've run this truck with twelve bags of eighty pound Sacrete