JBAOffroad Upper Control Arm installation (3RD GEN Toyota 4Runner)
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
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In this video we show you how to install some aftermarket upper control arms from JBA Offroad. These JBA Upper A-Arms were designed for a spring lift or leveling kit for a lifted Toyota and will directly replace your stock upper control arms.
You can purchase the arms here:
jbaoffroad.com...
The Ball Joint Range of Motion:
Up travel is 40 degrees off center line of the ball joint.
Down travel is 50 degrees off center line.
Full range of motion is 90 degrees
Cerakote clear to protect the ball joint.
JBA UCAs give you MORE!
More spring clearance is More suspension travel
More Caster
More Articulation
More Traction on the trails
Specs:
STD A-arm tubing 5/32" wall and 1" diameter.
Installation time: 1-3 hours
UCA Maintenance:
We would recommend using a lithium-based grease, one pump of grease in each bushing. Three pumps of grease in the ball joints after the install and every 3000 to 5000 miles.
When purchasing these arms, the package content includes:
8 synthetic elastomer a-arm bushings retaining washers
4 steel bushing sleeves
2 Upper Control arms, left and right with 2 JBA custom ball joints
2 Steering knuckle adapter bushings
2 Stickers
Installation Instructions
Made of heavy-duty tubing, red powder coat finish, with replaceable ball joints, 4 grease ports for JBA EZ lube bushings, and ball joint.
Note: Left and Right UCAs are not symmetrical.
Why synthetic elastomer bushings?
Synthetic Elastomer is a long-chained polymer with many urethane constituents. Over the years the formulation has evolved to yield stronger, yet softer compounds ideal for on and off-road applications. As the compound advanced to yield higher tensile strength, elasticity, and dynamic load capacity, JBA uses the bushing to help aid and tune suspension geometry and they will not squeak like polyurethane bushings.
JBA offers a ball joint on their UCA's so what’s the Difference between JBA Ball Joint vs Uni-Ball?
Range of Motion
The Uni-Ball has 66 degrees total range of motion. The JBA Ball Joint, on the other hand, gives you 90 degrees range of motion. That is the widest range of motion that you will find on the market today! The increased range of motion you get from our JBA Ball Joints will allow you to tackle even the toughest off-road traveling in your Toyota 4Runner.
Use Case
The Uni-Ball was designed for offroad racing applications, these vehicles are disassembled and they replace worn parts on their vehicle after every race. In other words, the Uni-Ball is not designed for the everyday weekend warrior who uses their vehicle for regular transportation more than they go off-road. The open design of the Uni-Ball allows dust, dirt, salt, and other debris to enter the component and wear it out prematurely. The JBA Ball Joint, on the other hand, has a semi-sealed construction that keeps debris and the elements out, extending the life of the joint and allowing you to use it in your daily driven vehicle.
Maintenance
When performing maintenance on your off-road vehicle, you will have a much easier time working with a JBA Ball Joint. Why? Because with a Uni-Ball, you must remove the control arms, press out the Uni-Ball to remove it from the control arms, wash it out and re-lube by hand, then press it back into the control arms, then reinstall them onto the vehicle. But the JBA Ball Joint comes with a grease fitting to expedite maintenance.
*HELPFUL TOOLS*
If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.
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*OTC Front End Service Kit
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*Snap Ring Pliers
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*Mini Grease Gun
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*Red Devil All Purpose Grease
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*CDI 1/2" Drive 30-250 Foot Pound Torque Wrench
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*CDI 3/8" Drive 10-100 Foot Pound Torque Wrench
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*1/4" and 3/8" Flex Head Ratchet Set - (used the 3/8" ratchet in this video. These ratchets are super functional and will make your wrenching life easier)
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*1/2" Drive Flex Head Gear Wrench Ratchet - (used for the bigger fasteners)
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*1/2" Drive Deep Metric Impact Socket Set
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*1/2" Drive Shallow Impact Socket Set
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*Brake Caliper Hanger Hooks - (much better than using bailing wire)
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*OTC-7249 Ball Joint Service Set
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**PDF on how to assemble all the adapters with the c-press to get the job done. www.otctools.c...
**As Ebay Partner Network members, we earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
**As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
Got by JBA upper arms installed in my 1st gen Tacoma by watching your video like 5 times. Thank you for making this. It was SUPER helpful!
Good to hear Clayton, we are stoked our videos are helping people like yourself be successful in their own garage! Now take that money you saved and buy yourself a nice steak dinner!
I've been running these for about 6 months and I've been very pleased. The added down travel is noticeable. Now, when jacking up the front end from the frame, I almost max out my jack before the wheel clears the floor. Be aware, I had a heck of a time getting one of the bushing into the spindle. I had to run a file around the circumference of the bushing to take a few 0.001's off of it. Even then, it shaved off a tiny bit of the surface on the way in. Also, feeding in the upper bolt while installing the washers, is very difficult without an extra set of hands. I was able to do so, but it took a lot of time and patience. All things considered, I'm really happy with them. Great product.
Hey Michael, thanks for sharing your experience, we didn’t experience fighting the bushing but one side did get a little uneven as it went in and we had to reset.. if it gets a little cocked as it goes in, it can be a difficult process. We have also seen over the years that other people had spindles that had a wider hole on top probably due to wear and tear over the last 2 decades so seeing that your spindles were tight for that bushing to use is a good thing. Because that means your spindle is still in a like new spec. Anyhow, thanks for stopping by the comments
Hey just wanted to follow up and see how your were liking these at 1 year.. also how much maintenance do these need? Thanks in advance!
@@TimmyTheToolman See if you love them when they fail. Like it happened with me. Their ball joints are garbage.
@@nofyfb123 What was the failure like? Did the joint come apart?
@@TimmyTheToolman If it came apart, I wouldn't be sharing my experience. It was not even loose [YET] but when I tried swinging it by hand - I had it disconnected for another reason which was a leaking [bilstein] strut - I heard and felt BAD scraping like it was full of sand. Which it was. Because jba used wrong boots with huge gap to studs so water and debris could easily get inside. They did know about this PRE-INSTALLED problem because they supplied an aluminum bushing to be installed between the knuckle and the boot but the boot was still loose. As a matter of fact, when I received the UCA's, I immediately questioned jba about this weird design and was assured that everything was correct. Big - no, HUGE - lie. I will replace these ball joints with chevy's which I hate to do but have no choice - OEM Toyota joints won't work with jba's stuff.
One tip for putting the puck in the spindle if your having a really hard time is you can throw the puck in the freezer for a few hours so it shrinks a bit then heat up the spindle with a torch and you can probably just tap the puck in with a dead blow hammer.
solid TIP bro
I could tell you guys are pros, but the nail in the coffin is when you hit that little bracket with paint after cutting it. LEGENDARY
You just made Sean and Chris very happy. Thanks for the comment.
Just installed these 3 days ago !!!! I had the hardest time pressing the ball joint adapter into the spindle but I got them completely installed in a few hours. Still gonna watch this video👍👍😎
thanks for the love chase! Sicmods
Do these help with clearance between your tires?
This gives me confidence that I can do the JBA UCA myself! I love how the upper ball joint looks like a much easier install when you go with JBA over stock ball joints.
That's what we're all about John, giving people the confidence to tackle their own automotive mechanical work. Good luck with the job.
Same here. Did you end up doing it?
This is really for DIY guys like me because we don’t have all the tools like shops or pros! Good video bud! 👍
We're all about DIY Thomas, but we always encourage people to make tool investments. The tools pay for themselves sometimes after just one job due to the money you saved not taking your rig to a shop.
I just Installed these on my 97 with new tires and new front disks and all aligned to perfection. I week later a woman crossed into my lane and hit me head on. My poor truck is totaled. I saved for 3 years and put a lot into it. It was such a beautiful truck! Toyota forest green with OME and bilstiens and those pretty red control arms. I actually cried when I saw the wreckage. I'm so bummed and they are getting so hard to find.
Actually it looked a lot like this one.
Really sorry that happened to you. Hope you can find a nice one for a fair price.
Man I feel bad for you, I've had my 98 forest green extra cab 2.7 4x4 5 speed for about 12 years. Stays on my driveway
nice, been wanting these on my rig, now I just need the funds or a 50% discount from JBA hah
JBA only does military discounts I believe
compared to the other crap out there these are a really good price for what you get. if you what el cheapo there are some chineseum ones on Fleabay.
Start praying to Jesus
@@TimmyTheToolman Oh nice =). Time to break out my ID card.
Great video helped with the installation pf my sons third gen aftermarket upper control arms. Definitely different than an FJ Cruiser. Cutting what type of part of the upper ball joint off made it extremely easy to press it out.
Thanks for the compliment and great to know our video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
After dealing with a terrible squeak and occasional clunk (uca hitting the shock mount) from the passenger front for at least a year I decided to give new (non adjustable) UCAs a shot. Its a long story but I was only ~75% confident the UCAs were the problem. I have a 2.5” lift and I can honestly say the reason why I went with the JBA ones is because this video made it so clear and of course the price (why the hell are UCAs so expensive?). I got the 4Runner apart and back together in a few hours and the most difficult part was finding another set of hands to get the bolt back in. It ended up solving every suspension issue I had and now I don’t have to slow down to a crawl when going over speed bumps….
Glad you solved your issue with the UCA replacements. Good job!
I know it's an old video but the tips were excellent I did it solo in 3 1/2 hrs. Just a heads up ordering the ball joint press kit in description the kit didn't include the catch cup for the oem ball joint or the small cup to fit over spindle for jba ball joint bushing my buddy had a maddax kit I used those adapters instead. Over all this was money well spent, just wanna say thank you for the tutorial!
Yeah, you’re right - that doesn’t include the adapter cup and you have to buy it separately BUT, cutting off the end of the ball
Joint shaft allows you to use the cups that come with the kit.
- Sean
@@TimmyTheToolmanI tried the cups from the otc 7294 kit but receiver cup over lapped the spindle and looked to mushroom if it got alot of pressure. It looks like an omt kit you show in the video.
@@TimmyTheToolmanhi sir, where can I buy the adapter cup
The Holiest of control arms! :)
Haha! I see what you did there...
Not in my case. Thinking of putting OEM's back...
@@nofyfb123 why?
@@israelrodriguez6986 Their ball joints suck - they don't fit the control arms correctly, are not fully seated. The boots are wrong - there is a .1"+ gap between the boot and the stud so water and sand get in. They attempted to fix it by adding aluminum bushings but they are not thick enough to close the gap. Also, the balls are not smooth as they are supposed to be so they wear out fast when sand/dust is introduced.
@@nofyfb123 thanks for the info, I'll just buy the Genuine Toyota Upper Ball joints, and save a ton of money. Keep up the good work on digging up info, helps the rest of us make informed decisions.
Omg hilarious just installed spc & was searching all all over for a decent video. 🤘
A day late and a dollar short. Oh well, hopefully the next time you need a video, we'll have just uploaded it for you to reference.
Where was this six months ago when I installed these😅 I had the hardest time pressing the sleeve in.
Also just an FYI for anyone reading I had to reuse my old ball joints in another vehicle so I used a three jaw puller with an impact socket to remove them.
it can be tricky to get on there if you don't have the right tools. in our previous upper ball joint video, we removed the entire spindle so we could get a good grip to press it out.
threw mine in the freezer overnight and they popped right in
Same here brotha. It was not that easy for me either. The press I had was way to big and ended up using a 4’ bar
Great tip with the towel and zip ties. Might need a different kind of ball joint without 😄
Taking a puller to the face isn't fun. One glanced off my face when breaking free the UBJ from the UCA so that's why we suggest the precautions.
Great video. Great you put the full contents of the box in the video. I just installed these on my 1st gen tundra 6 months ago.
Thanks for taking the time to to comment. I hope you’re liking the JBA Arms, we went on a trip to Death Valley after we installed ours and they worked very well.
Hell yes! Timmy to save the day again! Thanks buddy for your great videos!
Well, it was actually Sean and Chris to save the day.
just finished installing these on my 1st gen tacoma today. thanks for the video!
You're welcome. Glad out video helped you get your JBA UCAs installed.
Did you get alignment?
Read the instructions mine say .156 washer bushing one red steel aarm bong ,black bushing one .156 washer use the thinner bushings they can both go on the innerside of the rear bushings or one on the inner side of each bushings against th 0.156 thick washer. Hope this helps
Thanks for the clarification.
planing to upgrade to jba soon on the tacoma way easier to change a balljoint with jba than oem ones ! thanks for the video guys !
Good luck with the job. You're very welcome!
Nice cameo appearance by the King of Kings!
Just got these! Perfect timing.
Sicmods bro! Hope your install goes smoothly.
I'm no mechanic but watching y'all videos definitely helped me installing my 3 inch lift and my JBA UCAs. Definitely helpful videos though! I'm still having issues getting the alignment done. For some reason it's got positive camber 😒
Good to hear our videos have helped you out. Maybe find a different alignment shop.
I just installed these about a month ago, had to watch to make sure I did it right!! Lol
Haha, doesn’t hurt to double check your install. We found the instructions were very thorough so that helped too.
Hey guys! thanks a lot! I really mean it! what I've learn after your videos on replace/fix UCA (JBA OffRoad), CV axles, Spark plugs, valve covers, injectors, LCAs, Tie Rods, Steering and Sway bar bushings, Tundra brakes upgrade, and so is immense!!! My wife said what I spent on it, is immense too, but she does not know how much we saved.
Now, I have somewhere in my garage the parts needed to replace the body mounts on my Tacoma 2000, 3.4 4x4. I would like to start this project with a little bit of guidance or even better watching a video of yours on how too...would you guys produce one?
thanks again
German from Tahoe City, CA
Hey German, great to hear how much our videos have helped you with your 1st Gen Tacoma. You are right that you saved an immense amount of money doing your own work.
The closest we can come to helping you with the body mount replacements is our body lift video we did on a 3rd Gen 4runner. I think that will give you enough information to get the job done. ruclips.net/video/B9tD2iRlF7Y/видео.html Good Luck and Happy Wrenching!
Stick to OEM. Don't ask me how I know...
Mine are on the way! Can't wait to install.
Good luck with the install. Happy Wrenching!
Great video and helpful as always. Got mine installed as well, thanks again for the help!
SICMODS bro! Thanks for stopping by the comments section and sharing your success!
They have made some revisions since I had purchased my set 2 years ago. My arms didn't have the hole drilled for the abs wire I had to zip tie it on. if I remember correctly on the development of these arms the original ball joint used was from a 3/4 ton chevy, not sure if they have kept the same pattern. some thing to keep in mind if for some reason you needed a quick replacement.
thanks for the comment, Justin. hope your arms are working good for you
Nice install video guys Great work
Thanks
Just what I was about to do... once I wait 30-45 days for them to ship! But it's nice to study ahead of time 😄
Quality arms for a manageable price tag. Let us know how your install goes!
I bought these, very nice...painted mine silver to match my springs
Sicmods Joey. Thanks for stopping by the comments section.
Nicely done. A couple things I did different. Driver's side would only take 2 thinner washers on the inside rearward bushing. Kinda bummed because the passenger's side accepted all 4 of the thick washers perfectly. Hopefully I don't see problems down the road. My BJ sleeves also seated perfectly by hand, then I slowly tapped them in with a hammer. Silicon paste inside the bore helps the process. Can also throw the sleeves in the freezer for a few hours. Now excuse this atheist for an hour. I've got a DVD to watch.
That DVD is a family favorite!
- Sean
Just ordered these and some oem lowers hope it’s worth the money lol
100% bagged bro! that will be a nice upgrade to your front suspension
I did this last summer. Very nice although I have been disappointed with the durablity of the coating.
Wonder how long the bushings last
@@lukeneave They are greaseable and I have been keeping up with that so hopefully a long time. Just thinking since the coatings going away from ON ROAD use only they are going to rust to dust in short order. Paid way to much for that to happen.
UPDATE. JBA offered to replace my UCA's. Seems they have a new 2 stage coating that holds up way better. Nice of them. Just have to muster up the balls to replace them again. Should not be so hard the second time...
I'll take them if you want to get rid of them
Great video will try replacing mine this weekend what is the model number of orange ball joint adapter kit with the c clamp thanks
@@dominicbassis4462
OTC-7249 Ball Joint Service Set
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*OTC Front End Service Kit
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*If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.*
www.amazon.com/shop/timmythetoolman?isPublicView=true
What have you done with timmy?
I'm not involved in every video that we put on our channel. Just like I partner with other people to bring content to our channel, Sean does the same.
Nice video i am thinking of switching from uniball uca's to these.
I'm going between jba and Total chaos fab so hard to decide
Total chaos uses uni-balls and JBA uses actually sealed ball joints
Did I miss in the video where they talk about special considerations for the other side? Especially how to get the through bolt out.
The passenger side will allow the long UCA bolt to slide out freely without getting hung up on anything. Much easier on the passenger side for that reason.
- Sean
@@TimmyTheToolman Danke.
Guys I really want to know if this will hold alignment with my 3rd gen 4Runner with a 6 inch rough country lift.
We can't answer that question for you. Most guys don't go over 3 inches of lift in the front.
Dont forget to get an alignment after this folks. To those not in the know
Good advice
Is an alignment needed after installing new UCA's? I'm installing OEM UCA's. Thank you for these videos. You've saved me a ton of money.
Yes, it's recommended because you're changing from OEM to aftermarket. If you were replacing OEM for OEM, you could get away without an alignment.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you!!
Could I do alignment with this one’s cause I bought ones and my tires looks like the bottom is getting in like this ( / )
Hey I just installed these on my 3rd gen. Curious to see if u guys still have them on how they are holding up. My biggest concern was that sleeve adapter for the upper ball joint. I feel like mine was easily pressed into the knuckle and wasnt as secure in there as the oem ball joint..but curious if you had any concerns or problems about that sleeve popping off the spindle from other users?? As I believe this guy has his welded on right..
We haven’t heard of anybody’s adapter popping out since the way it’s Pressed in is the opposite of how the upper ball joint stud secures, however I am running a set on both of my 3rd generation Toyota 4runners and they are not welded and they are holding up fine, no issues and no complaints.
-Sean
Thank you for the response .yes I definitely agree with you how you explain how the ball joint stud and the sleeve work in ofpposite it so it wouldnt b as easy to pop out. However my concern was that my sleeve did not insert into the knuckle as snug as you guys, how you had to use the ball joint press adapter. I kind of just tapped mine in with a couple of love taps with a hammer and it slid in so I'm curious if that should be a concern if they're more at risk of popping out? Do those gussets that you guys made a video on weld underneath the sleeve and the knuckle to keep that from ever falling off and hold it permanently?
Hey, for anyone with a similar issue, adapter going in easily without press... I experienced the same, and more so on my driver side, and I didn't want to deal with buying a new knuckle... But so far it's been okay, I can't see how this will be an issue because of the nut securing it down but I will report back on this post if anything bad happens.
Hi. Thanks for the video. When you took the truck to get an alignment after you instaled these arms, were they able to push the lower control arms out far enough and properly align the truck?
I installed these arms and have replaced the lower controller bushings with white line and installed new factory cams and I cannot get to zero camber. There's a ton of positive camber. And there's no alignment settings with the cams that improve the situation that I can see.
Thanks for your time and attention.
Did you get your alignment?
@@alanflores6555 Yep. I can be an idiot at times. Everything is fine.
@@soundbites1152 thanks i have problem with the camber and I hope this ones help me
I think I'm going to get a set of theses after i rebuild my bj42s front axel
Good feedback from these arms
I bent my OEM UCA on my 07 4Runner on some whoops during sunset
@everttrogers Sounds like you were having just a little bit too much fun.
Where can I find the sleeves that replace the upper ball joints on the spindles ?
JBA sells them as a separate item on their website.
jbaoffroad.com/steering-knuckle-adapter-bushing-kit
- Sean
@ I got icon upper control arms, do you think these bushing will fit ? These are way cheaper than the icons bushings. Thank you
We wouldn’t bet on it.. what happened to your original spindle adapters?
- Sean
@@TimmyTheToolman disregard my previous message, I found my bushings. They were in a separate package 📦
Thanks guys !
We got you Andrew!
Ya got some Jesus joints! I persuaded some mormon missionaries to install mine and i gave them the DVD.
how long have you ran these for? how do you like them?
@@TimmyTheToolman I’ve had them on since March 13 2020. Daily driver. No squeaky nonsense. I did a couple torque checks early on and no changes. Shoot a pinch of grease in at oil change and that’s about it. For the money these honestly are a steal.
where were you last week when I was installed mine, thanks for the content
We were here. Where were you?
Does anyone know the thread pitch of that 22mm balljoint nut at 14:28? I looked on the jba website and can't find the 22mm (only a 14mm is on the site).
Have you tried giving JBA a call? This is their contact info:
Texting: 215-660-3770
Phone Number: 215-660-3770
Toll Free Number: 855-533-7437
Are you guys also doing jba for lower control arms also?
JBA doesn’t make lower control arms
Question.. I noticed the grease zirks on these UCAs versus stock being maint-free.. What is the life of the ball joint and how often are they required to be regreased? Thanks in advance Timmy and Shawn!
Don't know the expected life of these joints. Maybe they have info on the website. I'd re-grease the joints every other engine oil change or every 10k miles.
@@TimmyTheToolman Your right.. the website had a recommended service.. Just in case anyone else asks.. heres a copy past from the website.. Every 3,000-5,000 miles: (at the interval of every oil change) Grease the ball joint with 3-4 pumps of lithium complex grease fortified with moly (molybdenum disulfide), grease the A-arm bushings with 1-3 pumps
@@VarroTigurius-u1f That interval seems a bit overkill, but they're the manufacturer so I guess follow it.
@@TimmyTheToolman I gotta say.. yall are the best. You could have just pointed me to your video description but instead yall answered personally and you do this for just about every posting on your videos. I have used several of your videos for instructional how to's that I've followed. I ever make it out to Cali I am going to treat all of you and your team to a free meal at some place of yalls choice!
@@VarroTigurius-u1f Thanks Tom. We appreciate the compliment. We do sometimes simply direct people to our video description and pinned comments because we have lots of information there. I like to direct them there instead of just answering their question sometimes because then they see all the information they are missing out on.
We try to do our best to answer every question and acknowledge every comment. We're not a huge channel that gets hundreds of comments and questions everyday, so we can do this. But, it still is quite a bit of work to keep up with them. Some guys are in the middle of the job and they need help. I just answered a question for a guy that is in the middle of doing a timing belt job on the 2UZ-FE V8 engine. No doubt he will appreciate the fact I answered his question in a timely manner. We can't always do this, because we have other jobs and responsibilities and we're not always glued to our computers. But, when we can, we get back to people in a very timely manner. It's a nice touch we can do for the people who use our videos. No doubt it helps when people like you notice this and acknowledge our efforts. It means a lot.
Good to hear you have benefited from several of our videos. Yeah, if you're coming to the California Bay Area, come visit and we'll gladly let you buy us a meal and some drinks. I'm going to be leaving California in the next year and a half. Thinking of going into Nevada or Oregon. I never thought I'd leave California but it's just too expensive and it's consistently governed by idiots. My wife and I were both born and raised in California but we can't stand it anymore. When I retire, we're out of here. I don't want to be too far from California though because I love the topography for mountain biking, hiking, backpacking and 4wheeling.
Great video as always I was wondering what type bumper is that on Chris’s 4 Runner also you said there was a four-wheel-drive ball joint kit can you tell me which one that is thanks
His bumper is an Addicted offroad front plate bumper. Check back on this response as we will update this post with the 4wd ball joint adapter sleeve kit.
One thing I'm not liking about this is there is no cotter pin on the nut holding the ball joint in. I know it is a nylon nut but still, the cotter pin really provides a level of confidence knowing the nut just can't back off. Especially since the bolt is facing down now. 🥶
I hear what you’re saying, but plenty of people run these arms without issue. In theory, you drill a hole through the thread ball joint stud and slap a castle nut on there, but we have been running them for quite some time without the nut backing off at all. We like to use thread checker, and that paint mark hasn’t even budged. A good reason to get them to the torque spec. Anyways, thanks for your comment and we will report back if anything becomes an issue with the design feature that you’re mentioning.
- Sean
Awesome response! Thank you.@@TimmyTheToolman
Another great video guys. Any plans to do a video on the Total Chaos UCA cam tab gussets? Like a lot of folks, mine are bent and cracked. I know the SPC UCAs are adjustable but I already upgraded to fixed the ones similar to the JBAs
Are you talking about the lower control arm tabs? The upper control arms don't have tabs or cams for adjustment.
@@TimmyTheToolman
Yes, misspoke. I was referring to the TC LCA cam tab gussets. I mentioned the UCAs because some folks recommend getting the adjustable SPC UCAs in combination with the alignment cam eliminator plates to compensate for the busted cam tabs, but I’m already invested in fixed UCAs and was interested in the gussets. However taking a grinder and air hammer to part of the frame always gives me pause…
@@benriewer7817 Gotcha. We might do this one day but we would have to find someone that needs it done.
I'm looking at these arms for my Tundra. The trick to fitting large tires on a Tundra is a LOT of backspacing (or positive offset). These arms seems to have a lot of "meat" on the outside of the balljoint, which is good for strength, but not for clearance. I'm wondering, what is the backspace on these wheels? Looks like you have maybe an inch and a half of clearance between the tire and the UCA here?
I was told to wait on torquing the bolts until the weight of the vehicle is back on the suspension to avoid twisting the bushings. Is that not needed with these UCA?
Typically, most aftermarket components that have polyurethane bushings don’t have this requirement however you would need to rest the vehicle in its natural resting position before you torque the components to spec on an OEM style replacement bushing.
- Sean
1500 chevy silverado 2006 2wd 4.3l
I have a '98 3rd Gen and just put on the Eibach 3 Stage Front Coilovers w/ Eibach Rear Springs and have been super happy with them plus the price of that whole kit was super reasonable and it's a local company out of Corona California which is nice as I'm in Anaheim. I've been looking for some UCA'S as they're definitely needed since these 3rd Gens are pretty bouncy as it is so I'm hoping these UCA'S will help a little with that absorption also allowing a more even tire tread wear. I was going to go with the SPC'S until I saw these! These are exactly what I've been looking for. Do these compliment the Eibach Coilovers for an overall good set up??
Thank you guys for the best 3rd Gen 4RUNNER maintenance & upgrades walk through video's! Your channel is always easy to follow along with as well as great tips.
I think these UCAs would work well with any coilovers really. If your suspension is "bouncy", control arms aren't going to make difference. What makes a difference is better shock absorbers.
Where did you get the knuckle sleeve adapter for the upper control arm ball joint ??? Please send a link
Give us a time stamp so we know what sleeve you're referring to.
Minute 9:30
@jessieperez7819 the steering knuckle adapter bushing comes with the C-clamp
Kit. We also link the specialty 4wd cup adapters in the video description.
- Sean
I am looking to do a lift in the future but need to do the ball joints now. I am contemplating just putting a set of these on. They wont do anything weird with just a stock suspension right? I dont see why it would but i thought it would ask.
No, these UCAs won't do anything "weird" but you technically should get an alignment afterward because it could change your camber and caster values.
Those eibach coils on Billies? Was just thinking about making the switch from TRD coils on my Tundra 5100s myself
I put on these JBAs a few months back and it's some of the best money I ever spent!
They are indeed! Haven’t seen you comment for a while! Where have you been??
@@TimmyTheToolman Been real damn busy! Middle of racing season!
What perch are y'all running those Eibachs at? I really regret not getting these when i did my lift! They're cheaper and better than TRD coils it seems
I feel like they will squeak a lot if not lubed frequently. Is that about right? They are polyurethane right?
Yes, they are polyurethane bushings but they don’t squeak and if they do, it easy to pump the zerk fittings up with grease again. We have these arms installed on a couple rigs and none of them squeak.
- Sean
How do you have enough clearance to get an impact on the top of the ball joint pusher? My brake line won't allow it outside of the wheel well.
Our impact barely squeezed on there. The Milwaukee shorty 1/2” impact gun we link in the video description is the one we used. What impact gun are you using?
@@TimmyTheToolman Dewalt DCF911B, similar form factor to that one I think. I ended up detaching the points where the brake line was bolted on, and had to bend the hard lines a bit, but got enough clearance to get the impact on there. Ripped the rubber brake line shell in the process, it's not leaking but it's ugly and the core is exposed. An excuse to buy stainless braided lines I guess. I hope the driver side isn't as difficult.
Anyone else having a tough time installing the thin/thick washer on driver side? Feel like I don’t have enough space
I've had a similar experience installing Whiteline poly bushings in the LCAs of my 2000 4runner but my issue was the passenger side. I had to have someone help me by levering the control arm with a pry bar while I fit the last washer in. It was a pain in the ass, but I finally got it. I think you'll probably have to do the same. Have someone wedge a pry bar in between the arm and the frame mount and then pry while you try to fit the last washer in. You'll get it.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks Tim
@@SILVERBACK086 You're welcome.
Do you think it would be beneficial to cover the nuts, bolts and washers with either grease or oil to help reduce rust from forming?
If you live in an area that salts the roads due to icy conditions, maybe that would be something to do to avoid corrosion.
Awesome video
Thanks!
Hey Tim, Do these upper contol arms also help in preventing rubbing of themselves with the inside of the tire, like do they create distance between the inside of the tire and the UPPER CONTROL ARM itself thus avoiding any running issues
Sorry *rubbing issues
They do give you distance away from the tire. The stock UCA typically would run on a larger tire like a 285. These JBA’s will give you extra room to clear those tires
I have a question was the alignment able to dial in ? I have 3in lift and trying to figure out what uca to use
Yes no problem. It just pushes the camber out a little to clear the coilover
- Sean
I am going to be putting a 2 inch lift on my 99 4Runner. Which upper control arms would you go with? JBA or SPC?
With those 2 choices, JBA. I'm running Camburg on my 98 rig. Total Chaos is another option.
@@TimmyTheToolman out of those 4 which would you choose?
Tim has the uniball design which requires a lot more maintenance and attention. My opinion is the ball joint style that JBA offers doesn’t wear down like a uniball and therefore is easier to have installed for a daily driver. They are also more affordable. Just my 2 cents.
- Sean
I had SPC with their lifetime X-Axis bushings, they failed , developed play after 8k km! Many others have reported same issues. Bought JBA, to be installed this week
What year is this 4runner? I recently bought a 96 limited and it does not have the airbag sensor under the battery. I am worried it’s missing the sensor lol. Could it be located somewhere else in my year?
No, all 3rd Gen 4runners should have the airbag sensors in the same place. And they should both have yellow wire loom leading to the sensor itself that is mounted under the battery tray on the drivers side and under the air intake box on the passengers side.
- Sean
i haver Toyota sw4 2002 ,How much its kit ?
jbaoffroad.com
Would you recommend these for a 3 inch lift with 33s
Yes, 100%. That’s exactly what they are designed to work with.
- Sean
Right on ! Thanks for the quick response Sean 🙌🏽
If anyone has these and is getting the allignment done here are the specs you want:
Camber: -0.1
Caster: +3.5
Toe: each 0.09 degrees total toe: .18
Thanks for sharing.
Is - inboard on the camber? Tim you out board earlier to help clear the coils, 0 is stock for camber toe is also 0 and caster 3.9 pos ,putting these on shortly also doing the lower control arms, solo lowers just arrived today .. and new cam kit KPoffroad.solo told to do the uppers first I don't want to have to align it twice, pressed for time will I be able to drive it if I not able to do the lowers what you think Tim. You guys are great thanks for what you do have a great day.
Phenomenal video as always👍. Please support this channel guys, and God Bless America✌️
Thanks Brother! We appreciate it!
Is it better for road driving to have a more free traveling upper control arm? I have a 2wd and I don’t drive off-road. My upper control arm doesn’t really move much as I found out while changing my struts yesterday. I’m going back and forth on do I just change the bushings or drop the cash to get aftermarket. Please advise.
You’ll find that your upper control arms do articulate quite a bit when driving if you stuck a camera up there, but because they are torqued to spec when the vehicle is at normal ride height, when you take off the wheels, they are hard to move and want to jump back to their happy place. With that said, you don’t need aftermarket arms unless you’re looking for A. More articulation (off-roading), B Tire clearance (not needed of you run stock size tires) or C. You have a lifted vehicle and are making contact with your new coilovers. Bushings would be just fine to replace but in most cases, the OEM rubber lasts pretty good and we haven’t seen upper control arms that were in desperate need of bushing replacement. You may just want to run your stock setup, but address other bushings on your truck.
@@TimmyTheToolman that helps a ton. Thank you.
Will those arms fit on a 99 tacoma prerunner? is not a 4x4
Yes, they will.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks!!
Is this application for lifted 4runners, Tacoma? To get less positive camber?
How about this. Read the following that I took straight from the JBA website:
JBA Offroad manufacturers upper control arms (also known as UCAs or upper a-arms) for the Toyota 4Runner beginning with the 2003 model year. With the right modifications, Toyota 4Runner models are wonderfully capable off-road vehicles.
All Toyota 4Runner models have independent front suspension and require the replacement of factory upper control arms when lifted. If factory UCAs are not replaced, your Toyota 4Runner alignment and clearances will be both incorrect and unsafe.
When Toyota 4Runners are lifted, the caster is lost from the front-end alignment. The caster is critical for stability over 45 miles per hour and returns the steering wheel to center after going around a corner. Additionally, factory upper control arms often rub on the front springs at certain articulations. If factory a-arms are not replaced when lifting a Toyota 4Runner, expensive and dangerous damage is likely.
JBA led the industry back in 2004 with the development of the first aftermarket upper control arms, which enabled vehicles with independent front suspension to be safely lifted. Today, JBA upper control arms are installed on thousands of vehicles, including lifted Toyota 4Runners, and driven all over the world. JBA UCAs work with Toyota 4Runner lift kits up to 4 inches above factory ride height.
All JBA manufactured parts come with JBA 12-month 100% satisfaction guarantee. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with the purchase, you can return it to us for a refund of your purchased price within the first 12 months.
We make arms for 5th Gen 4Runner, 4th Gen 4Runner, and 3rd Gen 4Runner
@@TimmyTheToolman this is great news!! I've been struggling with exactly what is written. Anything above 50mph, and the runner is all over the road. Very dangerous. My camber is far more positive than what is considered normal range. I've been trying for the last couple of years to figure out why I have this problem. I did not lift it. I am also learning as I go. This is a huge help and a much cheaper alternative than another brand that was suggested. Thank you!
P.s. I came across this while looking for a video on replacing the Thermostat.
@@ronancarrillo2235 Hey Ronan, your camber issue could be due to the fact one or more of your cam adjusters are rusted inside the bushing sleeve. Because of that, an adjustment can't happen because the cam won't turn like it should. An alignment tech should be able to dial in your alignment. This video shows the issue I'm talking about and how to cut them out. ruclips.net/video/6FzEHygizoI/видео.html
@@TimmyTheToolman I've taken it to get aligned 3 separate times by 2 different shops. Not once did either shop mention that. So I'm still on this mission to solve the problem.
@@ronancarrillo2235 They didn't mention it, because maybe they don't know the issue. Take it back and mention this possibility. The cam will still turn a little bit, but what it enabling the cam to move is the bushing twisting. Ask the tech to attempt a large movement of the cam. If it can only move a small amount, the cam is frozen inside the bushing sleeve.
Good morning, You located in SF ? I’m in San Lorenzo. I need help on a sunroof just want to see how the cables go together.
we are in San Jose, but unfortunately we aren't a mechanic shop for hire. jump on T4R.org, lots of good info on there for everything 3rd gen.
What wheels are those?
Were can I buy the grease gun for the upper control arms? Jeffy lube doesn't have the right grease gun fitting for my upper arms I need to have them grease
That's a standard grease zerk fitting. Any grease gun should fit. Some just fit a bit tight and it's a struggle to pull the grease fun free of the zerk fitting.
@@TimmyTheToolman okay thank you.
@@marisoltorres6516 No problem. Any auto parts store will sell grease guns.
Can you adjust caster on these similar to SPC UCA’s?
No, these are fixed. SPC’s are as good as garbage. The ball joint wears out crazy fast and needs to be replaced often and frequently. Lots of play in that joint has been reported in less than 10k miles. Pretty disappointing to say the least.
- Sean
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks 🙇🏽♂️
My SPC bushings failed after 8k km!! Garbage
Whats the spring rate on those coils up front?
600lb spring but we need to upgrade to 650, maybe even 700 after the bumper and winch were added
- Sean
Can I use these uca in a rough country 6 inch lift?
I suppose it would work, but maybe contact JBA and ask them.
Where can i get the sleeves
They are part of a ball joint kit. Check the video description for the link. You can expand the video description by clicking on "more".
Will they work for 2wd?
Yes
What about lower control arms with better ball joint system?
We've seen people on forums show fabricated lower balljoints with a supposedly stronger uniball set-up and they talk about making them for others but it never really happens probably from the huge liability standpoint if their design fails and causes somebody to wreck their rig. There's definitely companies making aftermarket LCAs for long travel suspension set-ups but they still use an OEM balljoint from what we've seen.
why was that cotter pin straight
What is the time stamp you’re referring to?
- Sean
Where can I buy them
On their website, it’s in the video description. jbaoffroad.com/jba-std-high-caster-upper-a-arms-for-toyota-tacoma-1996-2004.html
@@TimmyTheToolman
Thank you for the information
@@TimmyTheToolman 👍
been running them on my 20 Tacoma for about 5k miles and no issues...
Good to hear.
What size is the UCA bolt? Is it a 5/8”?
Haven’t measured it but this is the part number
90105-14105
Could some one tell me what about the UCA level can i get the alignment with this one’s ?
Yes, you can get your rig in alignment with these.
Who makes the puller you used in this video?
Ball Joint Service Set
amzn.to/2I1PlEm
what kind of lift does he have? does he also have a body lift?
It’s a TOYTEC Boss lift with bilstein 5100’s. He did add a 1” body lift so we could add an eimkeith bumper, but a body lift is not required to run this same setup.
@@TimmyTheToolman what size wheel and tire setup? Are they 35s?
@@TheMeatncheese12 yes 35’s on 17x8.5” method wheels on 315/70/17 Cooper STT Pros
I would like to install this 4th gen but I don’t have any mechanical experience
You don't need experience. You just have to have a willingness to learn and a willingness to invest in some tools.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks for the advice I wish you be closer to where I live would it be better
@@Kaasal503 Try to join a local 4wd club. There's 4th Gen Facebook Pages and have members all over. You could join one or more of them and then make a post looking for others in your area that turn wrenches on them and basically start your own local group of friends that can help each other out. I've met many people through my channel that I turn wrenches with and now consider my friends. Put yourself out there and you'll be surprised how many people would be willing to lend you a hand. The Toyota Community is filled with cool people.
@@TimmyTheToolman I got the JBA ucas looking forward to get the install keep you posted also I’m thinking about upgrade to 3” lift
@@Kaasal503 Alright, let us know how the install goes.
Are there aftermarket 2wd upper arms for 3rd Gen 4runners?
2wd and 4wd upper control arms are the same
Surprised youse don’t have more electrical mods or diy videos, 12v can be a pain to understand ahaha
What are you interested in seeing? We are interested in hearing your requests
@@TimmyTheToolman maybe like gauges or dual battery system lights any general electrical maintenance
I want this on my rig
🤘🏼