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huh i thought I had updated the thread with the Belair camper:  Belair truck camper, approximately 72" wide interior with 40" height and a 40" overhang on the cab. The overhang is too small to sleep in but is perfect for storing all my crap. As you can see in the 2nd pic, the camper is tall/wide enough to sleep sideways across the truck bed rails. I threw up the plywood sheet as a demo but I plan to build a folding bench/bed there, along with a small kitchenette and some sort of heater/cooling. I'm 5'9ish so I have enough room to stand hunched, even on that plywood riser. So far it hit my gas mileage about 1mpg around town, 3mpg on the freeway? from 15/19 to 14/16. I think lower gears will help, but any help will have been offset by the bigass tires 
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Feb 1, 2023 05:44
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In more specific 4x4 news... the Belair camper is a very heavy bird at ~550lbs, so the OME EL111R springs were starting to W considerably. I had those replaced with Deaver U402 stage 3 springs, and the ride quality difference was night and day. Expensive, but I feel like its worth it, especially with all the current & anticipated weight in the bed. Unfortunately while I was waiting around the truck shop to get the springs installed, I got to talking to the owner and I ended up talking myself into new tires, wheels and gears  285/75r17 Toyo AT3 on 17" Konig Six Shooter wheels with 5.29 gears, along with Geartech inner fender lines and cab mount chop (  gently caress the cab mount relocate ) rad rubber engine bay liner, and the dorkel while they were at it.   Ride quality is  , drives as if it were a regular bone stock truck, gets 11mpg uphill  Recently fired from my job so I'm going to be taking this thing on some serious adventures in the upcoming months.
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Feb 2, 2023 16:52
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fuckyea owns. what are you planning to do inside? Solar or anything like that?
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Feb 2, 2023 17:23
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cursedshitbox posted:fuckyea owns. what are you planning to do inside? Solar or anything like that?  I'll take some better interior pics later today, but I'm planning a full buildout with LiPo and solar. The interior space is so small that I've had some exotic dreams about going all electric - electric heater, electric stove, fridge, (obviously electric) AC. Pound for pound those chinese diesel heaters are probably the way to go, but I honestly dont know if I need something that hot. The camper is surprisingly roomy for what it is, but the actual volume is basically the same as an office cubicle.
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Feb 2, 2023 17:45
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Stick to diesel for your heat and hot water or go with a hydronic like setup that pulls off the heater core loop of the truck. Some of the goons here know more about the repop diesel heaters than I do. If you're gonna do a danfoss compressor style fridge, go with a chest model. They don't dump the cold out every time you open the sucker up to dig something out buried within. Portable induction cooktops rule and aren't too pricey. Do a thread or something. Also if you need assist with the designs there's a pretty good knowledgeable crew here. in TGO there's a rv thread too.
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Feb 2, 2023 17:56
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Probably going to be out of my Colorado by the end of the year as it just doesn't fit my passenger needs anymore, and while the bed is immensely convenient for beach trips and occasional Home Depot runs, it remains empty most of the time. I'm not interested in a full size truck at all. I guess my options are going to be Jeep, 4Runner, or Bronco? I don't think an Outback with tires is going to do it for me. Jeeps seem to be terrible on road, 4Runners are on an old platform, and Broncos seem to be smaller inside than they look but I'm not sure. Any other options out there? Looking for a new or newer 4-door SUV style real 4WD.
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Feb 2, 2023 17:59
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I’ve got a Chinese diesel heater and it’s awesome. My experimenting has been that we sleep an hour and a half longer any time we use it below about 50*F. It will take days to burn a gallon of fuel. The biggest things are making sure you get one with the right controller (or buying an Afterburner controller for the same price as the heater), buying the 5KW model even if you think the 3KW would work, and also making sure that you have a vent to dump excess heat/humidity. We’ve figured out that it’s best to run the heater + vent fan because the heat warms up the space and all the moisture will evaporate out of your wet clothes. If you have a vent fan it will blow the humid air out, otherwise the indoor humidity spikes and it feels like a sauna even if the temperature hasn’t gone up.
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Feb 2, 2023 18:05
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cursedshitbox posted:Stick to diesel for your heat and hot water or go with a hydronic like setup that pulls off the heater core loop of the truck. Some of the goons here know more about the repop diesel heaters than I do. thanks for the tips, and I agree: I will open a Vampire Panties Taco Truck thread here in the next day or so, and walk around and show all the (dumb) poo poo I've done to it. FogHelmut posted:Probably going to be out of my Colorado by the end of the year as it just doesn't fit my passenger needs anymore, and while the bed is immensely convenient for beach trips and occasional Home Depot runs, it remains empty most of the time. Does it need to be new? also what is your appetite for aftermarket suspension stuff? I cant speak to Broncos. You can make a Jeep very docile (within reason) on the road without totally breaking the bank. 4runner/GX460 are an older platform, but they're IFS with a 5-link solid axle in the rear. From a performance perspective, you're not going to find anything more modern than that, unless you get one of the new Defenders with the wacky airbag scissor suspension. Advent Horizon posted:I’ve got a Chinese diesel heater and it’s awesome. My experimenting has been that we sleep an hour and a half longer any time we use it below about 50*F. It will take days to burn a gallon of fuel. Do you have any links for models you like?
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Feb 2, 2023 20:25
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Vampire Panties posted:
It's going to also be a daily driver so I need modern technology and a limited amount of previous owner boogers on everything, and I don't want to spend every weekend fixing something or wondering if X will break/leak soon. I don't mind suspension work, I put Bilstein 6112/5160 on the Colorado which improved everything so much that I don't mind the occasional harshness. I do hate the Icon UCAs that creak no matter how much grease I add and how properly I torque them. Honestly though, I'd prefer to spend more for it to be great from the factory.
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Feb 2, 2023 20:40
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FogHelmut posted:It's going to also be a daily driver so I need modern technology and a limited amount of previous owner boogers on everything, and I don't want to spend every weekend fixing something or wondering if X will break/leak soon. I don't mind suspension work, I put Bilstein 6112/5160 on the Colorado which improved everything so much that I don't mind the occasional harshness. I do hate the Icon UCAs that creak no matter how much grease I add and how properly I torque them. Honestly though, I'd prefer to spend more for it to be great from the factory. GX460 all day. It’s the 4Runner’s uptown cousin, but don’t let that fool you; it is still a Toyota truck that does truck things just fine when asked to. What is your definition of ‘modern technology’? Driver aids, infotainment, on board coffee maker, something else?
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Feb 2, 2023 21:01
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Vampire Panties posted:Do you have any links for models you like? I have a CDH too installed in a landrover. Search on youtube for the reviews and join all the Chinese Diesel Heater facebook groups and count the complaints posts from people in your country. They come as standalone heaters designed to be mounted directly into a vehicle, or in a metal case with a handle. The ones in the metal case are the same heaters just all boxed up - so decide what you want first All the cheap ones (that are not in a case) that are in the $/£100 - £/$150 range are pretty much exactly the same unit and the control panels are trash. If you live/travel at altitude make sure you buy one which has working altitude adjustment (some control panels dont support it) Buy it from somewhere you are confident you can get a refund on if it doesn't work. I used ebay and got it installed and tested within a week or so of it arriving. Before you buy one make peace with the fact that it may just die and you will be out of pocket - but it was under 150 and a real eberspacher/espar/weber one is 800 - so you can afford to replace it later! I have a Vevor brand 5kw one. It was cheap and some of the fittings (the fuel line and exhaust in my case) are terrible. It came with a wiring fault - but after fixing that it works well! The afterburner controller looks to be an amazing upgrade but none of the current cheap CDH's appear to support it now without a replacement mainboard first. These are only $15 from aliexpress.
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Feb 2, 2023 21:46
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Arishtat posted:GX460 all day. It’s the 4Runner’s uptown cousin, but don’t let that fool you; it is still a Toyota truck that does truck things just fine when asked to. 2nding this. Fits in a regular parking spot, has all the modern safety/infotainment stuff, extreeeeeemely comfortable, and Toyota guts underneath, so (nearly)* all the suspension stuff for a 4runner applies. *do not quote me, but I believe some flavors of GX have their own funky version of KDSS which requires a GX-specific lift. Tomarse posted:I have a CDH too installed in a landrover. Thank you, thats really great info. I'll dive down that rabbit hole tonight and report findings to the (upcoming) Taco Truck thread. Not to  or E/N, but I put in notice on my apartment Monday and was fired from my job yesterday. Fukken   at buying tires & gears two days before getting fired, but I'm done with my apartment March 1st, and my cousin is getting married in Kenai Alaska June 3rd. Gonna gear up for the road trip of a lifetime. 
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Feb 2, 2023 21:53
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Arishtat posted:GX460 all day. It’s the 4Runner’s uptown cousin, but don’t let that fool you; it is still a Toyota truck that does truck things just fine when asked to. My unsolicited 2 cents having owned my 2011 GX460 for a couple years now: It's got 155k on it currently. I don't wheel it, but I wouldn't hesitate to take it on forest roads/beach/easy trails if needed/wanted. I have 2 other trail rigs to beat on. Pros: Great power. I flat tow my samurai to trails easily, although it causes a 25-30% fuel econ hit (although it would be worse pulling closer to capacity). With skinny 32s and no additional lift, I get ~16/19 mpg. I only run premium if I'm towing, and even then it's probably not totally necessary. Looks good - I prefer the pre-mustache Lexus era, and mine is also a very sparkly green. An ARB style bull bar would make it look even better. Suspension is still going strong and plenty cushy and comfortable. Lots of aftermarket out there if and when it comes time to replace/upgrade. Interior stuff is mostly good - heated and cooled seats are nice, 2nd row has heat except for the middle, and 2nd row can adjust fwd/back and recline. 3rd row folds flat. Most of the time the side swing rear door is great, but if you parallel park and you're in the US, it can be a pain since the door hinges on the right. Sound is good (audiophiles may disagree, I think it's fine and clear enough when it's loud). Perfect size if you have to park in public places and cramped garages Cons: The infotainment system sucks and was outdated and unimpressive in its production year I'm sure. The navigation is useless. I could upgrade from 12 years out of date maps to 6-7 years out of date, but I don't see the point when my phone does it fine. Interior is now a bit too cramped for 3 kids (11, 7, 6) if they all have to pile into the 2nd row due to luggage. My knee sometimes hits the volume knob on the dash and turns off the audio. I have the light tan interior which is the wrong color if you have kids or get it dirty or wear blue jeans or etc etc. Drivers seat is starting to show cracking in the perforated leather. The rear spoiler paint has peeled terribly, but not that easy to notice unless you are looking for it. Little quirks that annoy me: no remote start if you have kids and they are watching a DVD, you can't fade the audio to the back. It just kills whatever sound should be coming out of the front speakers instead of sending it all to the back speakers. No pedal adjustment for different drivers, although you can set seat position and steering wheel tilt/telescope. Half of the HVAC controls are in the infotainment Push button tcase controls (and an expensive and labor intensive shifting solenoid should it fail) Overall I give it a solid B rating for a pretty much do everything vehicle. The GX prices went crazy a few years ago, but seem to have settled a little. I paid 21k USD with 120k on it in 2021, IIRC, which was fair, but not a great deal. New, they are insane like everything else. If I wheeled it, the most expensive part of the build would be the armor - front and rear bumpers, sliders, and skids would all be very necessary and very $$$. However, when they are built out, they look much cooler than their 4runner cousins (IMO). Also if you plan to beat on it, the rear axle is a bit undersized and people seem to break stuff under heavy use. Extra weight is probably the biggest contributor. If I didn't have to park in a garage, I would prefer to have a bigass actual landcruiser instead.
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Feb 2, 2023 22:34
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Arishtat posted:GX460 all day. It’s the 4Runner’s uptown cousin, but don’t let that fool you; it is still a Toyota truck that does truck things just fine when asked to. Modern technology is something from the last 5 years. Android auto and a very nice screen with camera(s). Heated steering wheel a plus. I absolutely do not want to mess with aftermarket anything, I am too old for that poo poo. A new GX460 is going to be out of budget. Also stock it offers less ground clearance than the 4runner or even an Outback. Also that grill. I would prefer to not have to chop anything or install bumpers to make it capable.
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Feb 2, 2023 22:55
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Vampire Panties posted:I'm done with my apartment March 1st, and my cousin is getting married in Kenai Alaska June 3rd. Just be aware the Kenai Peninsula sucks a week either side of Memorial Day. That’s one of the reasons I won’t move back within 6 hours of Anchorage. As for the diesel heater, I also have a Vevor and it works great. The controller you want is the ‘red’ or ‘blue’ unit with a remote. Those have altitude adjustment. It doesn’t do it automatically, though, and getting to that part of the menu is a PITA, but they will do it. I’ve used mine (with the blue controller) from sea level to 10,000 feet. I, and a couple others I know, have had good luck ordering directly from the Vevor website.
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Feb 2, 2023 22:57
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FogHelmut posted:Probably going to be out of my Colorado by the end of the year as it just doesn't fit my passenger needs anymore, and while the bed is immensely convenient for beach trips and occasional Home Depot runs, it remains empty most of the time. I don't know if you were budgeting new or pre-owned. I was seriously considering ordering a brand new 4 door Bronco but after sitting in one I realized quickly it would not fit my family (three young kids/car seat hell). My answer is Land Cruiser. The dealer I went to and looked at the Bronco (when they first were arriving) I was looking at an LX 570. I had driven the LX, a 2013 that had like 120K miles on it and asking ~$35K. Then I sat in the Bronco. At half the price the LX was better. A little less than a year later; I just bought a 2013 LX 570 with 130K miles for $29K. It needs some maintenance (I will be under a grand into fluids/plugs/misc things) and spent $3500 on a full set of 5 wheels/tires (17" Icon/33" KO2). As I have looked at the pricing of all SUVs and what was out there the 200 series LC platform is unmatched. Just drive one, and if is not "too big" for you then it is the best thing you can buy. It does a lot of things you want, but some things might be too outdated for you. For me it is worth the sacrifice. (It does have heated/cooled seats, heated wheel, remote start, BT audio streaming, wireless headphones for the rear entertainment) The GX is probably the next best option if you can get over the dumb rear door thing. RE: Diesel Heaters; I got a ton of info from Advent Horizon and Tomarse about the diesel heaters. I have been building one into working with my teardrop trailer and will be posting a full writeup in my thread when I am done. So far it is cool! I bought the VEVOR 5kw with a blue face controller. It doesn't have the fine tuning for altitude but it does have an Alpine mode.   I think I am less than $200 overall into this project so far. EDIT: This thing is AWESOME and please post a ton of photos and details as you build it out.
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Feb 2, 2023 23:39
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FogHelmut posted:Modern technology is something from the last 5 years. Android auto and a very nice screen with camera(s). Heated steering wheel a plus. I absolutely do not want to mess with aftermarket anything, I am too old for that poo poo. AFAIK all Toyotas - Tundra, Sequioa, 4runner, Tacoma, and their Lexus cousins - all require chopping if you go bigger than 34" tires. You don't need 34" tires to be capable though. Dark horse - i'm going to suggest a Jeep. They're the ultimate inverse of a GX w/r/t comfort, but you can get all the bells and whistles, and they have a comfort all their own. The aftermarket selection is so huge for them that you can build it out precisely how you want it - how you want it to behave on road, off road, and how much effort to transition between. They're also significantly less expensive than a GX, although you'll probably turn right back around and spend that extra money on upgrades also look for the Taco Truck thread tonight!!! EDIT the real-real on Jeep suspension is - around town a solid axle is fine 80% of the time, but there are certain road conditions that will knock you around / scare you - anything the wheels strike at the same time, or is off kilter enough to tilt the Jeep. Jeeps will also make you tear your hair out on any sort of washboard. Mitigating or rectifying those issues is where people spend insane money on Jeep suspension. If you pay attention while driving you can avoid another 95% of the road issues. I'd also point out that Jeeps can still get stuck/broken off road, its just dual lockers and 33"s from the factory go a loong way. Vampire Panties fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Feb 3, 2023 |
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Feb 3, 2023 00:18
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The gx is the Prado in the rest of the world and one of the most trusted platforms there is. My friend has a beautiful gx for sale on FB and I’d buy it if it made any sense or needed an awesome vehicle. For like $11k I don’t know how you’d get a more capable and comfortable truck for the money.
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Feb 3, 2023 00:57
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Somewhat Heroic posted:I don't know if you were budgeting new or pre-owned. I was seriously considering ordering a brand new 4 door Bronco but after sitting in one I realized quickly it would not fit my family (three young kids/car seat hell). This is where I'm at. 3 seats across the back of the Colorado would be a squeeze, and most don't recommend it. And the dog will lose her spot. Vampire Panties posted:AFAIK all Toyotas - Tundra, Sequioa, 4runner, Tacoma, and their Lexus cousins - all require chopping if you go bigger than 34" tires. You don't need 34" tires to be capable though. I keep thinking I want a Jeep. But then I keep thinking death wobble and made by Stellantis. I didn't enjoy driving the 2-door, but I feel like the longer wheel base of the 4-door would be better? I haven't researched much.
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Feb 3, 2023 03:52
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I was amazed how bad our 4 door wrangler rubicon at the BLM handled washboard roads. It was just skating around and felt super dangerous. I'm sure it's great for low speed technical poo poo but for just getting to where you want to go it was not fun. Really have to pay attention on curvy mountain roads too, they like to wander.
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Feb 3, 2023 05:26
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FogHelmut posted:This is where I'm at. 3 seats across the back of the Colorado would be a squeeze, and most don't recommend it. And the dog will lose her spot. While death wobble could technically happen to any Jeep at any time, newer jeeps with good lifts, wheels and tires aren't likely to ever encounter the issue. I think Jeeps are relatively well made for what they are, but Stellantis makes a kerjillion  design decisions which end up requiring expensive and specific parts. The JLU incorporated like 2k of  must have upgrades that every JKU bought off Amazon, but I'm sure there's a buncha other poo poo that has to be replaced (I'm assuming they haven't fixed the impossibly lovely transfer case linkage/shifter)sexy tiger boobs posted:I was amazed how bad our 4 door wrangler rubicon at the BLM handled washboard roads. This is one of the bigger reasons I traded in my Jeep. Any sort of overlanding or traveling around BLM means washboard dirt roads, and the Jeep was simply awful on them. I never took the Jeep off roading hard enough to need its full capabilities, but I spent a lot of time driving around back country roads / dirt roads to the point that the Jeep just didnt' make sense. Ultimately I wanted a truck so I could get some sort of camper (I didn't know I was going to go full Old Man Taco though ) I dont want to make this seem like its a big indictment against the Jeep - I drove a 2015 JKU across the country and back, and was reasonably comfortable most of the time. I bought my Tacoma in August 2019, and tbh if Gladiators hadnt been brand new/70k, I almost certainly would've got one.  The Tacoma was also wildly more uncomfortable when I first got it
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Feb 3, 2023 06:21
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I was at about 10k feet in Colorado in my Colorado when I hit some washboards and the whole truck started vibrating sideways to the edge of the road. My tires were still at highway pressure since the road I was on was very nice at the start. Airing down mostly resolved this. Is the Jeep issue similar? I figured it was a combination of my pressurized tires and stiff suspension with nothing in the bed.
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Feb 3, 2023 06:51
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I've had that happen in my Tacoma on washboard roads and even on train tracks and going over top of sunken manhole covers (theres a few on my street and my street is curvy). I suspect that its maybe a solid axle thing more than anything else. I've had it happen in work trucks too. All solid rear axles. Hit a bump(s) and the back end kinda wanders back and forth a bit. My Corolla has semi-independant rear suspension and it does the same thing, on the washboards, and when going over these manhole covers to a much lesser extent, but its still there. Doesn't happen on train tracks.
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Feb 3, 2023 12:53
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FogHelmut posted:I was at about 10k feet in Colorado in my Colorado when I hit some washboards and the whole truck started vibrating sideways to the edge of the road. My tires were still at highway pressure since the road I was on was very nice at the start. Airing down mostly resolved this. Yeah its the same physical feeling. The suspension can only articulate so much without passing that through to the vehicle. Airing down tires and going slower only helps when you get <10mph, wesleywillis posted:I've had that happen in my Tacoma on washboard roads and even on train tracks and going over top of sunken manhole covers (theres a few on my street and my street is curvy). I suspect that its maybe a solid axle thing more than anything else. I've had it happen in work trucks too. All solid rear axles. Hit a bump(s) and the back end kinda wanders back and forth a bit. Yeah a Tacoma can have the same issue. The rotational mass of the tire hitting the wash and bouncing up overpowers the suspension dampening. When my truck was stock, I had similar issues with chattering through washboard curves, but once I upgraded the suspension that mostly disappeared.
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Feb 3, 2023 15:53
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Maybe there was something wrong with the particular wrangler I drove, but it was relatively new and shouldn't have had any issues. I used to drive XJs, currently drive a tacoma, and an ranger for work, along with occasionally driving an f150 or random dodge. Washboard sucks in everything but the wrangler was a whole another level, just felt way harder to predict where it was gonna go if you were doing any kinda speed.
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Feb 3, 2023 17:10
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How to make washboard roads bearable in a couple easy steps 1. Open wallet 2. Kings. 3. Done! Factory shock valving is always poo poo and not optimized for washboard. If it were it would have lousy road manners.
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Feb 3, 2023 17:46
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cursedshitbox posted:How to make washboard roads bearable in a couple easy steps cannot  this enough, and something I had vaguely alluded to upthread:At the end of the day, if you need to go drive out washboards for hours, fork out the cash to get Kings (or Fox!). They make them for every truck thats been discussed itt, and you can get full Fox with reservoirs and DSC for sprinter vans. Technically you don't even need to lift anything to get bypass shocks with reservoirs, and yeah the upfront investment on them sucks but they're all serviceable parts, so you can rebuild your Kings/Fox shocks and keep using them a decade down the road. There are a fuckload of manufacturers out there, but for the money its really best to stick with Kings or Fox. I went with Fox so that's why i'm pitching them, although tbh if I were to start over I'd probably go with Kings.
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Feb 3, 2023 19:46
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If I don't get a new vehicle, I'm going to shell out for the SPC UCAs. The creaking from these urethane bushings is driving me crazy. I might even put the original ones back on. I'm only 2 inch lift, and while the originals were certainly stretched, they were not beyond the limit. Out in Big Bear looking for some secret sledding spots. Holcomb Valley Road is in horrible condition. Very deep ruts and very deep puddles. Some places are nice though.  BFG KO2s have been fantastic in the dry and the desert, but this is the first time I've had them in these conditions. Packed snow: great Deep snow: fine Mud: no complaints Transitioning from mud back to snow: pretty bad until the mud exits the tread Ice: might as well be on bald summer tires holy poo poo I was at highway air pressure in the tires - 35 psi. I did not air down because I thought you were not supposed to do that in the snow. I don't know if it would have helped me in the ice. Particularly, there was a narrow single track section with deep ruts. A couple of trucks were coming uphill in the opposite direction. I could not get out of the ruts so I had to reverse for about a half a mile until there was a spot to let them pass. FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 22:37 on Feb 4, 2023 |
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Feb 4, 2023 22:32
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FogHelmut posted:BFG KO2s have been fantastic in the dry and the desert, but this is the first time I've had them in these conditions. That has been my experience as well (in a 4Runner, for whatever that's worth). In winter I'm rarely on anything other than pavement or ice/snow, so I bit the bullet and put Blizzaks on this year. They are absurdly good on icy mountain passes and snow-covered parking lots. I can't say how they'd be in deeper off road snow, although I've seen some videos where they seem fine. I do worry about the shoulder season when there's still some snow and ice up high but lower elevation roads are getting muddy. I'll probably err on the side of switching back early. But man, after a few years of being nervous about every winding turn driving up to go snowshoeing, it's a breath of fresh air. 4wd + true winter tires makes ice feel like wet pavement.
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Feb 5, 2023 02:41
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FogHelmut posted:If I don't get a new vehicle, I'm going to shell out for the SPC UCAs. The creaking from these urethane bushings is driving me crazy. I might even put the original ones back on. I'm only 2 inch lift, and while the originals were certainly stretched, they were not beyond the limit. I have SPC UCAs on my LX 470. I am unimpressed. The ball joints failed in less than 10K miles and I am not anything approaching "hardcore off road person". The replacements don't seem to be fairing much better. They didn't fail like snapped; but they got sloppy and had to be replaced. I am not alone with this either. There are a number of other people with 100 series Toyotas that all share similar sentiments. I bought them because I read on ih8mud they were the second coming of UCAs. With a bit more digging and prodding I can see they are not. I have such a small lift going back I would have just done OEM Toyota. I don't recall what you are using now but if you can run OEM I would say do that first, then look into other brands. For Toyota it seems the Total Chaos seem to be better.
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Feb 5, 2023 21:44
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Somewhat Heroic posted:I have SPC UCAs on my LX 470. I am unimpressed. The ball joints failed in less than 10K miles and I am not anything approaching "hardcore off road person". The replacements don't seem to be fairing much better. They didn't fail like snapped; but they got sloppy and had to be replaced. I am not alone with this either. There are a number of other people with 100 series Toyotas that all share similar sentiments. I bought them because I read on ih8mud they were the second coming of UCAs. With a bit more digging and prodding I can see they are not. I have such a small lift going back I would have just done OEM Toyota. I have Icon tubular with the Delta Joint. I didn't really choose them so much as I got them brand new for half price.
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Feb 6, 2023 05:26
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FogHelmut posted:I have Icon tubular with the Delta Joint. I didn't really choose them so much as I got them brand new for half price. Correct me if I'm wrong, but AFAIK the Icon has a grease zerk on the bushings. Maybe try blasting those with some lithium grease before switching? Anecdotal, but I had the SPC UCAs on my Tacoma and I took them off because I had a ball joint issue (also was worried about bending/breaking them, they are smaller/slimmer than OEM). I replaced them with JBA UCA HDs (dont think they make them for a Colorado though) I have to hit them with the grease gun ~4-6 months or they squeak pretty badly as well.
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Feb 6, 2023 06:09
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Vampire Panties posted:Correct me if I'm wrong, but AFAIK the Icon has a grease zerk on the bushings. Maybe try blasting those with some lithium grease before switching? Yeah, I loaded the bushings up with Super Lube by hand before installing them, then added more through the zerks before torquing the bolts down. I've been loosening the bolts and regreasing through the zerks every oil change. It's supposed to be the best grease for polyurethane bushings, but I get about a week before the creaking starts again. I might try replacing the bushings before all is said and done. I've read some people have wrapped the inner sleeve with yellow Teflon tape, or even have bushing made of some other material that I can't recall right now.
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Feb 6, 2023 06:55
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To add to the pile I have SPC upper control arms and have not experienced any issues in four years and ~40,000 miles of ownership. I do make sure to stay on top of cleaning the suspension after wheeling and topping off the grease for the upper ball joint but that is the extent of maintenance for me. I should also point out that I live in the mid-Atlantic region so maybe environmental factors are at play as well. Around here the enemy is mostly mod and clay, not sand or fine dust. I will say that anecdotally owner experience with SPC upper control arms varies greatly and the most common complaint i have heard is ball joint failure, especially on earlier models which lacked the grease fitting. Around here at least I haven’t heard of any complaints of bushings acting up, but that might be more common in a drier, dustier environment. The people I hang out with seem to prefer JBA or Camburgs for simple 2-3” lift setups and then I don’t pay too much attention to what the people running 35” and and long travel use because that is above my pay grade and level of interest as far as wheeling goes.
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Feb 6, 2023 07:21
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JBA if they make them for your application. Nitrogear is what I had on my 100 and they were perfect. Was never interested in SPC because of the weirdo special ball joint. Not interested in open ball whatever parts either because I'm in the frozen salted hellscape of new england.
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Feb 6, 2023 14:19
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Is there a tire y’all would recommend for us folks that are looking at 1-2 weeks of snow? Not enough time for winters, but it would be nice to have more traction than bald summers. Would like reasonable off road traction as the car will get out west a time or two per year.
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Feb 6, 2023 17:14
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I've been very happy with my Falken Wildpeaks in the winter snow and ice, and I run Blizzaks on my other car. A lot of people seem to like them in general, though I know there's someone in this thread who thinks they're trash so YMMV I guess.
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Feb 6, 2023 17:34
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+1 for the wildpeak at3w, though i think the tire guys had some trouble balancing them. They've been good for me.
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Feb 6, 2023 17:37
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Wildpeaks are one of the heavier tires, but I've heard good things about all other aspects. I've also heard of Duratracs being heralded for their snow and ice abilities. I'm not entirely sure I'd get an AT for one trip per year, but I guess it depends on what you're doing.
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Feb 6, 2023 18:10
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| # ? May 23, 2024 11:43 |
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bird with big dick posted:RIP my beautiful F-150. I’m back, bitches 
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Feb 9, 2023 14:51
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