UCA hitting the strut

Hello forum i've got a bit of an issue-I bought a 03 tundra 2wd with no previous modifications. Time went buy and I went out an bought a rough country 2.5 lift and I went all out and bought the new struts and everything, I have heard of problems with the brand but due to it being so inexpensive I took the chance and bought it. Took it to the shop a day ago which is where the truck is currently sitting. Due to the upper control arm hitting the strut. I talked to the shop which is very reputable they said the truck looks fine sitting but the moment you go to drive it it hits and rubs really bad and it is undriveable. Can someone pls tell me if they have had or heard of the same problem and can pls provide a solutions Thanks!!!

 

Revert to the stock suspension? The reputable shop has no solution? The lift parts maker is no help as to what's going on?

 

Unfortunately, since I took the truck in the shop on Friday, they are closed the whole weekend. However they tried to call the lift seller they did not answer. We are hoping Monday we will have an answer to the problem. Good news is that the truck is the shops number 1 priority and they will not let me get the truck until the job is done right!

 

I'll never understand why folks buy rough country lifts. I've never heard anything but complaints. @ Bluetoyotaguy what inspired you to buy it?

 

To be completely honest there was no real "inspiration" to buy the kit. I know plenty of people who run Rough Country components and they cant say enough good things about them. Its just one of those brands. I guess if I had to come up with good reason as to why I bought it would have been the price. I have a tight budget and this is my first truck.

 

Not sure if others would agree, but in my opinion saying “tight budget” should always tell you to just keep the stock suspension. Do it right or don’t do it. I’m currently spending money to take my new to me 2004 DC back to stock because previous owner didn’t follow this advice.

 

Listen, with all do respect I bought the lift I got it put on there was an issue regardless of money. I'm 16 years old I have limited money and it won't be the last truck I ever own. I don't quite understand what you mean by "do it right" it is a brand new kit regardless of brand, I simply asked for help.

 

I’m just sharing my experience and trying to provide a little knowledge I’ve learned from this forum. I didn’t lift a truck till the 5th truck I owned, was in my 30’s, and had plenty cash to spend on it. Just because it’s new doesn’t make it right. Every component the struts, lift, UCA’s, wheels, and tires all need to be in harmony. They need to be researched and chosen carefully. When you just go buy a lift you’re asking for a problems. I’ve got an upper ball joint hitting coils because the previous owner wanted the truck to look cool with a 3” spacer with stock wheels and stock UCA’s. It’s a nightmare because he has ruined components.

Good luck solving your problems, I hope it works out for you.

 

Thanks for the Advice, have a good rest of your night.

 

Nothing wrong with Rough Country. It’s simply the style of lift blocks above the factory strut. Doesn’t matter what brand.

It allows excessive droop that in turn causes UCA to contact the coilovers. Aftermarket UCA’s have more clearance designed into them and can help deal with extra droop, but too much droop and your steering and CV’s bind.

Also, you have to make sure your bump stops are extended, or your coilovers become you bump stops, and that’s a bad thing.

Best thing to do is find a shop that does Toyota’s, they will know all the tricks.

 

I dunno what yer drinkin’ but I want some!

 

White Claws and Jager Bombs

I meant “find a shop”

 

When you say you bought new struts, what do you mean? Is this a spacer lift or the N3 lifted struts?

 

I bought the n3 struts

 

no additional lift spacers on top right? If they are barely hitting maybe alignment will fix?

 

Yeah, no additional spacers just the 2.5” new n3 strut. I was told the truck was already aligned after the install, but I hope a solution will come up Monday.

 

We need to see some pics

 

We're just trying to be helpful. My 05 DC came with a 3" spacer kit when I bought it. It was all kinds of wrong. There were no bump stop spacers, no transfer case spacers and no skid plate spacers. I ended up getting a Toytec 3" kit with new 5100s and UCAs as that is about the height you really need them. I understand the pricing bit as my wife was complaining about the price too. It's just one of those things where one new piece affects three other pieces and you're $1200 in the hole to keep the same 3" lift, but now it's right. If you can get some pics of where it's rubbing we could help better determine how to help.

 

OP, you didn’t do anything wrong. There’s a problem with the kit or the way it’s installed. An alignment, clocking the spring, or just following the directions better May fix the issue. If you needed aftermarket UCAs to run the kit, they should tell you. If you’re close to 2.5-3” of lift on that kit, you’re really pushing the max geometry for the stock suspension parts. Is the kit specifically for the 2wd front end? Did it reuse the factory spring?

 

I read the instruction for the N3’s, and it doesn’t say anything special about needing new upper control arms, and there is no need to position the lower mount one way or another.

I think we need some pics.

I’ve used Rough Country many times, I actually like their shock valving. That being said they have shipped me the wrong parts twice now.

 

Rough Country’s page does say product fits 2000-2006 Tundra 4WD.

 

I thought general consensus is uca’s are a must for a lift? My truck with crushed stock shock bushings is close enough to the spring at full extention, any larger of a spring, or extra angle from more droop, would surely hit. Im interested to see pics of the damage thats occurred. Aint no shame in cheaping out on parts, but you have to consider why the expensive stuff is different. I cheap out on oil filters, but i prefill (even though you’re supposedly not supposed to) to minimize the pressure differential available to collapse the filter media. And i havent bought a lift kit yet, after a year, because the more i look, the more i need to replace.

 

If you stay around 2" of lift you can get by with stock arms but it depends what wheel and tire you run. The arm and ball joint are okay with that much lift but most guys who lift want more tire and thats where clearance issues can come to surface.

 

Why would you lift without more tire?

 

Not necessarily. You need upper control arms with mid travel / extended travel coil overs. Stock travel coil overs like bilstein 5100, stock UCA’s are fine.