Upper control arms

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Wesley Wooten

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Launch Member

Contributor I

233
Wilsonville, AL, USA
First Name
Wesley
Last Name
Wooten
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19093

I plan on putting a 3 inch lift on my 2010 fj. Will it hurt it if I drive a couple of weeks with the factory upper control arms? I will be getting new arms in a few weeks.
 

bmwguru

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Influencer I

2,271
Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Jim
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Pickrell
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14032

I plan on putting a 3 inch lift on my 2010 fj. Will it hurt it if I drive a couple of weeks with the factory upper control arms? I will be getting new arms in a few weeks.
It won't hurt the vehicle but it will not drive very well at all. You will lose a lot of caster and that will make it very unstable and darty on the highway. That's what the aftermarket upper control arms do is give you back the caster you lost and bring back the stability. I drove my 4Runner for a few days after I lifted it and before I had upper control arms and it was not fun. I would not want to do it for a few weeks personally. Why not just wait and do it all at the same time? You are going to have to disconnect the upper arm ball joints to put a lift on anyway. Why do it twice?
 

Wesley Wooten

Rank I
Launch Member

Contributor I

233
Wilsonville, AL, USA
First Name
Wesley
Last Name
Wooten
Member #

19093

It won't hurt the vehicle but it will not drive very well at all. You will lose a lot of caster and that will make it very unstable and darty on the highway. That's what the aftermarket upper control arms do is give you back the caster you lost and bring back the stability. I drove my 4Runner for a few days after I lifted it and before I had upper control arms and it was not fun. I would not want to do it for a few weeks personally. Why not just wait and do it all at the same time? You are going to have to disconnect the upper arm ball joints to put a lift on anyway. Why do it twice?
You're right, I'll wait. A few more weeks won't hurt. Thanks!