need a little help

I cant get my front suspension to lay. the uppers are pie-cut. im runing stock spindles adn control arms on 225 40 18s. if i step on the engine cradle, the frame will lay, but its got some resistance, and as soon as i step off, it pops right back up. is it possible that the lower balljoints are bound as well/ anyone had this problem? The only thing i can think of is the lower balljoints, or the tie rods.. Anyone had issues wiht either of these?



Im not sure yet but they might even be angled too much. i had already pie cut them when i first bodydropped my truck. the truck laid, But the frame wasnt laying, and the cab was overbodydropped.

the truck is now sfbd, i couldnt get the supsension to lay, so i unbolted the upper control arms, and it laid out fine. so i assumed it was the UCAs... Well i just finished my frame, and put the suspenion back together. Cut and angled the balljoints again, and still no luck.. it acutally seemed stiffer than it was before.. so maybe there over-angled.... Any ideas?

Those are angled a bit far. The best angle for Toyotas is straight. Basically a straight line from the pivot point at the frame to the mounting point of the balljoint.

Another thing to look at, is the lower arm. They sometimes need to be trimmed because they hit the LCA mount on the frame.

hmm. Thats exactly what i had before. i had them angled straight, and i did trim out the lowers. it doesnt look like they hit reguardless, but they are trimmed out.

like i said, the only thing i can think of is the tie rods or the lower balljoints.. so after work im gonna take off the steering all together, and see if that helps.. and if not, i dono. i guess ill try cutting the lca's..

IM also wondering if its the bushings.. But with all the weight of the frame, id think that would be enough to compress it.. But it takes me standing on it to compress it.. And im a big dood, so thats alot of weight..

no engine in?

Thats a good point. Engine will help it lay.

BUT, your bags could be bottoming out on the internal bump stops. They will travel farther if you force them to.

yep. mine wont lay without the engine, cause the bags are right at that point to maximize lift.

Im also thinking that if the engine was in then it would lay. Like you said earlier that it layed with you steped on the engine cradle so you shoule be fine!

engine and trans should be equal or greater than your weight, or else you should stay away from McDonalds.

lol my last name is mcdonald, so im stuck with it for life lol


Nah tho , i was just a little worried, because i see alot of pics of frames laid out without the engine. its probly just old ass bushings.. im gonna bring the balljoint angle back a little bit and roll with it.. i just didnt want nothing to break on me. i didnt cut the lowers yet. i ended up just throwing some shear gussets over the frame rails and calling it a night. so tomoorow ill setup the balljoints where they shoud be, and call it a day..


Another question.. Anyone got pics of their triangulated lowers installed on the chassis? I got the bushings and tubing to do it. just wanted to see a couple pics of how people are doing it..

pics in seths build thread.

edit:
well there where, what happened to the first half of your pics?