BIG Upgrades To Our Lifted Toyota: 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser: Beyond 3" Lift Kit

Fixing weak points that may leave us stranded on the trail. COMPLETE DIY on how to make major improvements to your lifted Toyota's front suspension.
Beyond the typical "how to install Toyota lift kit" how to videos. This shows the next necessary steps to increase the strength and reliability of your offroad and overland rig.
We explain in detail all the steps needed to remove all the front suspension components.
How to install Total Chaos spindle gussets and cam tab gussets.
How to install Dirt King lower control arms.
We explain the common Toyota problem; frozen cam bolts, and how to fix them completely.
Then we give tips and a complete guide on how to reassemble the front suspension.
We show you in great detail how to install:
Dirt King Lower Control Arms: tinyurl.com/77fwcyrc
Total Chaos Spindle Gussets: tinyurl.com/49fkburz
Total Chaos Cam Tab Gussets: tinyurl.com/8622yafa
SPC Cam Bolt Kit: tinyurl.com/2p9fbzt6
Spidertrax Wheel Spacers: tinyurl.com/ye4b9d5h
HD Swaybar Links: tinyurl.com/bdedmdpp
Here's a resource for the torque specs we used for our 5th Gen 4Runner: tinyurl.com/msbht65w

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Love the new Red Plate with the dirt king logo on there newer style control arms

[@Fizz826]

Thanks for this video! I feel like I know you.. It’s Seabass teaching me how to do this! You look just like Cam Neely!

[@WanderlostOverland]

😂

[@Cowsrblack]

I love dirt king control arms. So happy you chose them. I was in a car crash about a month ago in my FJ. Car took out my front tire. Destroyed my spindle shock and disk. The only things not even damaged whatsoever is my dirt king lower control arm and my wheel. And trust me it was mayham in there. Had to get new everything. Luckily chassis wasn’t bent. But the control arm took that entire hit like a champ

[@WanderlostOverland]

Great to hear you're okay, and the control arms held up!

[@Chad_H]

With all the gear on that truck, I can't believe you guys are still running stock bumpstops. Durobumps are absolutely a worthwhile upgrade!

[@dezertbomber15]

Many people overlook these. Night and day difference with progressive bumpstops, especially with heavy loads, drops, or higher speed offroading. It might also help reduce bending parts since there is far less of a hard stopping force with the progressive bumps engaging sooner and resisting over a longer portion of travel with a smoother stop.

[@richardstone5241]

I used to build this stuff for pleasure and for MOAB. YOU NEED THE SWAY BARS!!!.................FOR DAILY DRIVING. Good choice on the Cam Tabs and the Lower Control Arms. I don't like wheel spacers regardless of your experience. Get NEW RIMS! Yes on the Lok Tite and the Anti Seize but make sure you are using the right anti-seize for application and DO NOT use on spark plugs.

[@tedm9865]

I enjoy watching your videos. You guys really go above and beyond when fixing the 4runner or FJ. I like the workarounds for strengthening the stock knuckle. I just recently replaced my front wheel bearing, which ended up turning into a major job. New knuckle, seals, hub, and speed sensor on my 2005 Toyota 4runner. Ah, got to love the rust belt. Good call on the blade comment.

[@PNW_Rodeo]

Keep the rear sway bar and pull the front. Youll retain good on road control but greatly increase offroad flexibility.

[@mattb.2359]

I had to cut 3/4 of the lower control arm hardware out last weekend. Not fun. Just make sure to have a set of new arms handy if it needs to be done quickly, or a press and new bushings and ball joints if you plan on reusing the OEM lca. I personally chose to go with Taco Tabs and not have to deal with the bushing sleeve. I used anti seize on the threads of the hardware, and grease where it goes into the bushing. Although for the wheel spacers, you do actually want to take those off when the time comes for doing pads and rotors. So just use anti seize, and torque to spec. I ran spacers, (more for looks), for over a year without red loctite, and had 0 issues. Tech tip, if no one is around to help torque anything that rotates, like the cv axle nut of wheel spacer nuts, stick a flat blade screwdriver in the slots in the rotor. Once it hits the caliper, it can't move.

[@trailrunnah8886]

Great tip with the screwdriver! Usually I stick a pry bar in between the wheel studs, once it hits the ground it stops things from spinning as well, but I like the simple elegance of the screwdriver trick a little better.

[@chrislee4946]

How did your alignment end up after using taco tabs? Ive been looking and considering those for the last week or two. My tabs are completely flattened and cam bolts need replacing in my 17 Tacoma.. ive already replaced my UCAs with JBAs.. can’t decide if i wanna get aftermarket LCAs or not

[@GATORADDAM]

I wish I had the mechanical aptitude you have. I can build you a house, every phase of it. But I change one spark plug and it'll never run again! Haha. Fortunately I have a master mechanic friend who charges me a low rate. Great video folks!

[@stay_in_adventure]

This is my next mod! Cam tab gussets and the Marlin crawler HD LCA frame brace kit! I'm still debating if I should get aftermarket lower control arms though.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Looks good came out nice 👌

[@watts_da_freq]

Love your videos and the genuine and authentic presentation style. You keep referring to the knuckle as a spindle. Just my OCD I guess, don't mind me and keep up the great work.

[@thehighlandcruisers5194]

Best educational video I’ve ever seen about suspension update, thanks guys👍🏼

[@WanderlostOverland]

Wow, thanks!

[@Mr.Preston3991]

My original lower control arm bolts were properly seized on my 2016 GX460. I had to heat them up and burn the bushing completely to get them out.

[@arinmirzayan3949]

nice helpful video 👍

[@WanderlostOverland]

Glad to hear that

[@jonnybkuehl878]

Great job you 2!! That was quite the process!! Cheers!!

[@nunquamdormint]

This video is gold. Wealth of info for 4runner owners. Thanks you two!! Cheers!

[@WanderlostOverland]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SigmaWolfOutdoors]

Camburg is making a spindle fits OEM specs

[@bradcallander7789]

Great job

[@StubProductions]

Wow! This is a big job especially working on floor. You all are tough. Thanks for the video!

[@WanderlostOverland]

Our pleasure!

[@drzero9360]

awesome video guys! You described every step so clearly and showed everything so accurately I am now going to go into my garage and work on a 4runner too. Love this channel and the videos you produce. Thanks guys.

[@WanderlostOverland]

Glad it helped!

[@vidalsalazar3666]

You guys are awesome

[@henrikm4657]

Impressive wrenching skills! Thanks for the informative content!

[@WanderlostOverland]

Thanks for watching!

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

😂😂😂 at the Bloopers

[@yellow_noise3]

After installing spacers in my 2021 4runner almost lost the wheel when driving. One spacer became loose and I was close to snap all hub bolts. After dissassembling I realized that factory bolts in the hub are too short and nuts for spacers use only last 30% of the thread to keep spacers+wheels. Best solution is to replace factory hub bolts for longer (I used ARP) and use so called extended nuts. Maybe if I used red loctite I wouldnt have this issue, but I used blue one. Hope your spacers keep strong. And great video, will do my spindle reinforcement for sure....

[@WanderlostOverland]

We have no trouble with our Spidertrax spacers. The nuts on the rotor get full amount of threads.

[@TerryGrayTX]

Not a spacer video....but I'm tire-kickin' on spacers myself. I have 0 offset wheel now and 1.25" Spidertrax sounded like a lot to me....so glad they worked! So no rubbing while daily driving...anxious to see if they will rub when stuffed inside the wheel wells when out on the trail.

[@chrislee4946]

Love the videos! Keep ‘em coming! Ive done a ton of mods to my Tacoma using your install videos instead of instructions lol

[@WanderlostOverland]

That is awesome!

[@yamahschector]

Reminds me of a Bob Vila type of show🤣

[@wfobronco3663]

Great video, I am also a big fan of Loctite and Anti seize products but just a heads up tapers should always be assembled clean and dry, oil, grease, anti seize or whatever will not allow complete contact and will give false torque reading and possibly come loose. They should be reassembled or at least retorqued. Really enjoy your videos, will be doing some of these mods on my new 4runner.

[@danpauls3323]

Great video. I missed where you did the final tightening of the wheel bearing housing that you planned for after the knuckle was back in place, but I’m sure you didn’t forget 😉.

[@WanderlostOverland]

Didn't forget, fortunately. LOL There were a few scenes we had to cut in order to get the video within the length we were looking for.

[@chrislee4946]

Nm. Question answered i looked up your dirtkings and saw they came with own bushings

[@WanderlostOverland]

The bushings, like most poly, squeak a little when they get really wet.

[@MrLangDog]

Really useful!!! Thanks!! ( FJ owner)

[@WanderlostOverland]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mikevarner9082]

Superb.

[@WanderlostOverland]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@nonamenoname1737]

appreciate that video...all in all, from start to finish, how many hours do you figure this took without the added time of the coilovers?

[@ianscott1439]

Hey do you have a part number for the axle bearings that you replaced? Struggling to find it

[@jperiksen]

question now is what will bend in place of the lower control arm or knuckle now?

[@suetaylor1127]

I installed a hellwig sway bar in the back and makes up for not having one in the front.

[@jakubgruszczynski4069]

At 28:18, sway bar links. You just installed Overland Custom Designs sway bar links, which are presented in this video instead of the factory ones at 6:12. In your video, from August the 9th, 2020, you installed also Overland Custom Designs sway bar links, both front end rear. But in the above video from July the 10th, 2022, I still can see the factory ones. What happened? Is this the same vehicle you have worked on or something else....? Or I am missing something....

[@zaneriggleman2250]

Did you consider the send it suspended welded Spindles?

[@drewman5740]

What the heck was smoking inside the fender near lower control arm … around 8:12 mins into the video?

[@WanderlostOverland]

I heated the tierod end to loosen the threads.

[@drewman5740]

@@WanderlostOverland Ahh … makes since now … Just wanted to say I really enjoy watching your videos that you & your wife pull together and I’ve learned a lot from y’all! …

[@rgarcia0102]

Great video…. Would you install a dirt king LCA on your FJ? What would be the advantage?

[@WanderlostOverland]

Thanks! Sure would, I like the greaseable ball joints and bushings.

[@XzadforSpacefox]

This is really good. How long overall were you wrenching, would you say? Aside form time to have welding done?

[@WanderlostOverland]

The actual wrenching doesn't take long at all. Maybe 4-5 hours. With filming it took around twenty.

[@tre408]

Awesome vid, thanks! What’s your guys’ experience with NVH in regards to these new LCAs?

[@WanderlostOverland]

No more than stock.

[@TreyBaker]

What gives with the stock swaybar links??

[@cody5495]

i love you guys

[@chriss6154]

Man i put the TRD sways on my tundra and no way i would go back. You wanna off road get a rear locker to make up the flex.

[@gerardomata.costarica]

How's it holding up?

[@madcratebuilder]

You should try a sway bar delete with Timbren bump stops. Improves off road ride a lot and gain some articulation.

[@lanix17]

What offset are you looking for in the new rims?

[@WanderlostOverland]

We haven't decided yet, Just enough to clear the gussets.

[@edt2688]

Did you notice a difference with your new upgrades on the trails in Ouray recently?

[@WanderlostOverland]

Nothing really noticeable. Didn't break or bend anything!

[@edt2688]

Perhaps that’s just what the doctor ordered! Thanks for the video

[@cameroneshleman4833]

I've hit over 100 in my tacoma without a sway bar and it was stable😂

[@WanderlostOverland]

Over 100 what? Cows, fence posts, people, other vehicles?

[@cameroneshleman4833]

@@WanderlostOverland miles per hour 😂. I have a bad alignment too, and it still does fine. But I have a good feeling it's because the wheel base is longer than the 4 runner, so that very well could be why i don't notice anything like you experienced. Great video by the way

[@Tacoexplorer]

I was onboard until you said Spacers need to be used. I’m a no go on spacers. Many tire shops where I live won’t touch any car with spacers installed.

[@roderickwilliams432]

I think a little more homework is in order. Marlin crawler makes the rclt kit with parts you said didn't exist.

[@bertbccfu9564]

That rotor is kind of rough

[@petyweestraw]

Don't you have to heat up red loctite to get it off?

[@WanderlostOverland]

Not with most formulas of red.

[@petyweestraw]

@@WanderlostOverland lol wait. There is more than one red? My whole life its been blue for temporary and red for permanent. Needing heat to remove it. I need to do some research