Strengthen Cam Tabs Without Removing Control Arms

Background:
  On the Toyota/Lexus IFS platform, the front end alignment is performed by adjusting eccentrics (also referred to as cams) that are located at the bottom of the IFS sub-frame assembly. Their are 8 eccentrics total, 4 per each lower control arm-to-frame mount, and each rotate against small thin tabs that are spot-welded to the frame. Each eccentric has two tabs, 16 in total, each only 2.6mm thick, and are easily bent. Once bent, the eccentrics lose the ability to be proper held in place by each tab pair resulting in a high risk of lost alignment or an alignment “going out”.
  Developed in 2019, our Heavy Duty Lower Control Arm Frame Brace Kit adds 1/4″ plate steel to each lower control arm frame mount, quadrupling their thickness, while fully encompassing all 16 tabs with heavy duty plate steel, adding up to 2,000% more alignment strength, rendering missed or lost alignments a thing of the past.
  Moreover, they convert each lower control arm frame mount into a double-shear design, and an angled front leading edge provides protection to sensitive alignment hardware by deflecting objects safely away. Lastly, they prevent sloppy alignment shops from rotating your eccentrics upside down, keeping them up and out of the way of rocks or other objects passing under the vehicle.

Product Catalog Listing: MarlinCrawler.com/products/armor/frame-armor

Thanks to our patented design, the Marlin Crawler HD LCA Frame Brace Kit is the ONLY cam tab strengthening solution that can be installed without removing a single part from your vehicle. Unlike all other kits that require removing your lower control arms, drilling 24 spot-welds, cutting off factory tabs, and necessitating a new front end alignment, ours wraps around and reinforces the entire unmodified factory setup — giving you up to 2,000% strength increase with zero disassembly.

Here’s how one customer did it:

Step 1: Prep the frame — wire brush off grease, grime, and factory paint where you’ll be welding.

Step 2: Use anti-spatter spray and a weld blanket to protect sensitive components (CV boots, brake lines, ABS wiring, etc).
Step 3: Wrap water-soaked rags around the LCA bushings to keep them cool.

Step 4: Tack weld parts into position and then weld one edge at a time, rotating around to other up-rights to manage heat. Keep rags saturated before resuming each weld.
Step 5: Once the welds cool (~20 min), spray paint to seal against corrosion — and that’s it!

You’ve just transformed your paper-thin 0.10″ (2.6mm) cam tabs into armored uprights nearly 2.0″ thick, with no re-alignment needed, no parts removed, and no extra labor costs.

And the benefits go beyond strength:

• Converts single-shear control arm mount to double-shear, strengthening the IFS sub frame and protecting from trail damage
• Adds angled deflection bracing to protect alignment hardware from rock strikes
• Preserves alignment and prevents damage from underbody impacts
• Prevents sloppy alignment shops from incorrectly rotating your eccentrics upside-down and vulnerable to objects passing under your rig

No cutting. No re-alignment. No regrets.

Below is another customer example, also showing ample clearance around an aftermarket skid plate:

Want to go the full route?

The full install method involves removing both lower control arms, giving you better access for full coverage spray painting and maximum corrosion protection. Many customers choose to install our kit now using the quick method above, then revisit the paintwork later during future suspension upgrades.

Either way, you’ve just made a massive upgrade to your vehicle’s alignment integrity, safety, and driving performance — for life.

 
For 1995-04 Tacomas and 1996-2002 4Runners, it is a bit different due to the frame and skid plate design which prevented us from adding the lower double-shear plating, but the kit is even easier to install as it only involves just the uprights like this:

Below is an install video onto a 2^nd gen Tundra without removing a single suspension part.