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1fox2go
11-01-2007, 05:33 PM
No response from the guy with the drop brackets, so I started looking at long arm kits. I dont need the full suspension just the upgrade. Looked at Teraflex, Rustys, Rock Krawler, Full Traction, TnT, as well as others. Price Wise I like the Teraflex and Rock Krawler. But the Rock Krawler says its for 1990 and newer, I have an 87, any reason why that would be? Every suspension system I have seen for the XJs all say 84-01

Tera Flex looked ok but only the lower long arms, not sure what to do with the uppers, still looking into it.
I know most of you are running long arms and the front suspension is the same so any opinions on this topic would be great. And Claytons is a no at the moment cant seem to bring myself to pay that much

BigDaveZJ
11-01-2007, 05:49 PM
And Claytons is a no at the moment cant seem to bring myself to pay that much

Then wait until you can pay that much. At the very minimum go with RE.

RockKrapper and TeraSux are worse than short arms IMO, especially since Tera still uses short uppers with long lowers. Rusty's is well, Rusty's. Search on ANY forum about them and you will find MANY complaints about every aspect of their operation. TnT has had issues with their arms bending under very little stress. Can't comment on the Full Traction kit.

You're throwing your money away with anything other than Clayton or RE at this point.

nate
11-01-2007, 07:16 PM
$100 in Johnny Joints, $200 in metal and a weekend with a welder and that XJ will have long arms. Alot easier than a ZJ since you don't need to worry about the rear suspension.

ajmorell
11-01-2007, 09:41 PM
Then wait until you can pay that much. At the very minimum go with RE.

RockKrapper and TeraSux are worse than short arms IMO, especially since Tera still uses short uppers with long lowers. Rusty's is well, Rusty's. Search on ANY forum about them and you will find MANY complaints about every aspect of their operation. TnT has had issues with their arms bending under very little stress. Can't comment on the Full Traction kit.

You're throwing your money away with anything other than Clayton or RE at this point.


I have heard from a few that TnT addressed that issue with the lower arms and corrected it. The upgraded/newer arms significantly beefier.

1fox2go
11-01-2007, 10:05 PM
I see, thats the info I wanted to hear. I was a little concerned about Teraflex too. Rock Krawler havent heard much about but no one has really run their stuff. I like Rubicon stuff. But is 200 an arm worth it?

Where does everyone order their clayton stuff?

1fox2go
11-01-2007, 10:08 PM
I thought about making my own long arm system, but not sure what to do with the belly skid, I suppose I could fab my own arms. Anyone here done anything like that before?

jfowlzj95
11-01-2007, 10:16 PM
I thought about making my own long arm system, but not sure what to do with the belly skid, I suppose I could fab my own arms. Anyone here done anything like that before?

Someone build their own longarms before? Nah no one ever does that. ;)

dangerousdave
11-01-2007, 10:21 PM
if you can buy arms that might not hurt. You can build brackets. But you have to think about how hard are you going to wheel. thats what will make the decision for you.

Mtn WJ
11-01-2007, 11:09 PM
I might be a bit biased because I have TnTs LAs on my WJ. But I guess the best opinion on something is from someone with actual experience with the product.

I really like my TnT long arms. I have wheeled them a fair amount this summer and no issues with bending, bushings or any quality problem at all. Very beefy and incredible flex. TnT also has a reputation of standing behind their product. I had mine installed in May and just this month they made some changes to the production kits since my beta kit was installed. Bob at TnT called me and asked me on his own request if he could provide the new tweaks to the WJ kit to mine. It was completely no extra charge. I can drive 75 mph with one hand on the steerig wheel all day long and then flex over rocks the next day.

TnT has been making XJ LAs a lot longer than their YJ, CJ, ZJ and TJ kits so the current kits get the full benifit of all the years and designs on the other kits. Some of the kits you see out there are only provide the arms and mounts. The TnT kits are complete end to end. I waited for TnT to build LAs for the WJ because I was impressed with an XJ that Matt with TnT was driving on a trail run with us.

Overall they are trying to build a system that is with some changes unilateral with all the Jeep models. You can basically convert a YJ or CJ to coils with their kits and even put coils with LAs on the rear of an XJ if you want to rid your self of the leafs in rear. This is something where you can do the fronts first and then the rears the following year. They have frame stiffeners and rock sliders for XJs that allow you to integrate them with the LAs. All parts are removable for repair and replacement. This is different than some of the other kits because of what is welded on. With TnT you weld on the nut inserts but not the brackets. This gives you the best of both worlds.

1fox2go
11-01-2007, 11:52 PM
Thanks for the input

MoonWorks
11-02-2007, 12:28 AM
Where in VA are you?

1fox2go
11-02-2007, 12:56 AM
Staunton, Waynesboro, Fishersville area. Familiar with those areas?

alteredxj
11-02-2007, 11:52 AM
I also want to up grade my 88 xj when it was built no one knew what a long arm was. and onthe trail it still kicks ass but the on road maners suck. i am torn between trying to build my own or ordering a kit i can weld and fab and have a nice shop with all the tools including a lift, plazma cuter, welder,ect. but time is the thing i lack the most

1fox2go
11-02-2007, 12:50 PM
Ok I have decided on making my own long arms. Its either 4 link similar to claytons or the radius arm design like TnT. The problems that I run into would be

1) Location to mount arms, Unibody or crossmember
2) Brackets to mount arms. Make my own or try to find some online, or find a crossmember
3)Buy arms or fab some up. Cheaper to fab some up but what materials should be used?

rccolacc
11-02-2007, 01:20 PM
As far as the front suspension goes, both Claytons and TnT are radius arms. Tnt bends their lower links for more clearance, but the design is basically the same (radius arm). A true 4 link would not require a track bar, and both those setups do.
There's several people on here that wrote up how they made their long arms. Most used 2x2x.25 square tube for the lower links and welded in 1" coupling nuts. Then they use johnny joints or something similar with a 1" stud on it for the joint part. Upper links can be made similar with smaller tube.
Hope this helps.
-RC

rccolacc
11-02-2007, 01:24 PM
Speaking of material cost-- I just priced some 2x2x.25 square tube. It's about $9 a foot for a 20' stick ($180). Does this sound cheap or expensive? I haven't bought steel in a while and I was thinking it sounded pretty high. I guess steel prices have gone up a lot the past few years.
-RC

Cody
11-02-2007, 01:31 PM
I'm not sure if Tera has redesigned their LA kits to incorporate them, but the new tera joints and arms are BEEF. I have them, and dig them.

Cody

nate
11-02-2007, 02:35 PM
That price is about right. I priced some last week. $160 for a 20ft stick or $87 for a 10 ft ($7 cut charge)

You would just need a 10ft stick, a piece of 2x4 for the crossmember and a bit of 1/4" plate for mounts, etc.

Coupling nuts are too short IMO, and you will need to machine the end down so it will slide into the tube.
Figure a 1" coupling nut is only 1 5/16" in length. Ideally you want 2x the thread ID in length, so 2".

Also I would use the 1.25" shaft Johnny's. They are the same price. Currie also sells the tube adapters for $25.
This is what I run on my Jeep.

Or Poly Performance has tube adapters for $14. I'm not sure if anyone sells them for cheaper? I'm going to search on Pirate tonight.


Oh, the new Johnny Joints have a zerk on the body of the joint, so you don't need the special bolts if you can track down a 9/16" bolt (kinda hard to find at most hardware stores)

alteredxj
11-02-2007, 03:58 PM
what about cutting short arms and using the ends than sleaving it with some bung welds (would that be Safe ) or am i way off

rccolacc
11-02-2007, 05:25 PM
Are you talking about cutting and extending the stock short arms? I seriously think that's a bad idea, especially since they're only thin metal. Using aftermarket short arms might work, but I think for the trouble, you might as well just make long arms to begin with.

BigDaveZJ
11-02-2007, 07:34 PM
I'm not sure if Tera has redesigned their LA kits to incorporate them, but the new tera joints and arms are BEEF. I have them, and dig them.

Cody

I think they're using the beef lower arms, but the issue with Tera is that they still utilize the short upper arm which does crazy things to pinion angles as the suspension cycles.

1fox2go
11-02-2007, 08:58 PM
Yea the tera lowers looked pretty beef but I had the same concern as Dave. I suppose I could use that kit and build off of it, but then would i be able to use their lowers, weld to them and make a radius arm style kit?

alteredxj
11-03-2007, 07:52 AM
no i have re adjusable arms and im talking abour only re using the ends

jfowlzj95
11-03-2007, 08:48 AM
Yea the tera lowers looked pretty beef but I had the same concern as Dave. I suppose I could use that kit and build off of it, but then would i be able to use their lowers, weld to them and make a radius arm style kit?

I think Cody already did this.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11966

corrupt143
11-03-2007, 01:36 PM
no i have re adjusable arms and im talking abour only re using the ends

Thats what I'm doing. I bought my RE superflex's for that exact purpose. The price of the parts was more than the used adjustable SA's. Cut and sleeve or just use the ends.

BTW, Clayton will sell you just the crossmember with the front CA brackets, but it is pretty simple to build.

1fox2go
11-03-2007, 01:39 PM
I was going to ask. I was looking through his pics and saw that stuff

corrupt143
11-03-2007, 01:49 PM
I kinda thought that might be your next question. Youre welcome.

1fox2go
11-03-2007, 04:12 PM
So Cody, You welded the mounts for the arms on your factory crossmember correct? Hows that holding up?

jfowlzj95
11-03-2007, 05:29 PM
So Cody, You welded the mounts for the arms on your factory crossmember correct? Hows that holding up?

Just from reading the thread, the mounting bracket is welded to the unibody and sandwiched with the crossmember. Post #48 and #49.

1fox2go
11-04-2007, 05:34 PM
So would everyone say that getting the Tera long arm upgrade kit and then building on it to make it a radius arm design?

If I get the tera kit that gives me arms and the mounting brackets

gunthagunth
11-09-2007, 01:08 PM
http://forum.neow.net/index.php?showtopic=71370
I will be driving down to PA this weekend if this would help ya out at all. Dont usually see used clayton kits going for sale.