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Hurricane 4x4
01-18-2006, 08:51 PM
Right now I am at about 3" lift and in the near future i'm looking to go to about 4" and 33's. I have adjustable trackbars front and rear but I am running the stock control arms. I can already tell I will at least need new LCA's... at 3" the tires are too close to the inside of the fender well. Buying adjustable arms is an option, but they are expensive and I am cheap. I'm thinking it will be fairly easy to build fixed length lowers with a flex joint at one end that will cost much less than buying adjustable control arms.

Questoins

1. I know if I change the length of my lower control arms while still using the stock upper control arms, it will throw the pinion angle off. But at only 4" of lift, is it possible to keep the stock upper control arms with new longer lower control arms and not get vibes? I know the RE and other brand 3.5" kits only come with lower control arms.

2. I am looking to get more flex out of my setup. Will having flex joints on only the lowers make a significant improvement in droop?

3. Construction: I have a mig welder and I suck at using it! But i am getting better. How should I go about making these arms? I have noticed that you can buy flex joints with a threaded stud already on the joint... would it be easy enough to make these arms adjustable?

4. Opinions? Am I a retard for not just buying some new control arms from RE?

JohnBoulderCO
01-18-2006, 08:53 PM
If you are going to build short ones, build them longer. ;)

fr3db3ar
01-18-2006, 09:01 PM
There is nothing wrong with making your own. The advantage of having adjustable is to be able to dial everything in right. I'm sure if you made the correct measurements and made them all the right length for your setup that fixed would work fine. If you're going to make lowers you might as well make some uppers.

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
01-19-2006, 12:47 AM
if you're going to the trouble of making a product as intricate as adjustable control arms, just go up to 5" or so and run longarms. Only extra thing to make is a subframe, truss, and a couple others. I'll give ya a hand if you'd want to work on it some weekend.

OverkillZJ
01-19-2006, 12:52 AM
If he goes up to long arms, even though the construction is similar, then you have to fabricate a crossmember / mounting system as well.

ELLLLLIOTTTTT
01-19-2006, 12:58 AM
If he goes up to long arms, even though the construction is similar, then you have to fabricate a crossmember / mounting system as well.

do it once, do it right.

Hurricane 4x4
01-19-2006, 01:20 AM
if you're going to the trouble of making a product as intricate as adjustable control arms, just go up to 5" or so and run longarms. Only extra thing to make is a subframe, truss, and a couple others. I'll give ya a hand if you'd want to work on it some weekend.


Longarms are probably out of the picture for me right now... 33" is probably the biggest I will go with this jeep... and I need money to buy tires, steel for sliders and bumpers, and i'd like to go to an 8.8 and buy some lockers

I'll still probably be on 31's for awhile, but before our next wheelin trip I would definately like your help in making some sliders. I like the design that you used with yours.

nate
01-19-2006, 01:32 AM
"33s will be the biggest".. hehe. I think everyone on here with bigger than 33s said that at one point.

OverkillZJ
01-19-2006, 01:54 AM
At one point I said 31's would be the biggest for me...

Ya, I just placed an order for 42's today!

ATL ZJ
01-19-2006, 02:41 AM
At one point I said 31's would be the biggest for me...

Ya, I just placed an order for 42's today!

IROKs?

nmzj
01-19-2006, 08:52 AM
If you are going through the trouble of constructing arms, the cost to build a sub-frame is minimal.

Also, I've seen many people running 33's and LA's. IMO, anything over 3" benifits from LA's.