Clayton Off Road Hard Arm 4-Link Long Arm Suspension

[FortCollinsZJ]

I was thinking about using a second jamb nut.... or a lock washer?

[ArloGuthroJeep]

So you have a jamb nut or you don't? If it came loose, you tighten it. This time with a bigger wrench

[SirFuego]

ive got a question aswell for everyone, thoes who have limiting straps in the rear what length did you go with?

I can't remember the length, but I would first figure out how you are going to mount them. Mine were measured so that the limit strap maxed out just before the spring unseated. The spring now unseats a little bit from the straps stretching.

EDIT: Here is a pic of how my rear limit straps mount to the body

[FortCollinsZJ]

Ryan, this is the second time you have commented on me not being able to get a nut/bolt tight. You come do it

It only comes loose from mad vibrations, IE a rocky trail that I speed through, or I25 north of Denver... it never comes loose on DD, just very fast bumps. I use a big ass pipe wrench to get it tight and it still rattles loose!

[Ds4x4]

I have a question on how you centered the Truss on the rear axle.. I'm between this and the TnT customs.. Anyways this is what the directions say.

Remove the rear axle from the vehicle. If the tires are left on it makes it easy to handle and work on. 33) Remove the upper control arm mounts and grind the axle tubes smooth.

Weld the vent tube and brake line clip holes closed and grind smooth.

Center the prick punch or scribe mark on the rear of the truss on the axle. Make your measurements from the rim or brake assembly. Don't use the differential housing as a reference point.

Next line the truss up parallel to the differential cover-mount.

Tack weld into place in four places on both legs of the truss.

where do you measure to from the ends of the tube/inside of the rotor area? and how do you use the pumpkin to get your front to back angle? I'm trying to think this through if we can do this here or i should just bite the bullet and go to Claytons and get them to do it.

[BigDaveZJ]

Doesn't really matter where you measure from, as long as you measure from the same place on both sides. As for the front to back, line up the truss on the same plane where the diff cover meets the diff.

[Ds4x4]

ok, thats what i was thinking... Did your bumpstops solve the problem of hitting the floor pan with the rear UCA? I might have missed it but what kind of welder did you use?

[BigDaveZJ]

My floor pan is thoroughly beat up by the uppers. Used a Miller 175.

[Ds4x4]

Do you think that a Lincoln Arc Welder SA-200 4cyl diesel trailer would be a little much for this job? Actually have one available to play with

[FortCollinsZJ]

Nebish question:

Can I use my rear swaybar with claytons uppers? Right now the swaybar is out, needs to go back in, and my last 2 arms (rear uppers) will be here monday or tuesday.

[Varkyl]

Nebish question:

Can I use my rear swaybar with claytons uppers? Right now the swaybar is out, needs to go back in, and my last 2 arms (rear uppers) will be here monday or tuesday.

The factory rear swaybar will not work with the Clayton's Hardarms. The upper arms would hit the bar. And I am not sure if the links would have clearance either.
One option is to use a TJ rear swaybar as it mounts to the axle. With that you would need to fab up some upper link mounts and links.

[MotoX5874]

so i am set on clayton's when i go to long arms.

it seems he converted to a 7" lift from 5.5" for zj's? why is this? from what i've gathered, i want to stay as low as possible...i plan to just run 35s

[SirFuego]

Keeping it low is the main reason most people keep it around 4.5"-5.5" lift for 35s.

I may have already posted this in the thread, but I'm too lazy to look. When I got my kit last April/May, there was no real difference in price between the complete 7" kit and buying everything separately. So essentially you can get the complete kit minus the springs for the cost of the complete kit minus the springs.

[Ds4x4]

So essentially you can get the complete kit minus the springs for the cost of the complete kit minus the springs.

what?

[MotoX5874]

what?

he's suggesting i buy the kit minus the springs and just buy shorter springs

[SirFuego]

Yes, it sounds obvious, but what I was getting at is that you don't save anything by getting the complete kit versus piecing everything together -- so there is no sense buying the complete kit if you don't need everything in it...

[O'Tool]

I concur.
I got the same lift on mine... I got the kit minus the springs and bought RE 4.5" springs...
I have the height I want without buying anything I don't need.

[Bama_WJ]

Any problems with getting belly hung on the transfer case since you don't have a skid plate?

[OverkillZJ]

Uh, put a skid plate on.

[MoonWorks]

Yeah, clayton now offers a skid plate that is a great addition to his kit. Maybe O'tool will post a pic of his. He got a claytons kit from me a couple months ago along with claytons belly skid! I know he's used it!!!

[zj95]

[SirFuego]

Long spans of unreinforced metal plate bends -- even 1/4". It's sorta tough to see in this picture, but my Clayton's skid is bowed upwards -- to the point where it's touching my tcase. I'm hoping to take it to a buddy's shop to press it back out and reinforce it.

[Joe Lynch]

Out of curiosity since mine is also my daily. Can you actually weld the brakets (front and rear) and the reinforcements while retaining the stock suspension? It would save me from being down a vehicle for 2 weeks. Thanks.

[Technohead]

Out of curiosity since mine is also my daily. Can you actually weld the brakets (front and rear) and the reinforcements while retaining the stock suspension? It would save me from being down a vehicle for 2 weeks. Thanks.

Yes. I drove around for several weeks with the brackets welded on (including the crossmember!) and the stock (well, RE) suspension.

[jfowlzj95]

x2 on yes you can. I had my brackets welded on for about a month or so until I finally started building the longarms.