WJ UPPER Control Arms?

Hi All,

I'm in the process of doing my 4x4 conversion and am beefing up the front end. Don't have any plans for a big lift, maybe 3" max if at all. So far I have a 97 D30 installed, ZJ V8 Tie rod and sway bar and WJ Lower control arms.

I also swiped the WJ Upper Control arms (fully boxed) and am in the middle of installing them. Eye to Eye dimensions are exactly the same has OEM, but the arms dip down in the middle.

On the mounting bracket on the body side, I had to trim a small piece of sheet metal in order for the bottom sides of the arms to clear and articulate.

Anyone else running these and can comment on any improvement? Problems encountered down the road? Thanks

I had the same idea but couldn't use them on my lift because they interfere with the UCA pocket on the body.



That's as far as they would droop without cutting and it would take a lot of cutting (half the arm) to get that back

Thanks for the reply. :cheers:

Actually, I have one side installed and encountered the same problem, but I didn't cut the arm, at least on my MJ, I was able to cut (dremel) a 1/2" by 1.5" section of stamped sheet metal that is in the way directy below the body bracket on the inboard side to clear the arm.

The section is small and not a crucial structural area (ie I didn't cut the uniframe)

I will post pics when I get off of work.

Any more replies on the subject welcome

I was thinking of doing this when I do my WJ knuckle conversion. Since I have the parts, and im swapping axles anyway, why not? Im interested to see how this works out.

1988MJ said:

Actually, I have one side installed and encountered the same problem, but I didn't cut the arm, at least on my MJ, I was able to cut (dremel) a 1/2" by 1.5" section of stamped sheet metal that is in the way directy below the body bracket on the inboard side to clear the arm.

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Yeah I know what you mean, however the plate bucket was the problem with my lift. I would have to notch half the arm to clear the bucket and that is too much for the boxed arms. The stock arms are actually stronger at that width because they have the folded lip which prevents further twisting, while cutting the WJ arms would leave just the sheetmetal and it would crumple like a meth whore punched in the gut

I was literally just logging in here to post opinions about using these arms. I too noticed they were the same overall length but didn't know what the curve was going to affect.

Pictures or impressions once they are in? Would the interference be less with more lift?

Also, what did you guys do to make the lowers fit? make the pockets bigger, trim the metal bushings on the arms?

it would crumple like a meth whore punched in the gut

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LMAO...:laugh3:

Well, ran into a problem further into the install.... Eye to Eye length is NOT exactly the same. The WJ arm is about 1/4" shorter. I was going nuts trying to get the bolts in. Finally took it out and re-measured and found it was slightly shorter. Not sure if that would make significant problems with suspension geometry etc.

My next step would have been to remove all the control arms and re-install, but I did not feel like going through that saga again, at least right now.

Yeah I know what you mean, however the plate bucket was the problem with my lift.

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Yes, I noticed that too, but it looked like a small amount of the leading edge of the bottom of the bucket could be shaved a bit to fix that as at the point the bottom of the armwas hitting on my MJ, the arm was already nearly at full down travel.

Also, what did you guys do to make the lowers fit? make the pockets bigger, trim the metal bushings on the arms?

Click to expand...

You have to cut the metal bushings on the body side of the arm nearly flush with the rubber bushing/metal sleeve.

For the front of the arm, some guys shave a bit off the metal bushing, but I just coaxed the arm into the bracket with my floor jack after I installed the bolt through the body side of the control arm.

I came close, but I still want to get this done. Hope this helps

Does cutting the metal off of just one side throw off the alignment of the Axle?

I thought about just grinding to fit, but didn't know how that would affect everything else, and was thinking about having someone throw them on a lathe to take the same amount of both sides of the arm.

Thanks for the info.

Bump, anybody answer my questions above?

Any updated info about using the upper arms?