Long arm brands?

Maybe a can of worms, but here goes...

Looking for feedback on who likes/dislikes the current brands of long arm suspensions available. I'm mainly looking at 3"-4.5" kits with great on/offroad manners, ruggedness, reliability and low maintanance.
I understand this is mostly an opinion question so lets try to keep the smartass comments to a min. and just add whatever knowledge you have to share that can help guys like me that have never owned a lifted jeep make a good educated decision where to spend his/her hard earned $$$.

Thanks very much!!
Brian

This topic has been discussed in detail. All you have to do is search and you shall receive.

I've done that the last 6 or 7 days...thing is most good threads end in argument and it's tough to tell who likes what, what kit does what...

I guess what I'm having a hard time with is where to spend my $$$. I'm wanting a really plush ride on the street, good offroad manners, and since there's a wide range of prices between brands I'd rather spend a little more now than alot later on a junk kit.

Rock crawling, dirt roads,mud or all of the above? From what i hear stay away from the cheaper stuff, i like you am looking into buying too. But some folks are just A HOLES and just flap there lips..

I'll keep my eyes on this to see what is said, maybe we can get a straight answer

JCS JP said:

This topic has been discussed in detail. All you have to do is search and you shall receive.

Click to expand...

You fit

scottmcneal said:

Rock crawling, dirt roads,mud or all of the above? From what i hear stay away from the cheaper stuff, i like you am looking into buying too. But some folks are just A HOLES and just flap there lips..

I'll keep my eyes on this to see what is said, maybe we can get a straight answer

Click to expand...

Just plain ole' 4wheelin'! Some mild rock, desert, maybe mud once in a while but not out to find it. I live in a desert, but have access to rock and moutain terrain.
I'm also wheelin' with my wife and baby boy so no crazy stuff just a nice dependable ride that I don't have to work on every time I want to go out!!

I am running the rough country long arms. I'm on the fence with them. On one hand they are a good design and the customer service is top notch, but these things are high maintenance. I go through flex joints left and right. Even when just dding it. But like said I just give them a call and they send me new ones. But how long are they going to keep this up?

RC just redesigned the flex joints.

I enjoy my RC kit. It hangs a bit low, but the flex is awesome, and RC does have great service.

http://froehlichsuspension.3dcartstores.com/

These are what I'm going to use. Should be here 4-11-11.

I did take to Dirk over at DPG about his 4.5" kit, it's not a long arm kit, but he tells me it has an excellent smooth cush ride on the highway, and works well offroad.
I'm liking what he told me, but for almost the same $$$ I can get a long arm kit...although some kits are not as complete as others. This is my dilema...
I'm planning on Aussie lockers front and rear, and either a 29 spline 8.25, ford 8.8, or dana 44...whichever I can get the best deal on.
Brian

My buddy has rock krawlers 3 link..... oh em gee that stuff is massive! rides amazing and flexes just like any other 3 link out there. I have their trackbar and bracket and I LOVE their stuff, they use huge joints and their arms are freakin solid and 2 inches in diameter.

XGarfX said:

My buddy has rock krawlers 3 link..... oh em gee that stuff is massive! rides amazing and flexes just like any other 3 link out there. I have their trackbar and bracket and I LOVE their stuff, they use huge joints and their arms are freakin solid and 2 inches in diameter.

Click to expand...

lol, there are not too many 3 links out there...

Are you looking for a complete lift kit or just long arm upgrade?

As I've suggested in other threads on this, build your own kit from individual parts. For example, if I were putting together a kit for you I would get...

Rear

HDOR shackle relocation brackets
OME 2" or 3" leafs
1" shackle of your choice
Bilstein 5125 shocks

Front

Froelich 3 link with polly or rubber wherever you can throw it. I personally don't care for heims on my DD.

3.5" or 4.5" coils of your choice, imo, the softer the better unless you tow

JKS discos

Good track bar and steering set up

Matching Bilstein shocks

By putting together your own kit you get exactly what you want. And I think you feel better knowing you put the time and effort into finding the right shock valving, spring rate, and other lift components that will work best for you and your application.

nochance9 said:

Are you looking for a complete lift kit or just long arm upgrade?
As I've suggested in other threads on this, build your own kit from individual parts. For example, if I were putting together a kit for you I would get...
Rear
HDOR shackle relocation brackets
OME 2" or 3" leafs
1" shackle of your choice
Bilstein 5125 shocks
Front

Froelich 3 link with polly or rubber wherever you can throw it. I personally don't care for heims on my DD.

3.5" or 4.5" coils of your choice, imo, the softer the better unless you tow
JKS discos
Good track bar and steering set up
Matching Bilstein shocks
By putting together your own kit you get exactly what you want. And I think you feel better knowing you put the time and effort into finding the right shock valving, spring rate, and other lift components that will work best for you and your application.

Click to expand...

I think some research will say that rubber in anything other then a radius arm suspension is NOT a good thing, as it's not needed as there is no binding in a 3/4link suspension.
if comfort is the reason for not DD'ing heims, I would say any long arm lift is going to be more comfortable after riding in a 4.5" lifted rig with short arms.

other then that, I agree with the picking/choosing what you want.

Supposedly rubber/poly in a 3 link causes axle wrap. Especially if used in the upper link.

I'm starting from stock. Reason I didn't want to pick the parts myself is I'm not really sure I can get it right the first time...and that would waste $$$!
Second, since I've never done this before, I'm not sure I would pick components that work good together.
Again, wasted $$$ and time. I don't want to do that if I can help it.

I know what I need for drive train, lockers, wheels and tires. Just looking for the smartest kit (long arm or not) to do what I'd like to do without over spending.
Say I chose kit A, but kit B is slightly better and slightly more money, and kit C is much better and more money still. If kit C was really that much better and I can afford it, that is the kit I will buy. Period. I want it all, fit, form, function and reasonable price. But if it takes a few hundred dollars more to get what I want, you bet I'll save until I can get it.
I build engines for a living, and I know first had what happens when you cheap out! I will look for deals for sure, but I need to know what it is I'm looking for before I can look for the deals!!

twodoorXJ said:

Supposedly rubber/poly in a 3 link causes axle wrap. Especially if used in the upper link.

Click to expand...

See, you learn things every day!

But seriously, I know you are worried about choosing wrong parts, and I understand that. But that's why places like are such a good thing to become a part of. People here have tried every possible aftermarket product (and every junk yard one too) so a quick search will usually yield the answer you were looking for. There are opinions here for sure, but there is also a lot if good tech.

On average a kit you put together will be cheaper as well. Also, with research comes knowledge. The kind of knowledge that allows you to make good decisions in your future build plans, as to further tailor your parts to your style and purpose. My main beef with lift kits is that you can not usually get the long arms you want with the spring rate you want with the shocks you want ect... It's not simply a matter of who is the best bang for the buck. Say kit A has an integrated t-case skid but is only offered at 6" if lift. Kit B has no skid but is offered at the height you want. But kit C offers shocks with the valving you want and some nice disconnects. It's all a bunch of compromises. Sure, they will probably work off road just fine, but wouldn't you rather have it all exactly the way you want it?

Talking about wasting money not getting ut right the first time, I bought a kit too at first, now all I have from that kit are the springs and extended brake lines.... trust me, pick your own parts and get it right the first time. Haha

why is everyone so afraid of heims? unless youre running heims you pulled from the bargain bucket at tractor supply they'll perform better and last longer than rubber or poly ends.

imm/ou812 said:

I did take to Dirk over at DPG about his 4.5" kit, it's not a long arm kit, but he tells me it has an excellent smooth cush ride on the highway, and works well offroad.
I'm liking what he told me, but for almost the same $$$ I can get a long arm kit...although some kits are not as complete as others. This is my dilema...
I'm planning on Aussie lockers front and rear, and either a 29 spline 8.25, ford 8.8, or dana 44...whichever I can get the best deal on.
Brian

Click to expand...

The DPG kit is a hybrid CAD system. It will ride well as a DD and is fairly easy to install. He combines some nice parts. It will also work well off road... many will argue that a short arm CAD setup is so close to a long arm in off road performance that it makes the cost and headache of installing a long arm pointless. Many will flame that opinion (I run what works for me regardless)... it is certainly better than a straight up shortarm. The thing is... a RE6200 based kit and Rubicon Express is history, so...? If it is the OME kit there is no CAD and at 4.5" no way you get a good ride short arm with no CAD, no matter how soft the OME stuff is (and it is), it's just simple geometry on a short arm- the angle of the arm transfers impact to the unibody.

The comment about the RK 3-link is correct on one point... their stuff is definitely BEEF!

I have the BDS long arm 4.5" on my '98 with 32" tires.... LOVE IT!

Like you, I live in So Cal. (Tustin), so I spend a lot of time in the desert and local mountains. I'm not into rock crawling, more like overlanding type of driving. And this is my daily driver.

Plush ride on the highway. In fact I think it rides better than it did stock. I have 2 friends with TJ's with 6" lifts and 35" tires and I have been everywhere off road they have been. Dishpan Springs, John Bull, TDS, etc. I also spent 4 days exploring Death Valley off road.

BDS has a no questions asked lifetime guarantee. You break it, they replace it.

I've had it on there for almost 3 years now. The spring rates and shock valving they have chosen work perfectly. And I have not suffered any rear sag that some others have.

The kit is fairly easy to install, the instructions are very straight forward. I did all the work myself on the ground in my driveway and it took a little over 3 days.

They have great customer service.

I also added thier transfer case skid. Very beefy.

There are only 2 drawbacks with it.

1. The frame end track bar bushings only last about a year & 1/2. They know about it and are right now looking into other materials that will last longer.

2. Their swaybar quick disconnects just plain suck. They know it and are going to redesign them in the future if they haven't already. I'm a machinist so I'll be modifying mine to be just like the JKS units.