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Drops or long arm RC or Serious?

FuryIII

FuryIII

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ohio
I'm at 4 1/2" running JKS uppers and RC solid lowers. I'm well armored with Skid row's belly pan and full width frame rail to rail case skid. Thing is, my ride is crap. I have RC's drop brackets in box but to make them work I'd JKS's lower arms at around $340.00. For about 300 more it's RC's long arms and I've read tons of good and bad. I contacted them and I was told the end issues are fixed. Then there's Serious's but more expensive.
I'd really like TNT's but out my budget but with these other options, I'd like some feedback please. If I drop the coin for the JKS's lower arms will I regret installing the drops?
 
Disclaimer: I'm a cheap bastard.

Why couldn't you just add RC's $180 adjustable arms to your DBs?

Robert
 
WrenchMonkey said:
Disclaimer: I'm a cheap bastard.

Why couldn't you just add RC's $180 adjustable arms to your DBs?

Robert
Click to expand...

Hey, I could squeeze a nickel til the Indian rides the buffalo but I'd like to know how the drops would work with 31's @ 4 1/2". I'm thinking long term. RC's arm don't look bad though.
 
I can't attest to the quality of the arms, but if you're considering their longarm kit, I would think the short arms would be about the same, no?

As for the drop brackets, it's been debated to death. I personally love mine (at 5" lift, but running on 35s). I have scraped them, but never been hung up, and never saw any damage. They're essentially a 3x3x0.25-wall box. 10x stronger than the unibody you bolt them to.

Many are concerned about the clearance. But I'd rather give up 4" right behind the wheel (in line with the control arm), than 2-3" at the belly for a long arm crossmember.

As for geometry, people will call it blasphemy, but the DBs will actually give you better angles than longarms. The DBs can put your arms perfectly flat. Longarms, no matter how long, will always angle up.

There's my vote. Let the flames ignite...

Robert
 
WrenchMonkey said:
I can't attest to the quality of the arms, but if you're considering their longarm kit, I would think the short arms would be about the same, no?

As for the drop brackets, it's been debated to death. I personally love mine (at 5" lift, but running on 35s). I have scraped them, but never been hung up, and never saw any damage. They're essentially a 3x3x0.25-wall box. 10x stronger than the unibody you bolt them to.

Many are concerned about the clearance. But I'd rather give up 4" right behind the wheel (in line with the control arm), than 2-3" at the belly for a long arm crossmember.

As for geometry, people will call it blasphemy, but the DBs will actually give you better angles than longarms. The DBs can put your arms perfectly flat. Longarms, no matter how long, will always angle up.

There's my vote. Let the flames ignite...

Robert
Click to expand...

Speaking of goemetry, RC's arm state that you need 4 1/2" of lift for their short arms. With the drops I'm pretty sure the axle's going to move forward, looks like about 1/2 to a full inch so RC's arm won't be able to pull the axle back. JKS's arms adjust from -1/2" stock to I believe and inch or two over stock. bit they're expensive. It's a tough call, I can see with the 31's, that have tons of life on them being a limiting factor with the drops but that's not experience talking. Long arms appear to be able to slide over and obsticle better...again that's just from looking a them, not experience. I'm not ready for bigger tires or re-gear just yet and I'm running 3.55's

My decision is just which way to spend the coin and be reasonable about it without loosing capability.
 
So you're saying the RC arms may push your axle 1" forward (and I don't think that's a bad thing at all), where the JKS will only push it 1/2"?

Splitting hairs, if you ask me...

And maybe the longarms would act as better sliders, in reverse. But I'd think the risk of high-centering on the crossmember would be a much greater concern.

Robert
 
rwkhaussupply has some good prices on the rock krawler 3 link kit, which is supposed to be bulletproof. i got 2 buddies with that kit on order. 699 is right there in line with the RC kit, price wise.
 
CaliXJ said:
The arms are great! Its the joints that suck! Add another $200 and get Currie JJ's for them and your set. Or plan on rebuilding RC joints after every trip.
Click to expand...

The OP is running RC arms now, and didn't complain about the joints, just the ride/geometry...

Robert
 
CaliXJ said:
The arms are great! Its the joints that suck! Add another $200 and get Currie JJ's for them and your set. Or plan on rebuilding RC joints after every trip.
Click to expand...

WrenchMonkey said:
The OP is running RC arms now, and didn't complain about the joints, just the ride/geometry...

Robert
Click to expand...


I apologise ... I should have said RC long arms.

I run RC LA kit, and like them. Right after i switched to Currie JJ's that is. Lets just say i got really good at rebuilding the RC flex joints.
 
Last edited:
I install this RC long arm kit with a friend on his jeep.I found if you tighten them they last just fine.Yes he beats his jeep every chance he gets.

When he said they was tight, i said lets go a little more.I think thats why he still has his first set on his arms.Almost a full season of paying on them.
 
So I just off the phone with Jason from RC and got a very good deal on their adjustable arms and a set of shackle relocation brackets. I told him my concerns about their ends and what was written about them. He told me point blank that the old ends were "sh!t" plain and simple. I asked him about problems with then new ones and he said they get 1 to 2 calls a week about them, but taking what they sell in volume and not being able to control installations, who knows. I've dealt with Jason before in the early days of my lift, had a saggy spring that they replaced immediately, so I'll roll the dice. The game plan is to go upto 5 inches with my ACOS, gain a little more rear flex and height with the shackle brackets and get a little better ride with the drops. I have the drops already and for well under $300.00 it's worth a shot.
south3.jpg
 
FuryIII said:
Speaking of goemetry, RC's arm state that you need 4 1/2" of lift for their short arms. With the drops I'm pretty sure the axle's going to move forward, looks like about 1/2 to a full inch so RC's arm won't be able to pull the axle back. JKS's arms adjust from -1/2" stock to I believe and inch or two over stock. bit they're expensive. It's a tough call, I can see with the 31's, that have tons of life on them being a limiting factor with the drops but that's not experience talking. Long arms appear to be able to slide over and obsticle better...again that's just from looking a them, not experience. I'm not ready for bigger tires or re-gear just yet and I'm running 3.55's

My decision is just which way to spend the coin and be reasonable about it without loosing capability.
Click to expand...

My observation has been that the axle actually goes backwards after a lift, causing rub against the back of the well. That extra 1/2" might be beneficial, with an adjustable arm, even better.

The factory lower arm brackets give only very little in terms of slide adjustment. So do the drop brackets that can be found...
 
drop brackets will ride better than longarms. there is a reason more Jeepspeed races are won with DBs. but be aware that they put a lot of stress on the unibody. you may want to add a set of RE support braces. they should work with the RC DBs but not sure.
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Lift-...0.aspx?t_c=1&t_s=101&t_pt=6913&t_pn=R/ERE9905

if you are intent on saving the most money, ask RC what they suggest for arms.

moving the axle forward 1/2" probably won't be a bad thing.
 
rockclimber said:
drop brackets will ride better than longarms. there is a reason more Jeepspeed races are won with DBs. but be aware that they put a lot of stress on the unibody. you may want to add a set of RE support braces. they should work with the RC DBs but not sure.
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Lift-...0.aspx?t_c=1&t_s=101&t_pt=6913&t_pn=R/ERE9905

if you are intent on saving the most money, ask RC what they suggest for arms.

moving the axle forward 1/2" probably won't be a bad thing.
Click to expand...

The RC drops come with brackets and there a few posts on how to beef up how they mount. In a earlier post I wrote I spoke to Jason @ RC. I'm going with their adjustables with the new generation flex ends. The price, with rear shackle relocation brackets added was well under $300.00 so it satifies my cheapness and gives me what I need. I wish I could to a TNT or Serious but my other ride's going to need new tires so I gotta balance things out.
 
yaromb said:
My observation has been that the axle actually goes backwards after a lift, causing rub against the back of the well. That extra 1/2" might be beneficial, with an adjustable arm, even better.

The factory lower arm brackets give only very little in terms of slide adjustment. So do the drop brackets that can be found...
Click to expand...

Yes, lifting the jeep using stock body mounts and short arms will move the axle back, especially when flexing, because of the extreme angle the arms are at. Using drop brackets alleviates this and flattens out the arms, meaning stock length arms and drop brackets would put the axle in the stock location.

My Poly Perf 3-link pushed the front axle forward almost 2". It's great for everything but the steering. The stock-style linkage of the Currie steering wanted to hit pretty much everything on my axles. I didn't lose too much steering angle, but had to chop off the sway bar mounts.

As for the long arms mounts, I've been hung up on mine once and it only prevented me from backing up, not going forward. The arms do act great as sliders, no way you could get hung up going forwards.
 
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