long arm for dummies questions

hello im looking in to build a long arm for my xj. im wanting to build the front first and eventually do coils in the back but that will come at a later date. wat i am looking for is a book or something to teach me bout Antisquat,the contol arms,Center of gravity,Roll center and stuff like this anything would be helpful. i think i want to do a 3 link but idk i have been trying to figure out which one is better for on and off road since where we go wheeling is like a hr drive on the interstate. any links,books etc on the basic of a long arm would be great

There are the three link and four link calculators on Pirate, the "God of suspension" thread there as well, and some very nice lift kits sold by our naxja vendors.

What is your experience and fabrication skill level?

Ok thanks for that info this will be my first long arm build I have everything I need coils the whole 9 yards and I have made skid plates bumper a lil longer control arms for my lift now with jonny joints amd a new cross member I would say from 1 to 10 on fab skill I would say bout a 6 or 7 I love to build stuff I have a arc and mig welder amd plasma cutter....I have a idea how I want to build mine from looking at peoples builds amd I was going to use claytons cross member idea but make it way stronger have u build a long arm???

Mine is a radius arm style, like Clayton's. With a radius arm, design doesn't matter. Get the frame side mounts as high as possible, for clearance. Attach to the factory axle mounts. Attach uppers to lowers.

If you are looking at an actual three link, where does the upper fit? Do you want to go through the floor? What do you want the pinion to do through the range of travel? What do you want the caster to do?

Either put everything where it fits or do more research. This is not a casual project.

I would consider brackets/3-piece crossmember so you can REMOVE it without f'n with your suspension.

notes for a long arm cross member:

one thing that I was happy to do once I sold my TNT and started building my front 3 link was have the suspension separate from the tranny xmember.

Next was bolt on skid plates for access to the front DS. It really really really sucks to pull your front long arms off and your entire belly to swap out a front shaft or to pull the tranny pan with the older one piece tnt kit, so if you design your own, keep that in mind. Now I can easily access the front DS, and now the tranny and t case skids are bolt on.

read lots and lots and lots of build threads. Thats what everyone else does. Theres your book right there. Get all over Pirate and start searching.

if you 3 link it, you will need to build a stronger axle side uca mount than stock if you go pass side .

Ok thanks so much for all the info and blondejoncherokee could u post a pic of ur set up I really would like to see it