3 or 4 link

So heres the deal, I drive my XJ very fast on very rough roads daily during hunting season, and I plan on putting a long arm on it in the next week or two (I also wheel it during the rest of the year). It is fairly well built already with gears and lockers on both ends, lift, 35's etc. My question is having never had a long arm jeep or even ridden in one, do I go three or four link, and what joints should be on each end so that I have good flex and also can fly down crappy roads without feeling like every bump is going to either tear the diff out or break something? Also is a Y link or actual four link going to ride and handle better?

Just a long arm kit isn't going to smooth everything out as good as you want it to. I run a four link, but a three link is just as good.

Ya, I realize I would need a desert racer for that, just looking for a happy medium?

slow down? your hunting, not racing.

if you really do run it that hard, frame stiffening is going to be a must.

Not actually hunting, headed for the hunting spot, no road hunting for this guy. Slowing down May help some but the road still sucks and beats a guy up no matter what speed. Just looking for a decent ride while doing it

Frame stiffening already done, a must for anything in a Cherokee doing anything in my opinion!

i hear ya...

i get carried away driving too and from my local spots. lots of washboards. then i think about how much i payed for my bow/firearm in the back (even though its in a case). and the foot retreats a little. lol.

Better shocks and springs (mostly shocks)

What lift height are you at?

rockclimber said:

Better shocks and springs (mostly shocks)

What lift height are you at?

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Here we go again....

Vanimal said:

Here we go again....

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Bring it fool

Vanimal said:

Here we go again....

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:worship::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Air down your tires to 10 - 15 psi.

I guess I missed something? Anywho......I spend a lot of time on these roads out here in Montana in the wide open so slowing down sucks on washboards! Right now at 4", maybe going 5.5" when I do the long arms in the next week or two. Just trying to decide which setup to go with. More than likely Rubicon Express springs front and back and Bilstein shocks, probly 5600 series. Building a short course Comanche right now, maybe that will get the go fast out of my system.

EricsXJ said:

Air down your tires to 10 - 15 psi.

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Already on that, run 12. Really really helps over the 35 I tried originally

Don't bother with RE shocks or springs, they suck.

Get something like a bilstein 7100 or a fox 2.0 and get them valved properly for your vehicle.

I like currie springs but they don't have one with more than 4" lift for an XJ. You can put a spacer on them if your heart is not content without 5" of lift. Polyperformance makes a 6" TJ spring that would give you about 5" of lift. A lot of people have had good luck with deaver coils, which are somewhere in the 5.5" range. (I haven't run them, so I can't say for sure, the people I know that do say good things)

4" of lift is not really tall enough to cause ride problems due to control arm angle. Which is why I am talking about springs and shocks. If your lift is going to be more like 5" or over then things like longarms will start being necessary.

To your original question: unless you plan on ditching the steering box and going full hydro, 3 links can be better because you won't end up with suspension bind like you will with a 4link+panhard.

If it were me, I would go that route. Just make sure whatever kit you get uses 2.5" joints on the upper and replaces the axle side UCA joint with a 2.5" joint as well.

Can you weld?

Yes to the welding, I come from a stock car racing background, so I can work on and fabricate fairly well, but the offroad scene is much newer to me as far as how and what to build. I may actually keep it closer to the 4" level and cut and bumpstop and shock accordingly. I have had nothing but Rubicon springs on nearly all of the Cherokee's I've had, no real complaints but nothing to compare to either. I will also replace the stock steering, looking at Currie maybe. Biggest issue right now is lack of time, running a company and employees and everything that goes with it, and we are busy as hell right now so I will probably have to buy more parts versus building them myself.

As far as height versus needing long arms and the binding issue, I'm obviously not gonna be binding it flying down the roads here, but I had been under the impression that with the force of the road transmitted through the long arms instead of through stock arms mounted near your feet the ride was better? Which also brings up do I want rubber joints, poly joints, or johhny joints, or a combination thereof?

If you can weld, the synergy 3 link is one of the best "kits" for the XJ. Polyperformance sells it. Uses good joints etc.

If you want a bolt-on solution for steering, currie is the best. If you enjoy and have time, a WJ swap is a good option and also comes with great brakes.

You could also fab your own "longarm" kit but it is time consuming.

My vote is that you spend the money first on shocks and getting them valved properly. As well as possibly different springs. Then see where you are at.

Elkwagn said:

As far as height versus needing long arms and the binding issue, I'm obviously not gonna be binding it flying down the roads here, but I had been under the impression that with the force of the road transmitted through the long arms instead of through stock arms mounted near your feet the ride was better? Which also brings up do I want rubber joints, poly joints, or johhny joints, or a combination thereof?

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Avoid poly joints, they don't offer enough deflection and tend to rip mounts apart. Rubber joints are too soft IMO and allow too much axle movement. And they tend to die quick deaths off-road

Currie Johnny joints work very well, allow more than enough articulation, don't transmit vibrations like Heims or knockoffs and are completely rebuildable.

As far as vibrations being transmitted... It's a unibody, the suspension is not isolated from the body like a framed vehicle.. If the suspension is transmitting vibrations you will feel it regardless.

For comparison, I run Johnny joints on all of my control arms at both ends in one jeep. There is not a noticeable difference in NVH between that and the oem rubber bushings in the other jeep. I much prefer the Johnny jointed rig. The steering is tighter and the suspension feels less loose which I attribute to the rubber bushings

I feel like I live in a wasteland as far as the offroad scene goes, not sure even how to go about getting shocks valved properly for my rig and my driving style. I appreciate the info so far for sure, I considered fabbing a long arm setup but realized after thinking about it for over a year if I dont just buy one it will never get done! Did i mention I have four kids too!