Gotta allot of work to do on my XJ. Rockers are rusted, adding 2x6's; Adding stiffeners and finally going long arm. Been doing lots of research and settled on RK's 3 link. It's a few bucks but I've got JCR's TC skid and Skid Row's belly that I'll modify. I wanna know if anyone's running the last generation of RK's 3 link and what they think. To me it looks stout. It'll mount well to the plated frame rails but I wanna know how it runs, are there issues? I don't want radius arms, I'm tired the drops I'm running, I want something solid, flexes and lasts.
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Adding Stiffeners and going Long Arm, Rock Krawler?
- Thread starter FuryIII
- Start date
Jbh97009
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Damascus, Oregon
I'd rather have the Clayton 3 link over rk but that's just me.....
I kinda thought RK wasn't making Cherokee stuff anymore but I could be wrong
I kinda thought RK wasn't making Cherokee stuff anymore but I could be wrong
- Location
- WA state
The Clayton 3-link, albeit nice, technically requires 6+ inches of lift.
IMO, with the money you are putting in this, a custom 3-link seems to make more sense. Since you are going to have the frame stiffies, why not go HDOR 3-link brackets and some custom links.
I've got HDR's full set of stiffeners and the box steel for the rockers already. I'm really new to welding...real new, like still practicing on scrap new, figured I'd cut my teeth on the stiffeners then go on to the 2x6 with a little more developed skill. Welding the brackets HDR has quite frankly intimidates me...ya know, arms falling off wondering where my front end went kinda of fears. I looked into RK's because it lets me keep my original cross beam and my JCR skid (which I'll need to modify) and from the little I read most like it. If HDR offered a kit with arms I'd definitely would be looking at that too.
Jbh97009
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Damascus, Oregon
so you feel comfortable welding stiffeners to the unibody, and welding RK's brackets to the unibody, but don't feel comfortable with a bracket like hdor's? May I ask why?
XJLI
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Long Island, NY
the RK brackets do NOT fit over stiffeners. Well, they do, but then you have to trim down the solid spacers they give you. That or cut out that section of the stiffeners.
- Location
- Southern Maryland
I plan to use the Synergy longarm brackets, and cut new stiffeners to fit afterwards
outkast7222
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Elk River, MN
I have seen quite a few guys running Clayton's with as little as 3". I will know for sure in a few days if it will require some floor massaging or not but I am on 4.5" with 35's.
- Location
- WA state
This was another method I was going to suggest, as a handful of others have already done this.
I do not doubt it, I was basically stating what they have posted on their site. Modification would need to be done otherwise.
IIRC, for a price Brian will weld up the brackets? Not 100% on that though.
Why yes, you may ask. I'm not saying I'm completely comfortable welding the stiffeners. I said I'll be cutting my teeth on them. I look at it this way, if the stiffeners don't come out perfect, the welds looking crappy it's not the end of the world unless I just blow completely through the frame rails . RK's brackets only have a couple of welds, the bung for crush sleeves, outside of that they're bolt on. Now of course I'd stitch them for strength but they bolt on first. HDOR's are many pieces, small pieces to weld together, align correctly and make very accurate. I don't have that skill set yet and I don't want to risk my or anyone's life on that.
I just got off the phone with RK and while a google search will bring the kit up they are no long making XJ stuff like you stated. Soooo a little more research.
- Location
- WA state
Synergy, Full traction, BDS, etc? Pick one.
Jbh97009
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Damascus, Oregon
How much lift height are you gonna be running?
Right now I'm at about 4.5 inches. Really don't wanna go too much higher.
- Location
- NJ, U.S.A.
One of the guys in the NAC (Rock2pus) had Clayton make him up a custom longarm kit for 3.5" (he's running 33s), I don't recall him doing any floorpan mods to accomodate.
Drop him a PM, see if he can give you the details.
Drop him a PM, see if he can give you the details.
Thanks for the heads up!
I did some more searching. Found these from B.Lee. Looks like it'll bolt on and will mount to the pumpkin without a bridge. http://www.bleeoffroad.com/index.php/suspension/9-articles/23-xj-3-link-long-arm-upgrade
Ronbo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Marcos, CA
X3 for the Synergy kit. Yes, it's more than the one you posted, but there's more to it. You can bolt it on, then weld it to the unibody. Then add your frame stiffners. You can reuse your current crossmember and transfer case skids.
- Location
- WA state
The problem with that b lee kit is that he only uses 7/8 heims on the lowers. Too small.
I just asked, 1.25" heims add 80 bucks to the kit, Johnny Joints 120.00.
