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Can you guys tell me what kind of control arms these are?

H

hxcjohnny

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Carolina
A buddy gave me a pair of lower control arms that were on a xj when he bought it. The bushings are shot and I'm trying to identify the arm to see if I can find bushings for them. I don't think they take the factory style bushings. The bushings look to be about 1.5" in diameter. The arms measure about 16-1/4" from center of each bushing and have grease fittings on each end. The old bushings in them were two piece rubber that pushed in from either side and had a metal sleeve pressed into the rubber. Anyone recognize these?

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Did Rusty's use non-OEM bushings? I looked at their website and it looked like they were using OEM bushings. These could be older models or something I guess. Something they don't sell anymore
 
If the rings are not for sized stock bushings, they are most likely for poly bushings. Measure the opening and buy some poly bushings that fit. If the bushings are too wide, you can trim them as necessary. Energy Suspension bushings come in lots of commonly used sized. I buy them for the generic control arms and extended shackles I drag home from the Pic-n-Pull.
 
Could also be home fab, sound like Ruffstuff bushings may fit though.
 
They do look like the Rusty's LCA's that I have although mine do not have the grease fitting. Mine also have pressed in rubber bushings similar to OEM bushings.

If all else fails, you could follow the advice given by Tim_MN.
 
Good luck with that type of control arms. They have no swivel, so no rotational flex other than what the rubber bushings give you. This limits your flex. The stock control arms are in the form of a C. The channel has rotational flex.
 
old_man said:
Good luck with that type of control arms. They have no swivel, so no rotational flex other than what the rubber bushings give you. This limits your flex. The stock control arms are in the form of a C. The channel has rotational flex.
Click to expand...

No employable engineer designs a control arm to also be a torsion rod, then makes it out of mild steel channel. The stock control arms may flex but it isn't desirable.
A tube arm with poly bushings is a bad idea more because of the poly bushings - the rigidity of the arm itself is desirable.
 
Stock control arms are actually a very good design, with a complex cross section providing both rigidity and torsional flex. They do a very good job of meeting their design intent for mild/moderate 4x4 usage.

Control arms with poly bushings are supplied with just about every budget lift kit. Not everybody goes Jeeping where we go, and the ones that do, soon realize the benefit of upgrading to more flexible control arms.
 
yossarian19 said:
No employable engineer designs a control arm to also be a torsion rod, then makes it out of mild steel channel. The stock control arms may flex but it isn't desirable.
A tube arm with poly bushings is a bad idea more because of the poly bushings - the rigidity of the arm itself is desirable.
Click to expand...

Interesting comment. I am an engineer with over 40 years experience. A control arms strength is required almost 100% in a longitudinal direction. The only time it comes in handy to have strength in any other direction is if you drop your rig on a rock.

The stock arms are actually stamp formed steel.
 
old_man said:
Good luck with that type of control arms. They have no swivel, so no rotational flex other than what the rubber bushings give you. This limits your flex. The stock control arms are in the form of a C. The channel has rotational flex.
Click to expand...



Are you saying I shouldn't use these? I would like to get a little bit longer arm under the jeep if possible. Im at 3" lift now and am using WJ lowers, but they're the same length as the stock XJ arms. Would an adjustable arm with factory style bushings be better?
 
hxcjohnny said:
Are you saying I shouldn't use these? I would like to get a little bit longer arm under the jeep if possible. Im at 3" lift now and am using WJ lowers, but they're the same length as the stock XJ arms. Would an adjustable arm with factory style bushings be better?
Click to expand...
If all you are going for in lifting is fitting bigger tires, then they will be fine.

If your rig is going to see a lot of off roading where you want flex, then no, you don't want them, they will eventually rip the lower control arm mount off the axle.
 
16 & 1/4 length from the center of each bushing?
I'd bet those were part of a basic 4 or 4.5" lift kit.
Rusty's and Rough Country currently both sell such a kit with identical LCA's.
It's possible they were part of a 3" advanced non flex style kit but 16.25 is a tad long imo.
Not terribly long though.
 
Last edited:
yossarian19 said:
No employable engineer designs a control arm to also be a torsion rod, then makes it out of mild steel channel. The stock control arms may flex but it isn't desirable.
A tube arm with poly bushings is a bad idea more because of the poly bushings - the rigidity of the arm itself is desirable.
Click to expand...

false.
 
91Heep said:
16 & 1/4 length from the center of each bushing?
I'd bet those were part of a basic 4 or 4.5" lift kit.
Rusty's and Rough Country currently both sell such a kit with identical LCA's.
It's possible they were part of a 3" advanced non flex style kit but 16.25 is a tad long imo.
Not terribly long though.
Click to expand...



Yea, from the center of each bushing. I believe it was around a 4" lift. I believe I've decided to not use these and just stick with the WJ arms until I go a little bigger and then I'll just got with an adjustable arm.
 
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