Home Brewed Long Arm Mounts

[tom gralewski]

I still havent decided what to build yet and I need some ideas.. If any of you have some Id greatly appreciated it.. My long arms are done, they consist of johnny joints top and bottom. Id post a pic but my digital camera seems to have hidden itself from me.

Tom

[RCP Phx]

How can you have made the arms if you dont know how and where your going to mount them???

[tom gralewski]

I originally had a mounting system setup but have since changed my mind. Its just for a radius type setup so i have quite a bit of room to play with.. Plus my lower arms are adjustable from 31" - 38" so that kinda helps.

[RyanM]

How can you have made the arms if you dont know how and where your going to mount them???
x2 sounds weird
plate the unibody, build a beefy xmember, make some mounts for arms

[RCP Phx]

I originally had a mounting system setup but have since changed my mind. Its just for a radius type setup so i have quite a bit of room to play with.. Plus my lower arms are adjustable from 31" - 38" so that kinda helps.
Length isnt the issue, it is all the angles that will change.Also,no JJ's except at the frame end mounts!

[ponyracer1]

Length isnt the issue, it is all the angles that will change.Also,no JJ's except at the frame end mounts!


With radius arms there are no "angles" that will change. You don't have to worry about anti squat/anti dive etc until you go to a true 3 link setup.

As far as JJ's you can mount them anywhere you please. There's nothing that says you can't use them at the axle end AND the frame end. If your only using one pair then yes, put them at the frame end.

As said above, make a nice beefy Xmember then add mounts to it at the right length to tie in with your arms.

I'm running the same set up, mines a custom radius arm setup with one upper on the pass side and it works GREAT. No DW or other weird handling issues and I don't even use a steering stabilizer. (jj's at all 6 attachment points)

[Goatman]

So where do you want to mount them? Under the frame, inside the frame, or on the crossmember?

So many companies make good quality prefabbed mounts now that it's hardly worth the time to make your own. Check out Polyperformance and Blue Torch Fab. If you want to make your own, go to the metal yard remnant heap and get some 3x3" boxed tubing 3/16" wall. The inside diameter is the 2 5/8" that you need for the JJ's and it's easy to work with to make mounts.

[vetteboy]

If you want to make your own, go to the metal yard remnant heap and get some 3x3" boxed tubing 3/16" wall. The inside diameter is the 2 5/8" that you need for the JJ's and it's easy to work with to make mounts.

Yep. This works well, although you need to chop out one side of it.

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/072806/lower1.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/072806/lower4.JPG

As far as long arm mounts...there's a couple ways I've done it...

The simplest way is to just let it hang down. Angle iron to the (reinforced) frame rails, 2x6 across, some arm mounts & holes for the trans mount, and you're good.

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/la/lafinal%20001.jpg

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/la/lafinal%20015.jpg

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/la/lafinal%20018.jpg

That worked fine for what it was. I didn't hit stuff as often as people told me I would, but the ground clearance was certainly not ideal. Flexed to the limits of the shocks without issue, unloaded when climbing as you'd expect, had some interesting dive (or lack thereof) when braking.

If you want to really get into it, you can have the mounts inboard and above the frame rails, but this will probably require some shenanigans on the floor inside. This is the most recent setup I've done for mine...

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/081706/sub3.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/081706/sub5.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/010707/DSC01139.JPG

I put a little more thought and effort into it this time around. :)

[ktm racer 419]

I'm running the same set up, mines a custom radius arm setup with one upper on the pass side and it works GREAT. No DW or other weird handling issues and I don't even use a steering stabilizer. (jj's at all 6 attachment points)

pics?

i did practically the same thing and guess I didnt think it through too much and now on occasion my lower arm on my passenger side likes to twist a bit, slightly changing my caster.

[ponyracer1]

Here's a couple of mine, I need to get some more and update my build thread.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/ponyracer/la2.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/ponyracer/la1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/ponyracer/paint1.jpg

If I remember correctly there 34" center to center on the JJ's, with the adj end centered in it's adjustment.

[tom gralewski]

Ty people Im excited considering that as soon as spring is here im hoping to be on 35s :D

[Timber]

So where do you want to mount them? Under the frame, inside the frame, or on the crossmember?
Inside!!? I don't usually read too many long-arm threads since I only have two inches and 235s (soon to be 31s), but that's the first I recall that being mentioned for a unibodied vehicle. I'd ask what that involves doing, but I'll search instead.

[ponyracer1]

Inside!!? I don't usually read too many long-arm threads since I only have two inches and 235s (soon to be 31s), but that's the first I recall that being mentioned for a unibodied vehicle. I'd ask what that involves doing, but I'll search instead.


Plate the outside and bottom of the frame, then weld in a 1-2' piece on the inside that ties in with the bottom plate. Then just add a prefabbed bracket.

[RCP Phx]

With radius arms there are no "angles" that will change. You don't have to worry about anti squat/anti dive etc until you go to a true 3 link setup.

As far as JJ's you can mount them anywhere you please. There's nothing that says you can't use them at the axle end AND the frame end. If your only using one pair then yes, put them at the frame end.

As said above, make a nice beefy Xmember then add mounts to it at the right length to tie in with your arms.

I'm running the same set up, mines a custom radius arm setup with one upper on the pass side and it works GREAT. No DW or other weird handling issues and I don't even use a steering stabilizer. (jj's at all 6 attachment points)
I was refering to the "install" angles,my links are about 14* off of square due to being mounted inboard.And NO you dont want any type of "hard" joint in the front of a Radius arm becuase of the binding!

[Timber]

Plate the outside and bottom of the frame, then weld in a 1-2' piece on the inside that ties in with the bottom plate. Then just add a prefabbed bracket.
I guess I was having a brain fart. I was thinking literally "within" the framerail, not just inboard.

[ponyracer1]

I was refering to the "install" angles,my links are about 14* off of square due to being mounted inboard.And NO you dont want any type of "hard" joint in the front of a Radius arm becuase of the binding!

Gotcha, I haven't measured mine but there at a pretty good angle also. I removed the stock LCA axle mounts and made new ones, as well as the upper one on the pass side. The lower mounts now angle toward the center of the truck some so the JJ sits straight not at max travel in one direction like they would if you used the stock mounts.