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Rock Ready skyjacker heim joints? what were they thinking?

jeepboy381

jeepboy381

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Gresham, Or
So I juat bought this 01 XJ with a 6 inch rock ready lift kit, the heim joints are terrible! The lower control arms have big heims on each end and the control arms twist and clank against the mounts like crazy! Also the whole suspension is heim joints and it is a 4 link, this makes the whole setup bind which has cracked the driver side upper control arm mount on the axle.

What have you guys replaced the heim joints with on this lift kit to eliminate skyjackers dumb mistakes? I was thinking of using rustys forged rubber ends. Has anyone done this before? What other joints have you guys used?

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/mercha...ys&Product_Code=RC-SI214&Category_Code=BP-F_I
 
Since you said its the 6" kit, it shouldn't have the bolt-on truss setup. My last setup, I was running what was left of the 8" kit. After destroying two trusses, I ditched it and went to a stock-style UCA axle mounting setup. I was running the SJ subframe, crossmember, and control arms. The LCA's had 2.5" Johnny Joints at both ends, while the UCA's had 2" JJ's at the frame side. I loved the setup and it worked very well and was very happy with it for years.
 
For comfort sake i would run rubber lca frame side and JJ or something similar lca axle end for flex. uca axle side indeed need to be rubber for deflection on a 4 link. the frame side uca i again would run jj or something similar for flex.if money is tight u can run all of the control arms rubber which is the way they come from factory. it's a shame SJ didnt do a little more home work and turn this system into a fantastic 3 or 4 link mid arm suspension. they lengthened the lowers but failed to lengthen the uppers so pinion dive is a problem. a bunch of jeep speed people run this system which is extremely expensive. i am sure they change out the lousy heims joints that come with the kit.i have seen this system in action and they flex really well.
 
It does have the skyjacker front axle truss with the U bolts to clamp it on as well as bolting in to the old upper control arm mounts. I can fix the cracks and reinforce the hole front truss, should I still ditch it for new arms? I was planning on using rubber bushings for all the lowers and maybe a combination of rubber and johnny joints for the uppers. What do you think?
 
jeepboy381 said:
I can fix the cracks and reinforce the hole front truss, should I still ditch it for new arms?
Click to expand...

Ditch it!!! I broke my first one in a slight crash and the second in under a year of hard wheeling. I'd suggest rubber at one end of your control arms and some Johnny Joints at the other ends. When I converted my UCA's, I simply got RH JJ's for the frame side and on the other end I welded up a bushing cup and welded it to the end of the UCA where the the LH heim threaded in.


m818jr.jpg

2hpstid.jpg
 
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I don't get it. Seems like if someone would go thru the trouble of installing that x-member and bracketry they would jsut buy long arms. Just as much work and probably cheaper...

Nothing but bulky drop brackets and short arms.
 
looks like the engineer's who did it came from full size truck offroading, they do drop sub-frames all the time.

isnt the skyjacker kit a really old design as well? the offroad market is an evolution. great idea's dont flow from day 1!
 
jeepboy381 said:
It does have the skyjacker front axle truss with the U bolts to clamp it on as well as bolting in to the old upper control arm mounts. I can fix the cracks and reinforce the hole front truss, should I still ditch it for new arms? I was planning on using rubber bushings for all the lowers and maybe a combination of rubber and johnny joints for the uppers. What do you think?
Click to expand...
that truss was sold with the 8" lift kits, maybe it was 8' originally. the trusses were junk a lot of problems with them, throw it away put new bushings and joints on and run it.
 
lowrange2 said:
I don't get it. Seems like if someone would go thru the trouble of installing that x-member and bracketry they would jsut buy long arms. Just as much work and probably cheaper...

Nothing but bulky drop brackets and short arms.
Click to expand...
Yeah, thing is that if you can make the angles right with a mid arm there is no reason for a long arm. I really like the way the skyjacker subframe attaches to the body and it makes the angles great! The front axle truss is a joke though!
 
That just looks like a really dumb set up. better off just going long arms. and as for replacing them with rustys bushings, i would refrain from doing that. the rubber bushings are awful
 
I saw this setup in person at BigDogs and it actually looked pretty decent. The guy's Jeep was on 35's and he was doing some of the hardest trails at Gore. I was amazed at the stuff he got through.
 
That looks like a glorified drop bracket system.
 
DeftwillP said:
That looks like a glorified drop bracket system.
Click to expand...

And the problem is?
That Skyjacker kit has been around for eternity, I can't remember a long arm kit that existed before it. Not to mention the first few(?) years Jeepspeed champ was running some version of it.
 
jeepboy381 said:
Maybe I have an 8 inch lift and not the 6 inch, how would I tell? I am running 33's right now.
Click to expand...

the truss only came with the 8" kit


DeftwillP said:
That looks like a glorified drop bracket system.
Click to expand...

Although it is pretty much just glorified drop brackets, it WAY better then any of the other drop brackets out there. Ive dropped the whole jeep onto them and all it does is slide off no problem. ive seen other companys bracket/braces bend and disform WITHOUT even hitting them. i could also flex mine til the shocks maxed out and the coil unseated.
 
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Got everything torn off tonight and it is being sent with my friend to get sand blasted. You would not believe the amount of cracks in the axle truss, my friend is also going to do some test to find all the cracks. We will fix them and reinforce it the way it should be. Will post pictures.

Every single joint was garbage, got FK joints for the uppers, and a combination of ballistic fab johnny joints, and rustys flex bushings on the lowers. Hope to have it done soon!
 
Once you reinforce the truss you might want to stitch weld it to the axle so it doesnt move.sounds like you have everything else covered enjoy it....
 
Ronbo said:
And the problem is?
That Skyjacker kit has been around for eternity, I can't remember a long arm kit that existed before it. Not to mention the first few(?) years Jeepspeed champ was running some version of it.
Click to expand...

I have no problem with drop brackets; running em myself. Just seems kind of expensive for what it is.
 
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