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Which control arms to accommodate RE drop bracket kit?

madmike283

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Lakewood, CO
I've picked up a used set of RE drop brackets with braces. I'd like to go ahead and add some upgraded control arms while I'm at it. The XJ has an existing 4.5" kit with stock control arms right now.

So which arms will adjust short enough since I'll also be running the DB kit? I've read that RC will not go short enough. It seems that Andy and IronMan4x4 makes a good product that will work. I don't wanna buy and then find out they aren't going to work. Thanks.
 
JKS 6100 0-6" Lift
 
RE Super-flex,If you could find some used 1st gens would be even better!
 
I used RE fixed length lower control arms for a 3.5 lift and some Teraflex adjustable uppers with my RE drop brackets.
 
Andy's CA's definitely.
 
Try and get adj upper and lowers, because If you even plan on going bigger you dont want to have to buy them al over again.

That's exactly why I'm thinking about adjustables. I don't wanna do it again. Hell it came with a 4.5" lift and I'm already thinking about ripping almost everything out and starting over.

Seems that IronMan Fab may be the way to go cost vs performance along with going short enough to run at 4.5" with the DB kit. The RC x-flex looks good and just a tad cheaper than IronMan. It's misleading on their site though as to the range of adjustment on them. One place says "Stock to 8" of lift" and on the main control arm page it says "4.5 to 6.5"
 
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Dont get arms that are bent for clearance, get straight arms. On the DS top an arm with a bend in it will smack into the top of the diff housing when the suspension is under compression. If you get a good deal (like free) on a set of bent arms you can make it work by trimming the corner of the flange where it attaches to the tube and it will clear.

For what its worth, I wheeled a better on short arms w/o DB's but it rode a lot worse. The DB's have been worth it but I now get embarrased off road a lot more when the DB's get me stuck, mostly on stumps where they cut into the wood. Over all I am happy with the DB's, I just have to be more careful.

John
 
Just chatted with JR at Rough Country. He says that their arms will work no problems. This thread says that they don't work, but I assume they've been revised since then.

So, since they ship right away and they're about $65 cheaper I may go with them.
 
Dont get arms that are bent for clearance, get straight arms. On the DS top an arm with a bend in it will smack into the top of the diff housing when the suspension is under compression. If you get a good deal (like free) on a set of bent arms you can make it work by trimming the corner of the flange where it attaches to the tube and it will clear.

For what its worth, I wheeled a better on short arms w/o DB's but it rode a lot worse. The DB's have been worth it but I now get embarrased off road a lot more when the DB's get me stuck, mostly on stumps where they cut into the wood. Over all I am happy with the DB's, I just have to be more careful.

John

interesting, my drivers side upper RE superflex arm just barely kisses the top of my diff when fully stuffed. i just noticed that the other day. guess i need more bumpstop. but they do seem to hit a drag on stuff more then without them like you said. but i wouldnt get rid of them either. very good upgrade.

and to the OP, im running adjustable RE superflex arms upper and lower. my uppers are as short as they can go, they are just a tad longer than i would like but i just adjusted the lowers accordingly to get the pinion angle good.
 
That's exactly why I'm thinking about adjustables. I don't wanna do it again. Hell it came with a 4.5" lift and I'm already thinking about ripping almost everything out and starting over.

Thats what I had to do man. My jeep came with a 4.5" lift. had AAL and blocks in the rear, so I swapped in rustys leafs. They were good till the jeep started to sag 2" on the pass side, so I started collecting parts to go 5.5". I built my own lowers and uppers and there beefy as hell, better then anything you can buy. Do it all right at once my friend and it saves you alot of time and money thats what I learned :cheers:

For what its worth, I wheeled a better on short arms w/o DB's but it rode a lot worse. The DB's have been worth it but I now get embarrased off road a lot more when the DB's get me stuck, mostly on stumps where they cut into the wood. Over all I am happy with the DB's, I just have to be more careful.

John

Same here. Wheeled and DD my rig with short arms and drove like crap, dident wheel very good. had no down travel at all. Now that I have DB's my jeep rides great and wheels amazing! i have about 3 feet of flex in the front and about 3.5" in the rear and just does great. Though I do need to bumpstop because Im tearing my bushwackers off the front of the jeep lol
 
I have andy's lowers on a 5" lift. They don't adjust short enough for the drop brackets. When I do order drop brackets I'm going to just cut an inch off the threads and off the tube, I think
 
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