• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

rough country long arm kits

i'm going to be installing my upgrade kit this weekend. However there are a good amount of posts if you search "rough country long arm upgrade". It appears most people are very happy with them. The arms hang down lower than some of the more $ units so you could lose a bit of ground clearance. I have the parts at home and it looks pretty good. They updated the crossmember so the bolts are recessed in instead of exposed.
 
I do not run a RC kit, but here's my $.02 for what it's worth.

The most common issue, from what I've witnessed, with RC kits are with their bushings and joints. They just don't seem to hold up as well as others.

That said, they do seem to send out replacements relatively hassle free.

On and off road handling/ride seem to be good when the bushings and joints are intact.
 
I've been running just their longarms with my RE springs and mine has been great, haven't had to replace to bushings yet(grease them regularly) but the newer kits dont seem to have to much of an issue with the joints wearing out. For the money you can't beat it! thats my 2 cents..
 
I absolutely love my long arm upgrade! No problems with my joints or bushings yet either and I have been running mine since March of 2010. My XJ is 98% Daily driver but I've flexed the heck out of it on more than one occasion. On road manners are so much better than short arms in my opinion especially where I live it's like riding over the whoops on a motocross track. If ya wanna see some flex pics check out my profile I have some pics up on there.
 
I am running the complete 4 1/2" long arm kit, rear springs, and the 2.2 shocks. I installed the kit in March, and have wheeled it about 10 times since. My jeep is my DD, and so far I love it! On road manners are great once you get the alignment right, stiff, but great. Offroad is even better. I have, however, had a couple of issues that I have yet to pursue. The rear leaf eyelet bushings are torn, and I have a rear shock that is leaking. I am sure that rough country will step up, as soon as I make the call. Also, the rear shackle angle was garbage, until I installed extended rear shackles. All in all, I would suggest the kit to anyone on a budget.
 
I run the long arms on an otherwise rubicon express suspension.

The ride is awesome. No more jarring, horrible front end ride. (I hated 4 inches on short arms.)

I have worn out 2 lower joints. (Maybe 3, idk)

But the first 2 were a bad design. The new ones were sent hassle free. The uppers are still original.

I did cut the tcase skid for more clearance.
 
so if you need to service the t-case and such you have to undo all the bolts and drop the whole assembly? FxxK that chit thats alot of steps to go through.
 
Here is my.02 worth.. I also installed mine in Feb-March 2010. I originally started with the complete 4.5" kit. I've blown a front 2.2 shock, both upper and lower joints have failed, I've gone through 2 sets of leaf spring bushing, and I'm pretty sure my rear shocks are toast. I will say they are willing to replace parts hassle free. If you really like getting under your rig every weekend after a trip to see what needs to be fixed... By all mean, get this kit. I have learned the hard way and am slowly replacing RC items for something else. I have noticed they are upgrading there parts cause guys like me are doing the homework for them. Better track bar joint, flex joint, and hopefully some decent leaf springs and bushings will come soon. With RE out of the picture(at least for now) they need to step it up a notch. IMO. You will get what you pay for and the money you save.... Well you trade in for time fixing failed parts in the long run.
 
well looks like there stuff wears out like everyone else s kits. but is seems like there's may wear out faster i'll do some more searches and see what else comes up for a decent price
 
I have the long arm system (first gen) and they sent replacement bushings. I am very satisfied with the performance of the system on and off road. I did run a RE system prior and the bushings wore out every year and they didnt replace them so its was over $50.00 each year. so I dont care what brand you buy if you wheel it you will burn out busings. the benifit is RC will replace them. try to fing a long arm system as complete as RC without spending almost twice the money. I have spend big money on the fancy brands and still had same issue of worn out bushings and joints. if you wheel it you will wear it out.
 
CaliXJ said:
Here is my.02 worth.. I also installed mine in Feb-March 2010. I originally started with the complete 4.5" kit. I've blown a front 2.2 shock, both upper and lower joints have failed, I've gone through 2 sets of leaf spring bushing, and I'm pretty sure my rear shocks are toast. I will say they are willing to replace parts hassle free. If you really like getting under your rig every weekend after a trip to see what needs to be fixed... By all mean, get this kit. I have learned the hard way and am slowly replacing RC items for something else. I have noticed they are upgrading there parts cause guys like me are doing the homework for them. Better track bar joint, flex joint, and hopefully some decent leaf springs and bushings will come soon. With RE out of the picture(at least for now) they need to step it up a notch. IMO. You will get what you pay for and the money you save.... Well you trade in for time fixing failed parts in the long run.
Click to expand...

Similar story.....


I got the kit in 09 when it was first released. Went through a couple rear shocks and the front one leaked a bit. I swapped em out for Zone Nitros and they are so much better. My front coils turned ugly brown after just one winter and I mean UGLY, not just spots here and there. I'm on my FIFTH set of joints for the long arms. It seems I never get to NOT work on the suspension and getting a bit tired of it. RC has been good and sending me replacements right away. Recently got a box of replacement joints from them that weighed a bit over 21 lbs. You can only imagine what's in this box. :roll:

If you plan to go RC, wait a while. They have, or already have, plans to release the kit with rubber bushings on the lower arms instead of poly.
 
muddeprived said:
If you plan to go RC, wait a while. They have, or already have, plans to release the kit with rubber bushings on the lower arms instead of poly.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the bushing that attaches to the axle? or you mean the poly stuff that is in the flex joint on the crossmember? I wonder what it is, i'm hearing mixed stories on these joints. I'm installing mine soon and I would hope that it lasts longer than what people are reporting here.
 
z06elmo said:
Do you mean the bushing that attaches to the axle? or you mean the poly stuff that is in the flex joint on the crossmember? I wonder what it is, i'm hearing mixed stories on these joints. I'm installing mine soon and I would hope that it lasts longer than what people are reporting here.
Click to expand...

The axle end. It uses a regular two-piece poly bushing. It hasn't failed me but I'd much rather have the rubber, which absorbs more for a better ride. I actually spoke to them about swapping in the rubber but they said it's a different diameter and I would need to purchase the entire arm.

I just received the new batch of flex bushings to replace my worn ones with. So far I cannot see any difference from these and my old ones but I can't say about the material or durometer of the material.
 
my input on my RC long arms,
buy something better,
in 4 trail rides my crawler joints were shot. all 4 of them.
the t-case self tappers stripped out in 7-8 rides.
RC didnt warranty the joints so i just got replacements. next time i'll change them to J.J.'s or ballistic's joints
 
userbmx1315 said:
my input on my RC long arms,
buy something better,
in 4 trail rides my crawler joints were shot. all 4 of them.
the t-case self tappers stripped out in 7-8 rides.
RC didnt warranty the joints so i just got replacements. next time i'll change them to J.J.'s or ballistic's joints
Click to expand...

I didn't use self tappers on the t-case skid. I cut a window on the side of the frame rail and snuck a nut in there for a bolt. I kinda predicted the self tapper wouldn't hold.

From my understanding, johnny joints will not fit RC arms. They thread in but bolt size and width of the ball is a problem.
 
I disconnected the arms this morning and discovered that the balls were just flopping in the bushing. I took em apart and the bushing seemed fine, but expanded or something. This was only a month and less than a 1k miles put on em.

Compared em with the new bushings and they seem identical but I noticed something. The lower arm bushings are pretty tight and u can't compress them fully on the ball. The uppers are loose and you can clamp the two bushings together by hand. So when you install the bushings and tighten it down, they get compressed together till they touch and then there's no more tightening them after that. I think the upper bushings were made a tad bit too big.
 
so it looks like so far the biggest issue is bushing wear.that's not really a big deal. looks like the major components are holding. the price of there kit i think is very good. Rusty's is $300.00 more and the rest of the competition is over $2000.00.
 
Dude you've been having terrible luck.

I replaced 2 of mine, but the replacements have been fine. Before I installed them, I clamped the ball in my vice, pumped it full of grease, and flexed/spun the joint around to make sure the whole thing had grease.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

X
Drop Brackets to fix bent frame mounts?
2
Replies
31
Views
271
Bent
Bent
E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
E
SYE manufacturers....I can't find a clear answer.
Replies
9
Views
443
Trouble
T
Z
RENIX fuel delivery questions
Replies
4
Views
336
Ecomike
Ecomike
G
Braided Fuel Line/Fittings Size From Quick Clip to Rail
Replies
2
Views
1K
GraniteCow
G
Back
Top