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Long arm vs 3 link? time to decide

C

crsaz33

NAXJA Forum User
Location
az
Im about to start my xj build and its time to decide on a suspension setup.
I have narrowed it down to the clayton 6.5" long arm kit and the clayton 6.5" 3 link kit. Does one have advantages over the other, will one flex better with out binding? I will be running 35x14.5 tires and my t case has a slip yolk eliminator and I have a dana 60 and 14 bolt that will one day be shortend and intalled but for now I'll stick with the d44's that the previous owner installed. and eventually I want to do a coil over conversion in the rear but that is down the road.

thanks in advanced the your help, I found a few threads in the search but they just turned into arguments and weren't much help.
 
I just want to choose the kit that will best fit my needs, this truck is my dd, but I only go 10 miles round trip.
 
This thread will end the same way. You're describing a radius arm kit and a 3-link. They are both technically long arms. Either one with work just fine. I have a 3-link and I was driving 40 miles each way to work for a while.
 
When I have the coin I'll be going 3 link, more specific the Iron Rock 3 link. No specific reason as far as binding or which is better. Mainly because the price is right and either one is 1000 times better than short arms in every aspect. Id just decide based on what YOU want to do with your rig...

I figured if I dont need the 4th link why run it? It opens up a better mounting option for me when I redo my steering and do an over the axle trac bar since I can just hack the link tab off. BUT thats just my reasoning, with your possible axle swap plans in the future you have to think about where you want to go with steering/trac bar as well, having pretty much the entire long side open to mount other things in my eyes makes it a no brainer, as opposed to a link mount/trac bar/stabilizer mount all in one...
 
Last edited:
crsaz33 said:
Im about to start my xj build and its time to decide on a suspension setup.
I have narrowed it down to the clayton 6.5" long arm kit and the clayton 6.5" 3 link kit. Does one have advantages over the other, will one flex better with out binding? I will be running 35x14.5 tires and my t case has a slip yolk eliminator and I have a dana 60 and 14 bolt that will one day be shortend and intalled but for now I'll stick with the d44's that the previous owner installed. and eventually I want to do a coil over conversion in the rear but that is down the road.

thanks in advanced the your help, I found a few threads in the search but they just turned into arguments and weren't much help.
Click to expand...


I just built my 3 link not long ago. All custom though. I DD my jeep, some days 40-50 miles round trip and everywhere inbetween. Never one had a problem. I love it. It flexs very nice with no binding. I have a ton of droop. And the best part . . . . . All the cool kids run 3 arms :D

No but really a 4 link is great. I have never had a radius arm set up. You can build your own way cheaper then you can buy one. I built mine for about $600 with all great parts. 2" 250 wall DOM lowers, 1.5" 250 wall upper. Built a custom pass link bracket. I vote 3 link :yelclap:
 
Serious Offroad said:
Binding is always brought up anytime long arms are discussed, but truth be told, most people that experience it have more droop than they really need or will ever use. Don't let the binding myth be the deciding factor in your build plans. There are far more important aspects to consider....regardless of which configuration you choose.
Click to expand...

pretty much. binding happens, the only real issue i see here is when people build radius arms and only run bushings on one side of the factory uca's. tends to wear them out quicker. radius arms just need something to absorb the binding.
 
ktm racer 419 said:
too bad iron rock isnt a 3 link
Click to expand...


Oh sorry sorry sorry... A Critical Path Long Arm Upgrade, which so happens to only have 3 LINKS!!!


This is pasted directly from Iron Rock BTW:

NOW HIGHER CLEARANCE AND BETTER TIRE CLEARANCE! We use an exclusive, non-binding, 3 link setup that has a pair of front long arms that will flex more than you thought possible.



I realize what a radius arm is, and I realize this kit uses a "hard mounted" 3rd link, but thats exactly what it is, A 3RD LINK...

Anything else to add?
 
Breezio69 said:
Oh sorry sorry sorry... A Critical Path Long Arm Upgrade, which so happens to only have 3 LINKS!!!


This is pasted directly from Iron Rock BTW:

NOW HIGHER CLEARANCE AND BETTER TIRE CLEARANCE! We use an exclusive, non-binding, 3 link setup that has a pair of front long arms that will flex more than you thought possible.



I realize what a radius arm is, and I realize this kit uses a "hard mounted" 3rd link, but thats exactly what it is, A 3RD LINK...

Anything else to add?
Click to expand...

iron rock doesnt know what they are selling on more than one occasion i have noticed.

3 link means 3 independent links. that is a radius arm in my book.

does that mean factory ford radius arms are 2 links?
and tnt, rubicon express, clayton, and other radius arms are actually 4 links?
 
ktm racer 419 said:
iron rock doesnt know what they are selling on more than one occasion i have noticed.

3 link means 3 independent links. that is a radius arm in my book.

does that mean factory ford radius arms are 2 links?
and tnt, rubicon express, clayton, and other radius arms are actually 4 links?
Click to expand...


!!!1 if you read my post, like actually read it and looked past the quote from Iron Rock, you could see I agreed with you. And simply stated that out of 4 links on the axle, only 3 of the links are used... hence (all together class) "3 link"
 
Breezio69 said:
!!!1 if you read my post, like actually read it and looked past the quote from Iron Rock, you could see I agreed with you. And simply stated that out of 4 links on the axle, only 3 of the links are used... hence (all together class) "3 link"
Click to expand...

Can you point out where you agreed? Because reading past the IRO quote, I don't see anything that resembles agreeing.

And no, as ktm pointed out, their terminology is incorrect. It is 100% a radius arm set up, no matter what nomenclature they use. (a rose by any other name is still a rose) For it to be a 3 link, it has to have 3 separate links that attach to the frame, and can not mount off the other arm.
 
and YES to your add on, If i were talking to someone about a suspension setup id say "yeah im running a 3-link radius arm setup on my rig" or "yeah its a 4 link radius arm setup" because anyone half competent would know what your running in an instant
 
ktm racer 419 said:
iron rock doesnt know what they are selling on more than one occasion i have noticed.

3 link means 3 independent links. that is a radius arm in my book.

does that mean factory ford radius arms are 2 links?
and tnt, rubicon express, clayton, and other radius arms are actually 4 links?
Click to expand...

Breezio69 said:
Oh sorry sorry sorry... A Critical Path Long Arm Upgrade, which so happens to only have 3 LINKS!!!


This is pasted directly from Iron Rock BTW:

NOW HIGHER CLEARANCE AND BETTER TIRE CLEARANCE! We use an exclusive, non-binding, 3 link setup that has a pair of front long arms that will flex more than you thought possible.



I realize what a radius arm is, and I realize this kit uses a "hard mounted" 3rd link, but thats exactly what it is, A 3RD LINK...

Anything else to add?
Click to expand...

This is where I agreed, read the green
 
sunburned said:
This thread will end the same way.
Click to expand...

Good call!

http://www.rockkrawler.com/?r_intro=1

RK has an actual 3/4 link upgrade. This is what I run on mine.

Some argue that it's not very practical since it doesn't use a crossmember and the unibody really NEEDs to be plated to run this but I like it.

Also, it's way over priced now. I believe they bumped their head somewhere along the way. When I bought it I paid right at 300 bucks for the whole shebang.
 
this is silly.

WE SHOULD BE ARGUING ABOUT THE CASTER ADJUSTER AND 10MM BOLTS!
 
ktm racer 419 said:
since when does pair mean 3? ZOMG MIND EXPLOSION
Click to expand...


omg, if you read and comprehend correctly you'd see where i was specifically talking about the AXLE side of things, I realize there is only two main arms off the body, and a 3rd small arm that LINKS it all together.

Thats where im coming from, so describe to me how you would describe thier kit, having a single radius arm, with three axle mounting points, as opposed to a kit using two radius arms, which makes that 4 links on the axle side.

to answer my own question in my own terms, id tell someone i was running a 3 link radius arm kit, or 4 link radius arm kit... then they could picture in thier mind.... ok, a radius arm with a single other link, or just two plain radius arms.

do you see where im coming from
 
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