rock krawler long arm

Even though this post will probably get flamed and people telling me im a noob and need to use the search button (which yes, i have searched) I want to know all about the rock krawler long arm, i dont want to waste my money on a longarm that rides shatty and is loud or bone jarring on the street, the thing is, i dont wheel too often anymore, just hills, and any other place that looks fun, no more mud, but it def. is my DD - 90% on road. Will the rock krawler long arm be able to let me get up to a decent lift height - arond 9 - 10 inch for my future plans. Yes it might be an almost full time mall crawler but it will sure look good doing it and be the envy of all 50 million lifted xj's in terre haute

Search. I don't care if you said you did, because in the last 2 months, there have been at least 3 threads going on about the rock krawler kit, and one I actually started myself. So start reading and catch up with the rest of us.

my search=......TnT Y-link!!!

What he said and no it will be horrible for a DD- it's a 3 link and it uses rod ends not rubber or urethane. Not smart for frequent highway or DD useage.

BingBing said:

What he said and no it will be horrible for a DD- it's a 3 link and it uses rod ends not rubber or urethane. Not smart for frequent highway or DD useage.

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CAre to elaborate? Just because it is a 3 arm and no rubber bushings? Plenty of other systems use rod ends and are fine. Quite a few on here have an RK setup and DD it all day and say it's worlds better. I think it's better than a radius setup but thats my opnion.

Do you run this kit? I would like to know, because I have it sitting on my floor and am getting ready for a install. But my junk isn't a DD either. Just wondering about the road manners!

Care to elaborate?

GirlScout1 said:

. I think it's better than a radius setup but thats my opnion.

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Sure 3 point= less binding and more flex thoughout where as radius binds alot more. Also TnT kits and Clayton have been notorious for clearance issues and hitting on the driveshaft.

more flex? they would both be limited by the shock and brake lines, right?

GirlScout1 said:

Sure 3 point= less binding and more flex thoughout where as radius binds alot more. Also TnT kits and Clayton have been notorious for clearance issues and hitting on the driveshaft.

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Anything will be limited by those things. If you are using your brakelines as limiting straps then thats foolish within itself. Im talking about bind vs flex. The reason you will get more drop out of a 3 arm is because you have less force binding. What about TnT though? Drop you're whole belly pan to get to the TC...that would be fun on the trail. EVERY design has it's pros and cons. NOBODY makes a 100% perfect kit. WOuld you agree to that?

Common sense read their web site here i'll post it www.rockkrawler.com it creates more of a shock load on the body. So every bump u hit instead of 4 arms u have 3 and to cushion it were there should be rubber there is metal, must feel nice on pot holes. But its proven to flex great cuz your d.side coil will pop out.

yes, not perfect, but you can get to the case fine, i bought limit straps because when it flexed the spring would fall out. have you tried your RK kit yet?

GirlScout1 said:

Anything will be limited by those things. If you are using your brakelines as limiting straps then thats foolish within itself. Im talking about bind vs flex. The reason you will get more drop out of a 3 arm is because you have less force binding. What about TnT though? Drop you're whole belly pan to get to the TC...that would be fun on the trail. EVERY design has it's pros and cons. NOBODY makes a 100% perfect kit. WOuld you agree to that?

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GirlScout1 said:

Sure 3 point= less binding and more flex thoughout where as radius binds alot more. Also TnT kits and Clayton have been notorious for clearance issues and hitting on the driveshaft.

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Got links, pics, or first hand experience for this info?

Particularly the notorious clearance issues with the kits mentioned?

I've been researching front kits for a while, and haven't run across the clearance issue discussions. I've read up on binding issues with radius arm set-ups, and the binding discussed is very minimal. It's present, but not enough for anyone to notice with decently welded control arm mounts.

I would really like to hear more about the clearance issues.

Here are a few pics of their components.



rear truss



springs (compared to the Re 4.5" springs)

I have one of these kits sittin in my shop about to be installed also.

So Far I have installed the RK coils on my current RE custom bracketed long arm setup... some observations.

#1, the RK coils are much nicer than the RE coils, they handle more weight on the back without sagging, and provide a slightly stiffer but smooter ride on road.

#2, the materials used in the RK kit is way overbuilt. I mean I am not complaining, but the Solid Stock Arms, 1/4 Formed truss for the 4 link and brackets is very beefy.

#3, this is the most complete kit I have ever seen, comes with all brakelines, drop pitman arm, drop trackbar bracket and adjustable trackbar for the front. Shocks, Springs, Brackets Truss AND all of the hardware, bolts, grease fittings, etc.. Even comes with a Krawler Joint conversion for the pumpkin on you diff.... VERY NICELY DONE

#4. this is a complete kit, Claytons is alot of other mfr.s put together I have installed his kit and although nice, I do not like the way his lowers are attached front or rear, and the solid stock, just screams BOOTY FAB, I really like the design of the TNT kit, but again, it is not a full kit. however it has the best clearance of the bunch.

Yes there is alot of binding in a radius arm setup as the axle tries to rotate when one side droops and one side compresses, it is simple physics, that is why clayton and tnt uses rubber bushings at the connection points on the axle...

AKswampheep said:

a decent lift height - arond 9 - 10 inch for my future plans.

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umm at 9-10 inches your are planning on runnin 39" meats right??

slkmmm .

BingBing said:

Common sense read their web site here i'll post it www.rockkrawler.com it creates more of a shock load on the body. So every bump u hit instead of 4 arms u have 3 and to cushion it were there should be rubber there is metal, must feel nice on pot holes. But its proven to flex great cuz your d.side coil will pop out.

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Hmmm well i drive on the streets of new jersey every single day in my xj with the rk long arm kit and i love them. You hit a pot hole you don't even notice it. The truck literally floats over stuff like it wasn't even there. I can't wait to get the rest of my re stuff out from underneath my truck b/c i dislike it so much. I will only buy rk products from now on becuase i believe in them so much.

What the guys have said is pretty much all true. with a radius setup like tnt you will get binding and droop will be limited to a point.... Also what people havn't said yet is the fact that with a radius arm setup, as your axle cycles through its droop and compression cycles, your pinion angle is CONSTANTLY changing. In my eyes this is bad. You can see binding with the fact that your pinion angle is changing b/c the radius arm doesn't allow the axle to stay at the same axle.

whereas with a tri link setup like the rock krawler kit. You will never see that b/c there is nothing binding. Like i said i daily drive my truck every day and when im going to school my truck see's between 80 - 90 miles a day. I prefer driving my truck over my subaru wrx because i just like how my truck drives. It's that nice of a ride. Do a searh under my name, i pretty much have replied to every and any thread about rk's products and i stand behind them 100%

Also this is my other point to the rk product. If i remember correctly tnt long arm setup is 900 bucks. I've sold the rk long arm kit to lots of people both on naxja, ju, and jf for about 400 dollars. That leaves you with 500 dollars extra. Lets just say you spend 200 on a transfer case skid. Now you got 300 dollars left over that you can still buy stuff with whereas with the tnt kit your out all that money. Thats just my opinion take it for that. Hope i don't offend anyone with my post and if i do im sorry. These are just my views on the kits. I try and only comment on what i have used. AKA why i can't say anything about how a tnt kit performs as i've never used one, i can only comment on radius arm setups as a whole.

Hope some of this helped

Matt

I'm not knocking the RK kit, i personally like it. But, I wouldn't want it on a DD. Not with the way roads are in MA.

as a comment on what I do understand and have experienced.

A radius arm setup actually puts the pinion angle in a more disireable angle through out the travel cycle. That is of course of you have a CV type front driveshaft...

zjmikey said:

#4. this is a complete kit, Claytons is alot of other mfr.s put together

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FALSE, Clayton now has there own Springs and other parts, i've seen claytons kits on Tj's and Xj's in action and they work very well and get insane flex.