LCA question

I'm looking to upgrade my LCA's I'm at 4.5" of lift still running stock arms I've got skidrow skid plates. I've got a bit of a clunk and I think it's the bushing for the LCA so figured it was time. Now first question is RE has a straight arm and 4wd has a bent arm, is one style better then the other? Seconed question will they fit under the skid plate?

HOW are you running 4.5" with stock arms? Your axle must be sitting pretty far back. The "clunk" is more likely the trackbar being loose or the mounting hole worn. You can run straight UCA's and LCA's if your have 3.75" backspacing on your wheels. (otherwise you may rub or hit at full crank) I would for sure look at adjustable LCA's and an adjustable trackbar as a minimum. You can redrill the trackbar mount hole about 3/4" over but an adjustable is better.

I've got a RE adjustable track bar and yes the wheel sit's back a little but it swings forward as the wheel comes up. I 'm running 32x10.50 on 4.50m BS I had to adjust my stearing stops to prevent rubbing. The set up work pretty good the tire stuffs inside the wheel well's just right now if I went wider in tire or less BS they would hit. That being said I'm getting ready to put tj flairs on and open everything up as much as possiable so I can get some 33's on but I'll most likely have to adjust my bumpstops.
Back to my question though is there a difference between straight or bent arms, and do I need to get uppers to. I don't think I want the adjustables only because I'm not going to add any more lift or if I do it won't be more than a inch or so.

either will work - get whatever you want..

the bend will help when the axle droops so you dont bend the LCA...

The RE arms are welded "off-center" to acomplish the same thing.It sounds like you need a set of the RE "Super-Flex" arms.Fixed lowers with a set of adj uppers.

Do you think the uppers are needed

gabe4 said:

Do you think the uppers are needed

Click to expand...

yeah you need them be able to dial in the correct caster,
or else the caster will be off and the ride will SUCK, death wobble and bad tire wear will result.

RCP Phx said:

The RE arms are welded "off-center" to acomplish the same thing.It sounds like you need a set of the RE "Super-Flex" arms.Fixed lowers with a set of adj uppers.

Click to expand...

As far as straight vs. bent, personally I think it may be all in the marketing. With the RE straight arms(super flex) and stock control arm brackets on the axles, the arms were never the limiting factor for suspension movement.
IMHO, what ever you do end up buying, lowers and/or uppers, buy adjustable; this will give you the ability to adjust for all of those changes that await you down the road, the ones you have no intention of ever doing. I recently went to LCA brackets mounted behind the axle tube, the adjustable arms handled it fine.

Bent said:

As far as straight vs. bent, personally I think it may be all in the marketing. With the RE straight arms(super flex) and stock control arm brackets on the axles, the arms were never the limiting factor for suspension movement.
IMHO, what ever you do end up buying, lowers and/or uppers, buy adjustable; this will give you the ability to adjust for all of those changes that await you down the road, the ones you have no intention of ever doing. I recently went to LCA brackets mounted behind the axle tube, the adjustable arms handled it fine.

Click to expand...

How then do you know what length to make them do you measure from axel to axel

is there a spec measurment for front to rear axle to axle so you know that your set up right

This really helped me when I was doing my short arm set up. There is a table for lift vs. LCA/UCA length.
http://www.opiebennett.com/upperdrrveshaft.htm