lower control arm drop brackets

Is RE the only manufacturer of lower control arm drop brackets and are they worth the money? Do they really make the ride that much better?

Trailmaster use to make them, but I'm pretty sure they no longer do. They also don't come with braces, though I've been told the RE braces work with them. As far as their worth, worth every penny. The difference is phenomenal.

Trailmaster still produces them. Rockymountain4x4 will sell you just the brackets. Have them look up the kit and then the seperate lower and upper brackets and I believe the total cost (no S/H) is about $180 ($75 each for the lower brackets and $15 each for the upper add ons). Then pick up the RE braces from www.jeepinoutfitters.com for around $60-70 and you have everything you need.

I know DJ has been a huge supporter of the drop braces. I just ordered my drop braces about 4 hours ago, and I can't wait until they get here. (They'll be arriving with my new lower control arms to replace my current ones, and then I'll be able to put my Jeep back together)

I would definitely recommend them, I've heard nothing but good about them, and as though I have never run them myself, I can't wait to put them on. Here is a good sight that explains them a little better. http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/re_db.html

As far as I am concerned they are worth every penny. There was a very noticable difference in ride quality on and off road. Very happy that I went with them. I have the RE brackets and braces.

Also, I have a engine/tranny skid plate. I believe it is the Skid Row plate. Anyways, it has a bar that bolts between the two drop brackets under the engine. The bar is something like 1/4" thick. I believe it acts like a crossmember tieing the drop brackets together. I figure a little extra bracing cant hurt anything on an XJ.

Also, not to steal from the original poster, but I feel this is related. Has anybody tried using TNT unibody stiffiners with the drop brackets and braces?

Brian

thaks for you help guys. Brian, I would like an answer to that question also. I was thinking about putting them on my Jeep also. Do the unibody stiffiners also improve the ride?

MN-Cherokee said:

Also, not to steal from the original poster, but I feel this is related. Has anybody tried using TNT unibody stiffiners with the drop brackets and braces?

Brian

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I have seen them on a rig setup like that. Though, where seems to escape me at the moment. The stiffener would drop the brace down some, so you would probably need to elongate some holes on the brackets, but thats easily done.

Semper Fi said:

thaks for you help guys. Brian, I would like an answer to that question also. I was thinking about putting them on my Jeep also. Do the unibody stiffiners also improve the ride?

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As far as comfort goes, no, the stiffeners will not make it ride better. But I have heard stories of continually noisy/squeaky rigs going quiet after installation. Take that for what it's worth.

Begster said:

I know DJ has been a huge supporter of the drop braces. I just ordered my drop braces about 4 hours ago, and I can't wait until they get here. (They'll be arriving with my new lower control arms to replace my current ones, and then I'll be able to put my Jeep back together)

I would definitely recommend them, I've heard nothing but good about them, and as though I have never run them myself, I can't wait to put them on. Here is a good sight that explains them a little better. http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/re_db.html

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Count me as another fan - then again that's my site linked above, too. I ran my 4.5" RE6130 hybrid for awhile with the stock control arms, and the ride sucked. Plain and simple. I put the RE DBs on, and with no difference in lift height the ride was almost back to stock.

Begster - I have no doubt you'll appreciate the difference once you install it.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Yes, I'm sure I will, and I'll also be able to make my 4.5in front level with my 5.5in rear, so it won't look like a race car anymore.

I was switching my bent axle for one that wasn't when I found that one of the bolts siezed itself in the superflex joint on the LCA, and the joint on the other CA was frozen solid. So I decided to order them up while I was ordering new control arms rather than find a used pair. Even though my wallet took a hit, I can't wait and figured no better time than while I already have everything apart.

one thing that I have noticed about you guys that have answered is that you all have more lift then I do. I have the RE 3.5 superflex. Do you recomend them just for 4.5 inches of lift and more or will they help me also? I understand that they put the LCA's back to the stock angles and that is why they work. If they are intended for bigger lifts than 3.5, I guess I would be wasting my money buying them.

Yes you would be wasting the money unless you planned to go bigger. IIRC the backets drop the mount 4". So if you have less lift than that, your arms would actually be inverted.. But actually measure your lift height. As I got 5" from my 3.5 Superflex and as such bought Drop Brackets for the lift.

If you only have 3.5" and it rides crappy, its more of a spring rate/shock valving/shackle angle issue, than a CA angle issue.

And the obvious question would be;

If the brackets, as delivered, drop 4" and you have less than that amount of lift, why would you not re-drill the drops at 3" (or your corrosponding lift height) in order to produce the level LCA's?

IOW, the concept of resetting the LCAs should hold regardless of lift height. Just because the brackets come at 4" doesnt necessarily mean they cant be modified to accomplish the same goal for a 3" lift. Am I missing something?

Shogun said:

And the obvious question would be;

If the brackets, as delivered, drop 4" and you have less than that amount of lift, why would you not re-drill the drops at 3" (or your corrosponding lift height) in order to produce the level LCA's?

IOW, the concept of resetting the LCAs should hold regardless of lift height. Just because the brackets come at 4" doesnt necessarily mean they cant be modified to accomplish the same goal for a 3" lift. Am I missing something?

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Would it be worth it at 3"? Have you ever seen a DB? What would be the worth while gain at that height?

I didn't measure the jeep before I put the lift on. Where do you measure to see how much lift you have, and what are the stock height at the same point?

Semper Fi said:

I didn't measure the jeep before I put the lift on. Where do you measure to see how much lift you have, and what are the stock height at the same point?

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If you can, measure your current LCA bushings (on center) to ground. Then check the difference between the frame bushing and the axel bushing.

Now, imagine droping the frame bushing 4" with drop brackets installed. That will tell you if the DB's will make your LCA's slope DOWN from the axel to the frame. I have RE DB's on RE SF 4.5" and my arms slope up about 3/4". I don't think you can re-drill that hole if that's what your thinking.

For those about to install DB's check my comments here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=243554552&postcount=19

Semper Fi said:

I didn't measure the jeep before I put the lift on. Where do you measure to see how much lift you have, and what are the stock height at the same point?

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Center of wheel to bottom of the flare, 17.5" Front, 17" Rear. Measure and however much taller it is than that is how much lift you have.

R.E. drop brackets lower the mounting points 4 1/2 inches. I had a set, sold them and bought a Skyjacker subframe set-up which I won't be using either.

I personally think for lifts less the 4" raising the control arm mounts 2" on the axle is a better plan when used in conjuction with 2" bumpstop extentions.

Now my plan is to raise the lower mounts 2" and the upper mounts 3". I will be using a slightly longer LCA with the frame mount located further rearward about 2" and will sit about 1/2" lower. The rear side of the new mounts will taper down the frame about 1' allowing them to slide better.

I run 3" of bumpstop with 5" of lift. My steering is going OTK and my track bar will be raised about 4". My upper contol arms will also be slightly longer since I will be moving the axle forward 1" and relocating & angling the spring mounts on the axle as needed.

I'm turning the outers to add about 4 degrees of caster so the pinion angle will be correct. BTW my frame will be plated first.

I will be starting all of this work soon and will makje a post about the build-up.

The control arm mounting should duplicate the geometry of the Skyjacker set-up without the ground clearance loss at the frame and will increase the ground clearance under the axle.

Why lose ground clearance when you can gain it.

Almost back to factory ride after the drop brackets...

wall04 said:

If you can, measure your current LCA bushings (on center) to ground. Then check the difference between the frame bushing and the axel bushing.

Now, imagine droping the frame bushing 4" with drop brackets installed. That will tell you if the DB's will make your LCA's slope DOWN from the axel to the frame. I have RE DB's on RE SF 4.5" and my arms slope up about 3/4". I don't think you can re-drill that hole if that's what your thinking.

For those about to install DB's check my comments here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=243554552&postcount=19

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No you def do not want to redrill.

91 Jeep Project said:

Center of wheel to bottom of the flare, 17.5" Front, 17" Rear. Measure and however much taller it is than that is how much lift you have.

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Unless you are like me and raised the flares 4" in the front and 3" in the rear....

For the front do this...

Measure from the front lower axle bumpstop pad to the top of the spring tower seat, above the isolator & spacers at the frame. This stock measurement up is about 11 1/4 inches. A tape can be fished down inside the spring to make this easy to measure. This is the most accurate method for the front.

The more accurate rear measurement is from the axle tube top surface to the frame above the bumpstop, about 6 1/4 inches is stock. Larger diameter axle tubes (D-44 or 8.25") will measure 1/4 to 3/8" inch less, about 6 inches or so. Again, a tape makes this measurement easy and quick.

TNT said:

Unless you are like me and raised the flares 4" in the front and 3" in the rear....

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I could almost guarantee you his fenders aren't chopped...