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going from trail master 4" to RE 4.5 any advice???

L

LSMOPARS

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Langley BC Canada
I have a 96 XJ with an old 4" Trail master kit in it. I just picked up a RE 4.5" kit with adjustible upper and lower control arms just woundering if you guys have any tips or tricks for the install and the other thing I was woundering if I should keep the Trail master lower control arm drop brackets? I have read alot of threads on here about guys installing them for better ride this Xj is a 90% Daily driver so what do you guys thing ??
any and all input would be great many thanks.
 
PB blast every nut ad bolt in advance, hhmm i wouldnt put the drop brackets only because u could adjust the arms to the length u want it, but im coming from a jeep with a crappy ride. So if you care about ride, with all means keep them on!
 
definitely keep the drop brackets.

take your time, budget for some nickel and dime expenses like running to the hardware store for misc bolts and stuff...
 
like 98rexj said, use lots of penetrating fluid. and just take you time. i have installed several lifts and i am actually looking at buying the 4.5 leaf pack.
when youre done id greatly appreciate it if you'd tell me how the ride is.
-------------chris
 
norcalchris said:
like 98rexj said, use lots of penetrating fluid. and just take you time. i have installed several lifts and i am actually looking at buying the 4.5 leaf pack.
when youre done id greatly appreciate it if you'd tell me how the ride is.
-------------chris
Click to expand...


the RE 4.5" kit actually comes with the RE 3.5" leaf and a shackle for the additional lift. Just a little fyi.


x9238754 on the PB blaster
 
Keep the DBs, and check with Kitrell (member here) to see if they can be modified to work with some support braces. They're definitely a good upgrade to the 4.5" lift, and bring the control arms back to a more stock position - that one's been beat to death 'round here.

Read http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/45lift.html for more thoughts on the matter.

Jim www.yuccaman.com
 
norcalchris said:
really? i was just going to buy a set of packs
Click to expand...
Yup, you will get a better ride and flex by using a smaller pack with a lift shackle.

I agree with using the drop brackets, but as mentioned, their design could benefit from an extra brace. Also make sure you get the adjustable control arms. Just remember to adjust your control arms to stock length, not the length suggested in the RE instructions.
 
yes on the braces, I have TM drop brackets and they are easy to modify with RE braces, I think I had to grind the little bump of the back. The ride on the Freeway at 75 with 33's and DB's is a world of difference from the 4.5 without
 
RNMedic said:
yes on the braces, I have TM drop brackets and they are easy to modify with RE braces, I think I had to grind the little bump of the back. The ride on the Freeway at 75 with 33's and DB's is a world of difference from the 4.5 without
Click to expand...
Good to know - I knew TM was first out the gate with their DBs, but RE helped support the added height by including the brace.

The ride at 4.5" with and without DBs is night and day. I'd never recommend a 4.5" short arm lift without relocating the control arms.

Look at the angles and you tell me:
new_arms.jpg


Jim www.yuccaman.com
 
I'm at 7" with only adjustable arms (uppers and lowers) and the ride is fine. Not harsh. My friend runs 8" with drop brackets and all 4 stock arms and his ride is fine too. Pretty similar actually. Although I'm sure the drop brackets would be good.
 
Blaine B. said:
I'm at 7" with only adjustable arms (uppers and lowers) and the ride is fine. Not harsh. My friend runs 8" with drop brackets and all 4 stock arms and his ride is fine too. Pretty similar actually. Although I'm sure the drop brackets would be good.
Click to expand...

If you think it doesn't ride harsh, I guess you haven't been in a rig with a good suspension setup! At one point, I tried mine at 6.5" with adjustable CAs, but no DBs. The ride and performance sucked, so I lowered it back down to around 5"... I will still be adding DBs or longarms.

Ride is not the only thing to worry about here, your off road performance will suffer. The steeper the angles on your control arms, the more your axle moves forward during compression. Therefore when you go to climb something, your axle is fighting itself. If your front end raises up when you first try to climb something VS. your axle properly compressing, your angles are too steep ;) At 6.5", I couldn't even climb a curb without this happening!

Try this experiment. Take a 6"x6" or something, and "crawl" over it with your front tires. You may end up just pushing it around. Then try the same in reverse, I bet it will be much easier! This is simply because in reverse, your control arms, no matter how steep, are allowing the axle to properly compress. It doesn't have to push forward first, allowing your tire to walk itself up the obstacle.
 
Last edited:
hey guys just put the RE 4.5 lift in. It looks cool, love the way it rides now, its way better but the kit is missing the track bar so I got to go back to the parts guy to get it. One other thing is do I need to do a pitman arm with this kit, or am I ok with the stock one?
what do you guys think???
 
I still think it rides fine. I see your point though, I'll have to try that test. Haven't been doing much wheeling lately at all! But on road manners are great, not using a swaybar either (haven't been for a long arse time!)

Although I am going to put it back on, I just have to find some regular bolts to fit my JKS swaybars to eliminate those crap torx bolts they used.

l_a51b3a42b71144749d795f53b350810f.jpg



In response for LSMOPARS about the drop pitman, you really have to set everything up and see if your draglink and tracbar are parallel. I have an adjustable tracbar with the HD mount on the unibody side (bushing instead of a rod end) and this lowers the mount a little. I also use a steering setup with a full length tierod which makes the draglink angle slightly steeper than using the factory "Y" steering design. I use a stock pitman arm and my angles are parallel, which is what you want so you do not get any "bump" steer as they call it...where you will basically steer one direction or the other since as the body flexes, the tracbar will not move up/down in the same relation to the draglink.
 
Last edited:
Yucca-Man said:
Good to know - I knew TM was first out the gate with their DBs, but RE helped support the added height by including the brace.

The ride at 4.5" with and without DBs is night and day. I'd never recommend a 4.5" short arm lift without relocating the control arms.

Look at the angles and you tell me:
new_arms.jpg


Jim www.yuccaman.com
Click to expand...

Last trail ride I went out on, my lower RE arms got scratched and banged to hell by the rocks. After seeing this pic, I couldn't even imagine what they would look like if I had drop brackets. My chassis side LCA mounts were bent and bashed as well, the drop brackets probably would have been ripped off lol.
 
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