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Long ams with Rough country 6.5"

N

nonnie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cape Breton, N.S. Canada
I have been running the RC kit with short arms & 31" BFG muds on my '96 XJ for about a year. The ride for a DD is kinda crappy on the road. Long arms seem like my option of a better ride/more flex. I have been pretty happy with the RC kit. There are better kits out there but for the cash I had at the time; it was money well spent. BDS has a long arm upgrade...
http://www.bds-suspension.com/Images/Kits/jk_014653.jpg
That looks like what I need. Does anyone else use this upgrade?

:peace:
 
ive heard nothing but great things about bds, but if money is tight, why not go with RC control arm drop brackets.
 
X2 on the drop brackets. If ride quality is the number one concern, then I would save the money over LA's and get the drop brackets. I did the write up on the RC drop brackets about a year ago and can be found under the search menu, or on the RC web site there is a link to the write up under ther drop brackets page. I installed them with my 6.5 RC kit and it made a HUGE difference. I have decided to go long arm due to wanting to have the ability to get a bit more travel and to keep from hitting my drop brackets on rocks etc (which has not been a major factor in my decision)
 
One nice thing about the BDS set up is that it is a "true" 4 link set up for your XJ. AND..they have the no questions asked 100% replacement on broken parts. have you checked out TNT's long arm and belly pan combo? It is a super beefy set up and is hella stout. They have a listing in the vendors area showing their new reduced price, but I do not think that you can access that area if you not a dues paying member of NAXJA.
 
MuddyPaws did a great looking build on JU I believe using their full kit.
 
When i bought my double shear trac bar from Iron rock offroad ..Jason one of there tech's told me they have a new radius arm lift for the xj, that has a subframe and keeps the brackets above it. for you radius arm fans, this might be worth looking into. there products are very stout. my trac bar is 1.25" solid steel. with a 1/4 double shear bracket. pure beef!! just another option that's out there.
 
I am running the ironrock 6.5 long arm on my 98 and so far am completly satisfied. We are going winter camping and wheeling today for an overnighter so it will be the second test. So far the only drawback is the anti sway bar but that will soon be repaired.
 
I agree on the Iron Rock long arm set up looking like total garbage, at least from the perspective of someone who really wheels. If you're building a street Jeep that won't see any halfway serious trail, then I guess they're fine. "100% bolt on! NO WELDING OR CUTTING" scares me LOTS. All that is holding your front axle in is a couple bolts? I wouldn't trust that in the least bit. JUNK.
 
READ WHAT I SAID ! they have a new radius arm lift with a subframe that moves the ca brackets up and out of the way. and there adjustable double shear mounted trac bar is the best value on the market.just because it doesn't say RE,TNT,Rock krawler doesn't mean it is crap.do your homework and read before you pass judgement on anything. i am not a radius arm fan at all was just stating there are other alternatives for quality suspension parts out there.they use 3/8 wall control arms on all there radius arm lifts and re joints. crap???
 
5spd_xj said:
I agree on the Iron Rock long arm set up looking like total garbage, at least from the perspective of someone who really wheels. If you're building a street Jeep that won't see any halfway serious trail, then I guess they're fine. "100% bolt on! NO WELDING OR CUTTING" scares me LOTS. All that is holding your front axle in is a couple bolts? I wouldn't trust that in the least bit. JUNK.
Click to expand...

Those are popular on WJs
 
There are waaaaay tooo many bashers on this site. No wornder I barely post. I have the IRO long arm upgrade on my XJ. I REALY wheel it and it works perfect. I drive it everywhere, including cross country. You can't likely build anything or buy anything that can touch it for the price. If you have never had one, just shut your pie hole and buy something else, or show proof that it is junk not just a lame azz opinion. I am waiting to buy the same junk for my ZJ. I must be realy stupid or don't realy wheel....
 
Well. *My opinion* is that it is not a good longarm setup. If you have it, and it works for you, that's wonderful. But, I don't know....how many bolts on the frameside brackets, what are they and how do they mount? It concerns me that they market the kit as 100% bolt on like it's a good thing....I absolutely believe that the frameside brackets ought to either be welded in place, or bolted up like crazy, such as the TNT arms/belly skid/LA mount. This, plus the non adjustable factor, make it a bad product in my view. Not to mention the fact that it leaves the stock LCA brackets. Why would you want that?? The ONLY thing that does is rob you of clearence. If you really do wheel hard stuff, I would think that this part alone would turn you away. Like I said...If you have it and like it, great. If not, *I* would reccommend looking elsewhere. Keep in mind that I'm not trying to be rude or anything of the sort, just explaining my reasons for labeling it as a sub-par product....


Do you have pictures of the arms on your jeep? I'd be interested to see some install pictures of the setup, if you could post up....
 
I bought the long arm upgrade to add to my 4" mutt lift after being very happy with their double sheer tack bar conversion. This is %100 bolt on, the brackets they come with go through the bottom of the stock brackets where the old shim bolts were and under the crossmember. The reason I feel it is plenty strong is that this system does not bind at all. No twisting the mouts off of the brackets or the axle. They use RE style flex joints at the frame end and rubber on the axle end. The droop is only limited by shock length, and brake lines. The ride is great, although with the design you do lose some clearance but I just drag it over rocks. You cannot hurt the massive solid steal arms. My only gripe is the greese zerks have bad placement. I did cut most of my old mounts off. It would be east to weld it in if wanted. The length is pefect too, although you can get them adjustable for a little more if you need it.

Here is the kit:
IMG_2083.jpg


Here is the pass side, there is only a bottom arm:
IMG_2088.jpg


Here is the driver side y-link with caster adjuster:
IMG_2087.jpg


Here is the flex:
IMG_2169.jpg
 
Last edited:
you mounted your control arms upsidedown :teehee:

so what keeps your axle from rotating? a single 10mm bolt?

how does that axle wrap feel? if there are 3 mounting points on the axle, they should be a hard joint, not rubber bushings
 
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