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Nightmare midarm 3 link rehabilitation

ShoeterMcgav

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Colorado
Just like the title suggests I’m “fixing” the mid arms that was done by the previous owner... painted over rust- didn’t end well, seized to the bolt frame side bushings and heim joints- and what prompted the overhaul: ripped the axle mount off the driver side lower CA. FUN!
The collateral damage was extended seeing how there wasn’t any spring retainer on either side of the axle... but that’s for another (long[er]) story.

The lower control arms are badly seized leaving it impossible to remove the bushings and/ or joints as well as impossible to adjust the end links. SO they are being replaced with new arms and Johnny joints on both ends.

Axle mounts are being upgraded to 1/4 inch
Spring retainers purchased.. stickers and retainer plates from Ballistic I might use too
Heim joint on axle diff ear replaced with a flex joint (IRO)
Upper ca gets a new bracket for flex joint mount welded to it

Now my big dilemma is rolling with the upper control arm body side mount and joint. It is a VERTICAL MOUNT with a heim joint (that rusted to the bolt and had to be cut out of course). Soooo I’m super sketched out about rolling with this same (failed) setup. In my mind I see it as a huge limitation to articulation, because of well physics?

This should be horizontal like the lower arms... idk how the hell it even lasted (if you can call it that) this long!

Am I crazy?? Is this acceptable???

I’m wanting to get this thing back on the road, but am OCD and a firm believer of ‘do it right do it once’... so I’ve stripped the axle and all steering components to remove rust and want to get this last annoyance taken care of the right way.

I’ve seen some brackets on Barnes that may work, in either flat or 20*- I’ll post links


The fuel lines run right through the current mount so I think my hesitation to weld here is valid, but something needs to be done, right??

Thanks for any thoughts and input!
 
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Upper control arm in the middle showing the heim joint end facing the wrong way- vertical instead of horizontal

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Body side showing off lower and upper mounts

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This maybe?

https://www.barnes4wd.com/Jeep-TJ-LJ-MJ-XJ-and-ZJ-Front-Axle-Track-Bar-Bracket_p_818.html

Liking the adjustable one for only ONE dollar more out of these 2. The adjustable one has a 1/2” bolt option that I prefer, and can be had in either flat or 10*
Second option offers flat or 20* mounting option in a 9/16 bolt. It sure which angle (or lack there of) I need though?

https://www.barnes4wd.com/Adjustable-Inner-Frame-Link-Mount-Bracket-_p_65.html

https://www.barnes4wd.com/Upper-Inner-Frame-Link-Mount_p_302.html



If I weld to the bracket that is in there I can probably notch for the fuel lines... will just be scary AF burning it in.



I also found some tri link options with a horizontal bottom mount and vertical upper mount similar to what I have.. is this all in my head? Am I good with what I got?

This nightmare just won’t end... finally got a welder and want to make fun stuff but keep chasing my tail cleaning up what I have instead!
 
I don’t see it as cost effective too purchase a full long arm kit, so won’t be doing that. Adding 3-6 inches to these mid arms isn’t really something I need atm, and The ROI for the cost and effort seems low. certainly won’t be buying any kit in that regard either LOL I actually dig the angles of the mid arms, and aside from the rust and crust and busted links, it’s performed well.

Seems like that post was directed to the thread near mine about long arm suggestions and questions on 3 or 4 link.

If it was meant for me, appreciate it! I’ll look in to Stinkyfab, think I’ve installed some of their engine mounts if I recall; and see if they have a bracket that’ll meet my needs like or better then the ones I posted links to.




Any tips on navigating the fuel lines?

Is a flat, 10*, or 20* upper mount preferred for our XJs upper CAs?




In that long arm thread I saw one with a vertical upper ca mount similar to mine... so maybe I AM crazy, and just need to paint her up and slap it together with what I have fixed/ replaced
 
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The upper arm is wrong everything about it is wrong

I would not run heims vertical damn near maxed out at ride height. It's just wrong even though some seem to thi k it's okay.

It's cheap and easy to mount the upper this way that's why some kits have it this way.
 
https://www.stinkyfab.com/products/xj-long-arm-3-link-upper-suspension-link-with-bracket

Definitely a solid looking kit! I’ve scoped it before and def like the unibody armor that’s designed into the mounts.
Unfortunately for me, it looks like they want over $300 just for the upper bracket, and it’s not clear what all that includes.

Unless I talk my self (back) out of it, I will likely roll with the heim upper ca vertical mount for the short term until I can get/ make a design that will allow me to make a horizontal mount and jj
Using what I have ( the upper bracket that has 5 bolts through the unibody and plate on both sides sandwiching the unibody) and one of the mounts above or similar-I can probably notch the bottom to allow me to weld out of the Jeep and kind of slip the notch over the fuel lines or something.

Seeing the kit(s) with a similar vertical mount for the uca put me at ease a bit.

The 4 JJs, IRO flex joint, and sole heim joint should be a pretty good upgrade to the 2 previously seized rubber joints and 3 seized heims.


A thought occurred to me about physics too... as far as I can tell the main limiting factor of the vertical upper ca heim would be droop. Since it’s mounted above the unibody stuff should be fine. As I mapped it out in my mind I thought: the longer the arm/ further the axle , the greater the drop would be with the same joint. The angle doesn’t need to increase since the longer it is the further it distances from the plane.
 
The upper arm is wrong everything about it is wrong

I would not run heims vertical damn near maxed out at ride height. It's just wrong even though some seem to thi k it's okay.

It's cheap and easy to mount the upper this way that's why some kits have it this way.

Fair enough.

Pretty much echoes my original view of it- multiplied by the disdain and aggravation of trying to remove the previously rusted stuck bolt, the no room for the nut, and eventually having to cut the how out of there!


Welp, now that we can agree it’s a poor design, lets hear a solution?

What’s your fix?
 
Just like the title suggests I’m “fixing” the mid arms that was done by the previous owner..
Thanks for any thoughts and input!

That whole set-up is scary looking and yet you bought it....?
 
That whole set-up is scary looking and yet you bought it....?

Well clearly I bought it. What’s the point in asking rhetorical questions?

The manual hubs and rear 9” caught my eye, for the price it was less abused then the other xjs I looked at. I knew I’d add to and modify this build, but didn’t want to start at ground zero as I’ve already built a ZJ from stock. Not sure what compels you to try and create waves... I’d prefer to skip the back and forth cool guy banter and just find a fix man.

Scary looking? From those pics?
Lol well I ain’t scurd, just want to improve what I got bro
 
I'd buy it to.

Everything can always be fixed and made better.
I'd like to do long arms but it's not high on priority.

I've done alittle research and no clue whose kits are better.

Theres some on ebay that look good they arent a cool name like clayton but look good. I'll go grab a link

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I had claytons on my ZJ... it was a radius arm design. It it was awesome and very high quality. He kind of set the standard when I bought it years ago and now there are a ton of options.
The fleabay link isn’t going anywhere for me. I’d prefer to support a local company like iRO or TNT or claytons or stinkyfab the list is ever growing these days.

The fab work you are putting out I’d just make a kit and buy springs. Mounts to save time maybe. Same reason I have no desire to spend 1k on a kit.
 
You just need to man-up and buy a good set or get to building some. I built my first set 20yrs ago when about the only thing out there was Clayton. They are 2" Chromoly and still going strong, I built a second set about 1oyrs ago for my Cheromanche project.
17520003_zpsfwhlll1e.jpg
 
When I picked up a welding rod at age 12 I was transformed. Fron that point I would weld and build as much as possible welding and fabrication followed me through life even when working jobs that weren't related to fab.

I cant see buying a 1200 system that I may have to change to suit me when I could spend 600 on material rebuild it

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I cant see buying a 1200 system that I may have to change to suit me when I could spend 600 on material rebuild it

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Sounds like we have a very similar up bringing.

I 100% agree. The numbers don't add up in my head. Especially when most of these kit are so cookie cutter they require modifications.

Personally aside from DOM, I cant remember the last time I pain for steel. I a huge scrap bin hound
 
Haha yeah I hog scrap to. I fabbed 50% steel horse barn out of pking lot squarelight posts. They were like 26' long.



My jd32 has been a game changer I've done some cool projects and made some money with it.

I'm mobile chasing dirt equipment around. Welding when I can and turning wrenches when I have to.


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
When I picked up a welding rod at age 12 I was transformed. Fron that point I would weld and build as much as possible welding and fabrication followed me through life even when working jobs that weren't related to fab.

I cant see buying a 1200 system that I may have to change to suit me when I could spend 600 on material rebuild it

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

You call this welding? That wouldn't pass any testing.........
731005c5f29fd172c8a0be8a5fcb46b4.jpg
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