• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Long Arm 'Upgrade'

NOTNSUV

You Guys ROCK!
Location
Spring Creek, NV
Considering a long arm front end to replace OME short-arm. Yup, been on YouTube and see some advantages, just not sure rock crawling is in my game plan.

Looking close at Stinky Fab. They offer both 3 and 4-link setups but I have no clue on the pro/con of each (I'll keep searching)?

TIA
 
I’m pretty sure you are exactly the target market for control arm drop brackets. $300-$400, no cutting, no welding, drill like two holes, re-use all your existing control arms.

I have a set of Rubicon Express in my garage, waiting for install on my little Wagoneer.
 
Thanks for the heads up. I knew there were downsides to long arms and found some details here:
https://www.rocky-road.com/cherokee-control-arm-drop.html

However, at RR they recommend for 4.5" lift minimum. My OME is 3.5" so I'll call RR to discuss. I've already been considering going with a 4.5" progressive replacement coil from Metalcloak (probably need new shocks then?)

Shop on..

I’m pretty sure you are exactly the target market for control arm drop brackets. $300-$400, no cutting, no welding, drill like two holes, re-use all your existing control arms.

I have a set of Rubicon Express in my garage, waiting for install on my little Wagoneer.
 
Nothing against drop brackets, they're great. Especially when you already have a nice set of short arms. With that being said I prefer the ride of my long armed 96 to the ride of my stock 99. The anti drive is much better on hard breaking. Plus things like rough rail road crossings are fun to hit hard in the 96 lol

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I'm also looking at Long Arms. It will be on a 3.5 lift. There are some that state they work for 3 inch lifts. IRO and Ironman. Probably others. From the stuff I have of Stinky Fabs it will be tough. Their OTK axle bracket is the Bomb.
 
What is the budget ?

I have CA drop brackets and short control arms on 5.5 of lift, because I am cheap. They ride really nice on pavement and I have never felt that they were inadequate on the 4x4 trails in Mn or in Moab. Somebody will post that the brackets can get you stuck on big rocks, but other than whacking them on a few rocks, I have never been stuck on them.





.
standard.jpg


.
standard.jpg
 
Thanks everyone. Gonna talk to Rocky Road today and see where it takes me. Even if I have to go with a bit more lift up front, with springs, that will be fine. SRB and drop shackles in the back (for angle correction) is adding a bit to the rear so the combo should be fairly easy to dial in.
 
I really like the sfr long arm kit. It will provide a very good stable ride as a 3 or 4 link and have minimal dive under breaking.

I built similar im at 3" minus of lift. Had to clearance floor pan for upper link clearance at 4" you won't need to clearance
 
Thanks everyone. Gonna talk to Rocky Road today and see where it takes me. Even if I have to go with a bit more lift up front, with springs, that will be fine. SRB and drop shackles in the back (for angle correction) is adding a bit to the rear so the combo should be fairly easy to dial in.

Rocky Road has been the worst vendor for 20yrs, I can't believe they are still business!
 
Rocky Road has been the worst vendor for 20yrs, I can't believe they are still business!

Ouch!

Just off the phone with RR. They tell me the drop brackets are built for use with OEM short arms, not adjustable short arms (which I have). They say even the adj. short arms are too long to use CAD. Of course I don't have OEM arms anywhere.
 
Nothing against drop brackets, they're great. Especially when you already have a nice set of short arms. With that being said I prefer the ride of my long armed 96 to the ride of my stock 99. The anti drive is much better on hard breaking. Plus things like rough rail road crossings are fun to hit hard in the 96 lol

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Stop convincing me to spend money! After driving to Moab and back from TX I've been seriously considering long arms. Sounds like a good idea for the ride improvement alone.
 
I have Rubicon Express CA drop brackets, and the optional reinforcement brackets. My lower control arms are the fixed ones that came with the RE 3.5" lift and the uppers are adjustable.

I have driven 1,280 miles to Moab, 4 wheeled for a week, and driven 1,280 miles back home 3 or 4 times, no problem.

I have had no dealings with RR.
 
Last edited:
My arms provided a night and day improvement in rude quality on rd and washboard rough stuff.

Sfr arms will look very similar just alittle more angle .

Stuff that used to make me cringe with short arms. Is now fun to hit at speed.
fbb4ce966f90f76b437614803799a515.jpg


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
My arms provided a night and day improvement in rude quality on rd and washboard rough stuff.

Sfr arms will look very similar just alittle more angle .

Stuff that used to make me cringe with short arms. Is now fun to hit at speed.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Maybe I'm getting carried away and over-thinking (as usual).
I've already installed drop shackles in the rear and have SRB in hand to get a better shackle angle. This combo will net some lift in the rear and might be a stink-bug look.
Hence the curiosity about what to do up front to level and gain some articulation as well.
Current angle on the JKS adjustable upper control arm is 16* FWIW. I'm still not clear on why these won't work with drop brackets (per Rocky Road, any but stock are too long). I don't know how short the JKS will adjust.

If I go full-tilt-boogie these are my thoughts, for now.

SFR 4-link

https://www.stinkyfab.com/collectio...s-for-jeep-xj-cherokee?variant=31871076860040

Metalcloak progressive coils, if I need to raise the front. They have them in 3.5", 4.5" and 6" (TJ interchange on the 4.5/6")

https://metalcloak.com/tj-lj-xj-wrangler-coils-true-dual-rate-coils-3-5-front.html

Shocks to be determined. Fox? I've had good luck with them.

So Evan, where in Idaho? Some good wheelin' around Jarbidge and NE NV.
 
From StinkyFab:

"If you're trying to decide between either the 3 or 4 link, here's the difference. In THEORY a 3 link will articulate more. It has zero inherent bind and therefore can move more freely. In reality however the limiting factors on any full bodied vehicle are the length of the shocks, size of tires and body clearance.

The 4 link does have some bind in it which is why you don't want to use solid joints like heims, however in basically all situations it is more stable, more predictable and puts power to the ground better. Again, articulation will mainly be limited by the shocks and body, so articulation between the 2 is really going to be the same. The 4 link just performs better all the way around."
 
If your uppers and lowers are adjustable id throw drop brackets on and run it.

That way youl be able to adjust castor.

Before you put on drop brackets set angle finder on upper ball joint to get a base line#. Reinstall and set arms to match that or slightly more positive if it didn't drive super straight Before doing drop brackets

Theres quite a few trails around idaho

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
Boise area. Yes jarbidge is neat ive never ran trails there but have loved in a camper working there

Sawtooths, owhees, sand rocks kinda have a mixed bag of terrain here

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
With Rocky Road telling me their drop brackets are meant for stock/OEM length control arms I emailed JKS since that's the adj. CA I have.
Reply: "With the JKS arms as short as you can make them, they will be at stock length".

So of course, I'm contacting RR again to see what they say.

$100 more for RR over RE it appears but the RR include the rear 'brace'. Still looking for others if you care to recommend.
 
Back
Top