Better short arm droop

[rockclimber]

flex joints will not increase suspension travel.

 

[bluejeepkid]

There isn't really much more you can do. The axle is only gonna travel so far with short arms. I think you simply have too much shock for your setup. Just my .02

 

[anthrax323]

Drop brackets will improve droop geometry and help prevent a little bit of binding, but not much.

I'm running 5.5" of lift with RE drop brackets and Bilstein 5100s (the lengths recommended for 4" of lift):

I'm sure flex could improve further if I got longer shocks (next up: 5160s/5165s), but honestly, I have way more important priorities.

Got any actual flex/droop shots? Straight droop (full axle) is different from articulation (as you've got a cantilever effect going on with the opposite side being compressed).

 

[Luke95]

Find ibjeepin95s build on jeep forum it has good info on short arm droop

 

[djlarroc]

There isn't really much more you can do. The axle is only gonna travel so far with short arms. I think you simply have too much shock for your setup. Just my .02

Yeah, I hear you. I checked my control arms, and they aren't touching the shock mount, it's just that they are too short. So, I'm going to go double shear TB, and get some adjustable lowers and move my axle forward a bit. That should get me another 2-3" of droop. Depending on pinion, I'll get some adjustable uppers.

Remember, I'm only running about 2.5" lift, so drop brackets won't help me at all.

 

[GordoSmasho]

I'm at 3.5" with DBs and adjustable uppers and solid lowers. At this point I can max out a 12" travel shock. I did a lot of clearancing on the front end with the front of the coil brackets and track bar mount. I also pushed the axle forward about 1.5". The travel is out there to be had buy I don't think you'll get 10" of travel with the arms in the stock location. DBs will get you what you want but you should go up an inch. My arms are dead paralell with the ground at ride height.

If you don't get adjustable uppers you'll just be adjusting your caster and pinion angle, not pushing the axle forward. If you push your axle forward and change your track bar you'll get more out of the springs.


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[time2getdirty]

You need trackbar and steering first before anything else, go out and do the same exact test but before "flexing" it, undo the trackbar at the axle and watch how much more droop you have. ideally a drop trackbar bracket that is double shear along with a heim steering or one with something that has more range of motion than a tie rod end will help your axle not bind as much.

 

[rockclimber]

You need trackbar and steering first before anything else, go out and do the same exact test but before "flexing" it, undo the trackbar at the axle and watch how much more droop you have. ideally a drop trackbar bracket that is double shear along with a heim steering or one with something that has more range of motion than a tie rod end will help your axle not bind as much.

that's all well and good... but having lots of droop won't help anything if you have horrible steering geometry.

there is no reason to run a drop trackbar bracket.


I have more than 12" of travel, I'm strapped at 11.5" because that's what the coils and shocks I have max out at. I could easily undo my shocks and straps and let the coils hang, but I don't need them to, and I wouldn't want that. all on short arms.


for the OP, my first step would be to get a double shear trackbar mount like the clayton offroad one and a trackbar to go with it.

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

If your coil is unseating, more droop is useless. And if its not your arms limiting your droop then it has to be your steering/trackbar set up.

 

[djlarroc]

I'm at 3.5" with DBs and adjustable uppers and solid lowers. At this point I can max out a 12" travel shock. I did a lot of clearancing on the front end with the front of the coil brackets and track bar mount. I also pushed the axle forward about 1.5". The travel is out there to be had buy I don't think you'll get 10" of travel with the arms in the stock location. DBs will get you what you want but you should go up an inch. My arms are dead paralell with the ground at ride height.

If you don't get adjustable uppers you'll just be adjusting your caster and pinion angle, not pushing the axle forward. If you push your axle forward and change your track bar you'll get more out of the springs.


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I had thought about this, but I remember googling some guy who ran them on 4" of lift and had a lot of probs. So for the 2" I gain in droop w/DBs, I lose 3" in clearance?

 

[djlarroc]

Ideally would want a mount like this


Will the RE1665 drop my track bar too low?

 

[time2getdirty]

There is a reason that people do over the axle trackbar mounts, high steer arms, drop pitman arms and drop trackbars. Ideal ideal situation would be everything in a neautral or parallel stance at static hight. That isn't possible on an Xj but you can get pretty darn close with the right matchup of parts. I don't even own an Xj anymore but when I did it worked extremely well on short arms and custom mid arms due to the proper steering and trackbar setup.

 

[djlarroc]

I agree with you, that's why I'd prefer not to go more than 3" lift. I know you can prob go 4.5 on most xjs, but the lower the better for me.

 

[rockclimber]

that panhard bracket will drop it too far to be used without a drop pitman arm.

clayton offroad sells a non-drop version that mounts like that.

 

[djlarroc]

Thanks. I will look into that. I'm also tempted to contact RE to see if they can tell me what drop (if any) the mount gives.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I'm pretty sure that the RE bracket is not a drop. It appears so, but since its double shear mount it seems like it hangs down lower. I have RE bracket/brace and RE1660 HD trackbar.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

that panhard bracket will drop it too far to be used without a drop pitman arm.

no.

I'm pretty sure that the RE bracket is not a drop.

yes.







something important to keep in mind when finding a frame side bracket... mounting width.

the RE one is 2" wide, perfect for a heim with misalignment spacer. most are wider, at 2.5", meant for a cartridge style joint, like a johny joint.

 

[rockclimber]

I'm pretty sure that the RE bracket is not a drop. It appears so, but since its double shear mount it seems like it hangs down lower. I have RE bracket/brace and RE1660 HD trackbar.

just from the picture It looks like the mounting bolt is about an inch or so lower than the pivot point of the stock TRE. also since on their website, they call it a "drop bracket" I am inclined to disagree.

something important to keep in mind when finding a frame side bracket... mounting width.

the RE one is 2" wide, perfect for a heim with misalignment spacer. most are wider, at 2.5", meant for a cartridge style joint, like a johny joint.

what's wrong with a 2.5" wide joint? they will last longer than most 2" wide stuff...

but even still, you can easily get a set of wide misalignment spacers or stack washers, or make a spacer out of tube, or etc etc etc. to fit a 2" heim in the bracket.

I have a 2.5" bracket with a 2" wide heim spaced forward to clear the dif cover at full bump.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

From my measurements, the center of the stock tie rod end on the stock mount and the center of the joint in the RE mount are around the same distance from the frame rail.

 

[Luke95]

I can max out a ten inch travel shock on 3.5 coils. The travel is their.