Tera add-on Long Arm Kit

[jpnut2]

www.homebrew.com Longarms
Billy


Linky no worky

 

[awr94903]

www.homebrew.com Longarms
Billy


Linky no worky

i believe it was a joke, and home-brew as in make it yourself

 

[SkyHighTJ]

phunkadelicXJ has them on her XJ.. she is on JU.

copy this URL into a another browser window... this is on her 4.5" lift with the Tera LA's. Her only complaint is they don't "look" beefy enuff.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/p34d6ce21ace82bef91ca476ce3401fdf/fc36a6cb.jpg

I think she may have a few more complaints than just looks.....she prob. just dont bitch as much about them as me, cause i'm the one under the jeep doing damage control.

The bushings wear out quick. Daystar makes a replacement bushing that supposedly lasts longer, she'll be able to let you know in a year or so, I just replaced them not too long ago.

The other issue with Tera arms, is the hard poly bushings tend to overstress the control arm mmounts on the axle side. Both of paulas have been replaced with HD RE mounts along wqith Mike Green Fab LCA skids to prevent them from deforming and tweaking again.

And Yes they are VERY thin. I think one arm may be the slightest bit bowed, but they just look way to small for the application. I have thought about using some modified gen 2 TJ arms, but if that much work is going into the jeep, it will get JJ's and radius arms.

The final complaint is the short upper / long lower combo sucks. It causes TERRIBLE brake dive. Its not just on the Xj's, they have the same problem with the TJ kits. We are working on radius arming my brothers TJ using Tera arms modified to accept johnny joints, so hopefully if that works, hers will be next.

Cheap and decent way to get longarms under a jeep, however if she was doing it again, we'd have RE longarms, or RE drop brackets, or possibly a currie mid arm setup woudl be sweet. HTH.


edited: noticed your link to the pic didnt work....

after looking at the pics again, if it will hold up under paulas jeep, you'll be fine!

 

[morten]

I've got Rusty's long arm kit combinbed with about 7-8" of lift. I like the kit alot, but I have never seen any other kits first hand to compare it with. Pictures from the installation can be found here:

http://norxj.com/gallery/long_arm

Username: naxja
Password: xU084

You have to cut away the stock lower control arm mounts, as well as drill some holes through the frame rails. Other than that it's bolt on. It's more than beefy enough and easy to install.

Some flex shots:

http://norxj.com/gallery/2004-09-12/DSCF0438

http://norxj.com/gallery/2004-09-12/DSCF0436

http://norxj.com/gallery/2005-02-05/DSCF0814

I know the flex isn't that extreme on these pics, but it's the best I've got It's hard being the driver and photographer at the same time....

 

[myjeepsbigger]

Wow. This one got dug up from the ashes....I did end up buying the Tera arms, and have since transferred them to another XJ body (so I guess you could say they 'out-lasted' my Jeep :laugh3: ). I had no problems at all...they flex like crazy. Contrary to the nay-sayers, I think it's one of the best investments I've made on the XJ. But I did get the later design with the larger tubing, so I can't really speak for the earlier design. Also, I am running adjustable uppers as well.

I just got the current XJ thrown back together, so I've only had one chance to go wheelin'....so I don't have many good pictures. Here's a couple, but they don't really show the true flexing capacity of the suspension.

Edit: Found one that kind of shows the side view. You can tell they aren't the little-bitty arms that they were originally selling.

 

[SkyHighTJ]

myjeepsbigger-

yah i'm a nooob , we tend to dig up old forgotten threads and do silly shit like that.......

got the PM, yeah heard of it, yet to make the voyage...i'll have to let you know when we head to rorp....but i am dying to take the rubi through beggars gulch after seeing it on ultimate adventure video.

IN the pictures you can tell they are the bigger arms...NICE.

Paula had adj. UCA's as well (RE), but the brake dive is annoying, do you have the same problem? i think part of it is her rs9000 shox which are set on soft, but thats only a small part of it, cause like I said my brother runs them on his TJ and he has the same dive problem.

BTW Nice pics.

 

[Lucas]

Would it really be that hard to convert the tera system into a radius style LA setup?

 

[SkyHighTJ]

Nah it won't be THAT hard, just need to make the Tera arm a fixed adjustable arm. The other thing is, since the Tera arm gets its flex at the threads, We are going to have replace the poly on the frame side with a johnny joint, we figure if were going thsi far we may as well eliminate the tera's downfalls, so hopefully the new setup will flex more, elimnate brake dive, and be easier on the LCA & UCA brackets.

 

[myjeepsbigger]

Found another that shows the LCA a little better. Also shows my dandy new rails which I replaced the rocker panels with!

 

[Wondo]

hey whats all involved, installing this tera long arms? i would guess cutting out the old LCA brackets and welding the new tera brackets on?

thanks
dave

 

[SkyHighTJ]

you cut off old OEM LCA frame side bracketry, remove X-memeber....cut a few inches off each side (you have to do a little basic subtraction/measurements to figure out how much to cut off) then drill new holes where the x-member mounts to the LCA bracketry. THe LCA brackets bolt to the OEM X-member mounting locations, you must also drilla couple holes on side of frame rail to further support brackets. Welding is not required, however we did it just to be safe.

I have seen some of the other kits that have much nicer bracket setups, but this one was economical and worked just fine.

 

[myjeepsbigger]

The LCA kit actually bolts on to the "frame".....but I welded mine as well. I weld everything. Made my own crossmember, because I didn't like the way they had it cut and bolted to the LCA brackets.



...but welding on the XJ is a completely different arguement. :gag:

 

[SkyHighTJ]

...but welding on the XJ is a completely different arguement. :gag:

your telling me! That wasn't bad, welding the rock rail to the frame/ pinch seam / pinch seam repair after P ripped it off was intimidating, glad I had another XJ buddy around, cause I'm a noob to the grocery getters.

 

[myjeepsbigger]

The welds on my rails are cosmetic only. I cut the rocker panels out, fitted 2x6 tubing in their place and drill/tapped it from the inside. Reinforced the inner panel with 2x2 angle. It won't come off without ripping the Jeep in half! I haven't really had a chance to beat on them too much, but I'm sure it'll be abused soon....

 

[whoozey1953]

Thanks for the advice. The kit is coming from Sam's Off Road. Apparently, from the guy I spoke to, Tera has a special running until the end of April. Interesting how no one has anything good to say about these. Just curious if anyone has first-hand experience.

I have them on mine, and I made brackets to wishbone the uppers to the lowers. Flexes quite well, and rides nice on the street.

 

[cracker]

I'm rumming the Tera long arm with around 6" of lift. I would not hesitate to recomend them to anyone. The trail performance is uncanny! I had to put in limiting straps to keep my springs in place, it flexes so well, up and down. As for any weird geomety changes, I think you all have been fed a bunch of b.s.. And on the road, you will not believe the difference. Mine rides like a zj. They are plenty beefy, greesable, easy to change caster, and easy to install. Did mine in less than two hours!

Agreed. I am pretty much running it the same way. The flex is great! There is a bunch of brake dive which takes a little while to get used to though. As far as beefy, it seems to be more than enough.

 

[MGrobe]

I have had my Tera LA's for a good year anyway. No complaints so far. I don't know if the brake dive is any different than it was prior to installing them. They were affordable when I bought them, which was the deciding factor for me.