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Yay, new arms ! TnT Long Arms that is.

R

Rob D

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Pittsburg CA
Look what the brown truck Santa brought for me today..

I got these 3 boxes



that contained all of this



to replace all of this :yelclap:



For those that were at this years SierraFest you may remember that I won a gift certificate for a TnT XJ Belly Pan. Well, I found out that I could not use that with the Full Traction brackets. So I talked to TnT and they said they would apply the price of the belly pan gift certificate toward the full long arm upgrade. So I saved my lunch money and sprung for the full upgrade. TnT also told me that I will have to do some "massaging" of the belly pan/skid plate to fit my Atlas. So, when I get to doing the install I will post up what mod's needed done for it to fit properly. Just in case they happen to see this, I'd like to say thank you to TnT Customs for donating the gift certificate and for working with me in applying that toward the long arm upgrade. Can't wait to get it installed and testing it out. :woohoo:
 
I love the clearance of the TNT kit. its sweet.
So whats the full traction kit exactly?

3 link , with 2" DOM, and some sort of 1.25" rebuildable joint ? Does it have a cross member or just use the stock X member?
 
blondejoncherokee said:
I love the clearance of the TNT kit. its sweet.
So whats the full traction kit exactly?

3 link , with 2" DOM, and some sort of 1.25" rebuildable joint ? Does it have a cross member or just use the stock X member?
Click to expand...

It's a 4 link with non-rebuild able joints and uses the stock x member with brackets that bolt up to the "frame" and where the x member bolts are as well.

rockclimber said:
why would you switch from a 3-link to radius arms?
Click to expand...

Well lets see, Full Traction kit is a 4 link and has been on it since 2005 so it's an early version and has all non rebuild able joints. Upper arm joints are worn and cost $120 plus shipping per side and still are not rebuild able. Even with a wider axle the tires rub at full lock. I'll have a full belly pan with improved clearance and protection, and I won't have a 10 inch long 9/16" bolt (that runs $20 a pop plus s&h thru FT) running thru the frame that rubs on the exhaust unless you either cut the bolt or replace the header to cat pipe. And yes, with cutting, welding, buying of misc parts etc, most of these issues could have been dealt with. But instead I decided to use my gift certificate and just replace the old with a new system. Now I'll be able to compare the old 4 link to the new radius arms. Other than that... :dunno:
 
rockclimber said:
why would you switch from a 3-link to radius arms?
Click to expand...

Clearance!


I want so say one of the old Sierra chapter members ran the original TnT belly pan with an Atlas, and he posted some pictures of what he had to do to make it all fit. Want to say his name was Capt Nemo or something along those lines.
 
Rob D said:
It's a 4 link with non-rebuild able joints and uses the stock x member with brackets that bolt up to the "frame" and where the x member bolts are as well.



Well lets see, Full Traction kit is a 4 link and has been on it since 2005 so it's an early version and has all non rebuild able joints. Upper arm joints are worn and cost $120 plus shipping per side and still are not rebuild able. Even with a wider axle the tires rub at full lock. I'll have a full belly pan with improved clearance and protection, and I won't have a 10 inch long 9/16" bolt (that runs $20 a pop plus s&h thru FT) running thru the frame that rubs on the exhaust unless you either cut the bolt or replace the header to cat pipe. And yes, with cutting, welding, buying of misc parts etc, most of these issues could have been dealt with. But instead I decided to use my gift certificate and just replace the old with a new system. Now I'll be able to compare the old 4 link to the new radius arms. Other than that... :dunno:
Click to expand...
But , but the internets says that radius arms unload and kill kittens n stuff. Nice purchase im sure the extra clearence and belly pan will be worth it
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
But , but the internets says that radius arms unload and kill kittens n stuff.
Click to expand...
:roflmao: I'll have to stay away from kittens then :roflmao:

And clearance for both steering and rocks...Thank you for reminding me Starboard M.
 
I hate saying this but I will actually defend rockclimber a little bit here. The extra clearance is sweet, but I definitely noticed the unloading of the suspension. Steering clearance due to the bent arms and a higher overall clearance on obstacles are a huge plus.

I (with much help from Tim) installed the TnT kit 2 years ago when I removed the 4-link with drop brackets. I was tired of hitting the brackets on steep drop-off ledges and the TnT kit did solve that problem. When I was in CA I was less than happy with the unloading on steep climbs and wished I was back on a 3 or 4-link suspension. It was a bigger deal on CA trails than it is on WA trails. There aren't many huge stair climbs in WA that you can climb due to the slick dirt/mud; so tire size, proper line, momentum, and wheel-speed are key up here. But in CA on the relatively good traction, the front end will lift and unload on very steep climbs which leads to severe pucker factor (for example the left line at Slickrock on the final stair steps). I'm not saying its not possible to do stuff, just that it adds extra butt-clenching that wasn't there before due to suspension unloading in the front.
 
the_weirdo said:
I hate saying this but I will actually defend rockclimber a little bit here. The extra clearance is sweet, but I definitely noticed the unloading of the suspension. Steering clearance due to the bent arms and a higher overall clearance on obstacles are a huge plus.

I (with much help from Tim) installed the TnT kit 2 years ago when I removed the 4-link with drop brackets. I was tired of hitting the brackets on steep drop-off ledges and the TnT kit did solve that problem. When I was in CA I was less than happy with the unloading on steep climbs and wished I was back on a 3 or 4-link suspension. It was a bigger deal on CA trails than it is on WA trails. There aren't many huge stair climbs in WA that you can climb due to the slick dirt/mud; so tire size, proper line, momentum, and wheel-speed are key up here. But in CA on the relatively good traction, the front end will lift and unload on very steep climbs which leads to severe pucker factor (for example the left line at Slickrock on the final stair steps). I'm not saying its not possible to do stuff, just that it adds extra butt-clenching that wasn't there before due to suspension unloading in the front.
Click to expand...

I still remember your face climbing the stairs at last sierrafest....

sheer terror :roflmao:
 
I have run a center limit strap for years to help with the unloading condition caused by my radius arms. I actually have used an old piece of seat belt webbing, just welded a tab onto the axle and looped the strap over my RE track bar brace. Works great.

The TnT kit is nice. I wish something like that was available in 2003 when I put the clayton kit on my rig.
 
the_weirdo said:
I hate saying this but I will actually defend rockclimber a little bit here.
Click to expand...

He is correct, radius arms do unload. However, I would say that most people will never find that the unloading will become an issue.

I have TnT arms, and will be the first to admit that they unload and I will eventually be doing a custom 3 link to replace it. I have wheeled a good amount of the trails in California and cant say I have ever been limited by doing what I wanted to do by the radius arms.

Where I was limited was Moab doing the steep ledges and hot tubs. Feeling the front end get loose and seeing air under the front tires while trying to climb out of a hot tub puckers the bung hole a good amount. Doesnt look like it, but every time I would hit the gas, the front end would unload and hit the limit straps before pulling the front tires off the rock.
36800_419104654889_563914889_4413670_2626693_n.jpg.html


The ZMG, its unloads and you will rollllllll is just a bit much, especially when you think that a good majority of the people on this forum still DD their Jeeps and dont have lockers. That could be a generalization, but how many people truly push the limits of their suspensions?
 
Bryan C. said:
I have run a center limit strap for years to help with the unloading condition caused by my radius arms. I actually have used an old piece of seat belt webbing, just welded a tab onto the axle and looped the strap over my RE track bar brace. Works great.

The TnT kit is nice. I wish something like that was available in 2003 when I put the clayton kit on my rig.
Click to expand...

I like the center limit strap idea - I'm gonna fab something up like that.

Starboard M said:
The ZMG, its unloads and you will rollllllllh
Click to expand...

I've never heard rockclimber say this, so I can't comment on that. I do agree with the rest of your post. It does make me pucker when I'm already pointed at the sky and the front end starts to rotate back even further as I hit the gas - that's my only complaint. A center limit strap might help that.
 
Last edited:
the_weirdo said:
I like the center limit strap idea - I'm gonna fab something up like that.



I've never heard rockclimber say this, so I can't comment on that. I do agree with the rest of your post. It does make me pucker when I'm already pointed at the sky and the front end starts to rotate back even further as I hit the gas - that's my only complaint. A center limit strap might help that.
Click to expand...

Not much talk about it anymore, but the unloading issue was a big deal when long arms first got popular. The general fix was a center limit strap. I have about 2" to 3" of slack in the strap. Not a great situation for high speed runs in the desert, but ok for genral rock crawling. I wish I could figure out how to run my winch line to the front axle without some elaborate cable routing.
 
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