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rockkrawler 8"

N

nonbstddsm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
tulsa, oklahoma
ive got questions for you guys. i dont have my xj yet but everyday i get closer and ill have it by the end of the year. i want 35" tires. it will be a daily driver and weekend trail rig. ok heres the questions:
1. is the rockkrawler 8" system road friendly?
2. is it good quality?
3. i will need the sye and a drive shaft, is the one they offer good qaulity/price?
4. can i use the revolver shakles with this kit for more flex?
5. im going to have a shop install it, what kind of laybor should i be looking at?

i think thats it, for know.
thanks
 
my friend has had this exact kit for about 5 months now and its not that great, its ok on road but the rear springs warped and sagged really bad, he changed and got alcans. The kit comes with revolvers already in it. I personally don't like the way the front links are set up, it seems weak and my buddy has already bent the shit out of his front lower control arms. He runs 33 with a little bit of trimming and it still rubs too, if you are going to run 35's and actually use it offroad I would take off your flares and do some good trimming of your fenders. you will need a sye and a new rear ds. personally I wouldn't get it, I run claytons longarms with skyjacker 8inch coils, sj trackbar and drop pitman, and alcan's in the back, plus some other stuff and it works well. If your rig isn't going to be used hard in the rocks you will probably be fine with rK. thats my opinion...
-calvin
 
I had the 6.5" kit with Alcan's in the rear and I just finshed converting it back to a 5 link due to some problems I had with it. There are a lot of things I did not like about it. Excessive stress that is placed on the factory lower control arm brackets due to the tri-link design. Mine were bent out of shape and when I had the reinfocement brackets welded on there was actually a 2 inch crack in the driverside LCA bracket. I also don’t like the way the torque arm bracket welds to the shock perch. I don’t believe the stock shock perch is strong enough to stand up to the amount torque applied to it.

The first welder I hired to weld on the radius arm and torque arm brackets was about 5 beers short of a 6 pack. The torque arm bracket broke at the weld after about 5 miles of driving while doing 55 mph. The front axle rolled forward and I lost the ability to steer. I nearly ran over a little old lady and squeezed between 2 mailboxes and came to rest in a ditch. Thats the main thing I don't like about the TR-link setup. If one link or bracket breaks your screwed.

The shackes are OK but you might want to consider a rear center limiting strap as well as a front.
 
i just saw this one and its cheap so i figured id ask. what about the rock ready skyjacker 8"? better? i want 35s but dont want to spend alot of money doing it (if it can be done). i will basically have what ever i can get out of selling my eclipse, so around $2k to $2500.

btw it will probobly see some mud too, more mud than rocks. so street>mud>rocks
 
$$

If you plan on driving a a rig w/ a lift and especially 35's on it, be prepared to spend your money. Once you've purchased your tires, wheels, SYE Kit, And probably some steering componets you will have already spent more than you wanted to... it adds up very quickly
 
I know I will get flamed for saying this but I have the rustys 8inch long arm kit and love it. Comes with everything you need except the sye kit and sometimes depending on the xj you will need to retube the front drive shaft like I had to.
 
well first of all don't get the RR kit u can get the coils but don't get that gay cross brace thing it SUX! not worth ur money! secondly AND most important DO IT URSELF!!!!!! it really isn't that hard! if u don't do it urself and 8 inch kit is worthless cuz u learn absolutly nothing! i'll say it again DO IT URSELF!!! my tips for u!

stoney
 
RK 8

I have been running the RK 8" for quite some time now and have had great luck with it. I find the ride quality to be great. Maybe I missed a few things when I put it in, but my bracket welded to the stock shock mount and the axle tube so I cannot see how it could go anyplace???? Is there something I did wrong? I cannot see how someone could bend the lower control arms either. I wheel the hell out of mine and I just can't see it. They are solid. Can you show us pictures of the lower control arms being bent? I understand from what I have seen on other boards they might have had some issues about two years ago when they were new or something, but from what I have found I have not had a single problem. I did add their lower control arm skid plates thought just for reassurance.

When I looked at the kit for the first time, it was definitely different, but it is very similar to how the rear end of a Trans Am/Camaro is done so that gave me some confidence to try it.

I am actually going to be upgrading to their rear coil over conversion real soon. The krawler shackles work well, but it seems like I am sitting on bought time on leaf springs... Leaf springs suck if you ask me...

Good Luck with whatever you decide. Hope this helps.
 
Re: RK 8

funwheelin said:
I have been running the RK 8" for quite some time now and have had great luck with it. I find the ride quality to be great. Maybe I missed a few things when I put it in, but my bracket welded to the stock shock mount and the axle tube so I cannot see how it could go anyplace???? Is there something I did wrong? I cannot see how someone could bend the lower control arms either. I wheel the hell out of mine and I just can't see it. They are solid. Can you show us pictures of the lower control arms being bent? I understand from what I have seen on other boards they might have had some issues about two years ago when they were new or something, but from what I have found I have not had a single problem. I did add their lower control arm skid plates thought just for reassurance.

When I looked at the kit for the first time, it was definitely different, but it is very similar to how the rear end of a Trans Am/Camaro is done so that gave me some confidence to try it.

I am actually going to be upgrading to their rear coil over conversion real soon. The krawler shackles work well, but it seems like I am sitting on bought time on leaf springs... Leaf springs suck if you ask me...

Good Luck with whatever you decide. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


My torque arm bracket only welded to the shock perch and not the axle tube maybe they have changed the design some since I got my kit. The ony time that bracket broke it was the result of inferior welds. The perch is some pretty thin stuff just like the factory LCA mounts and I would not trust it long term to the torque loads that are applied to it. The LCA reinforcement brackets/skids should be a standard part of their kit IMO. I'm pretty easy on my rig since I have to drive it back and forth to work and it did not take much to rip the LCA mount.

I agree with ya on the arm I dont see how someone could bend them. You would be more likely to destroy the bushing sleeves or the LCA frame bracket first.
 
My 8" rk drives like ass but is pretty good offraod. I'm doin something different because I don;t think the link setup can hold up the size tires I want and full widths. RK leafs suck.
 
csudman

Is there something I should look out for with their leaf springs? What happened to yours? Why does your's handle like shit. I am running 35" MT/R's and it seems to ride and handle pretty well.
Maybe my bracket must have been different because it welded to the shock bracket and the axle tube. I went a double checked.
I will call them on Monday to see what the story is to see if there were any updates.
 
Leafs sagged quick. I'm a good 1" shorter on the passenger side. As far as drivability. I think that you have to address the steering. I've got pretty bad bump steer becase of the angles you end up with. Also my bracket is only welded to the mount. I got one of the first kits they sold. Figures with my luck theyed upgrade.

All that said, I'm thinking im gonna do the wishbone thing. Looks really promising. I'm going ton.
 
csudman

That sucks. I just called them and they have done some things differently now, including beefing up the rear leaf springs. According to them they have a double jointed torque arm now which is what I've got, some different control arm bushings, the rear shackles changed a bit, the torque arm bracket now stretches all the way to the axle tube and whatever they did to the leaf spring. If you want, give them a shout
 
my buddies leafs just sagged and warped really bad, the driver side leaf looked like an S it just tweaked bad... I will try to get a pic of his bent control arm... later
-calvin
 
I would love to see a bent control arm and how he/she did it. In my personal opinion, L can't see how it is possible.

I can see how leaf springs can warp. Leaf springs suck. hat is why I am leaning towards RK's super 8 upgrade (coil over rear conversion).
 
Wow, I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned the RE 5.5" kit. Yeah, it's not some overly tall 8" kit, but I'm running 35's with the RE kit and it's great. Sure you've got to trim out the fenders, but you've got to do that no matter how much lift you run if you expect to flex up with 35's. Pics are all over Jeepin.com, along with a write-up on the kit. Rides great, handles great, and flexes as much as the shocks will allow.

You can install the kit yourself, there's no cutting or welding required, and you can usually get the complete lift w/shocks and shipping for under $1300. Add in an SYE kit and you're good to go.
 
funwheelin said:
I would love to see a bent control arm and how he/she did it. In my personal opinion, L can't see how it is possible.

I'll get u some pics dude! i have one and my friend has one! it is really ez a 4500 lb truck coming down on a rock and hitting the control and nothing else!! pretty simple if u think about it!

stoney
Click to expand...
 
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