theres nothing wrong with bolt on stuff, and suspention stuff isnt where you should be practicing welding skills
trutracs dont work in new england, ask these guys, they know
3 link vs Radius arm build
- Thread starter Luke95
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- Rainy side of Washington
I don't know that I'd learn to weld on suspension fabrication. Do that stuff wrong and it'll kill you or someone else when it fails at a bad time.
I ran a few trails at rocktoberfest year before last with a factory 260 shaft + junkyard ujoint in the driver side (it was a spare), locked, on 33s, including a few hundred feet of black trail with 93xjcowboy and crew. It didn't blow up, but I had to pussy foot it the whole way and it blew up shortly after that. 260 shafts are spares only imo, and only if they're free...
that 30 got me out of a hell of a bind and resulted in me making it to fallcrawl that year. Thanks.3" 33's had like 3500 into it including the jeep, 80% of the parts were bought used off of other nac members parted it out and got 2k back
build somthin small and simple first, but it seems to me like you have alot of other issues before even thinking about long arms
I've been wheeling on stock XJ track bar brackets and track bars for years. Never had an issue with them (but now that I've said that I will, I'm sure.) The only one I ever had loosen up on me was on my 98 backup DD/toiletmobile, it's 100% stock, sagged/lowered and the track bar joint got super ****ed up driving on the road.
agree.
I ran a few trails at rocktoberfest year before last with a factory 260 shaft + junkyard ujoint in the driver side (it was a spare), locked, on 33s, including a few hundred feet of black trail with 93xjcowboy and crew. It didn't blow up, but I had to pussy foot it the whole way and it blew up shortly after that. 260 shafts are spares only imo, and only if they're free...
ktm racer 419
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heres a thread with some midarm 3 link info
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1092687
Once Upon a time I had a radius arm longarm
Now I Have a midarm 3 link.
I like the midarm 3 link better.
Ride on the street was the same, flex was the same.
The midarms just felt more stable on and off the road, less swaying, and I just prefer the feeling solid joints offer over rubber bushings. And it might just be my butt dyno here, but on the steeper hillclimbs my front end felt more planted with the 3 link as opposed to the radius arm. Most people won't notice that though.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1092687
Once Upon a time I had a radius arm longarm
Now I Have a midarm 3 link.
I like the midarm 3 link better.
Ride on the street was the same, flex was the same.
The midarms just felt more stable on and off the road, less swaying, and I just prefer the feeling solid joints offer over rubber bushings. And it might just be my butt dyno here, but on the steeper hillclimbs my front end felt more planted with the 3 link as opposed to the radius arm. Most people won't notice that though.
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ktm racer 419
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obligatory radius arm photo
ktm racer 419
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Id say if you can bring the upper up any on the body side you would be better off.
You can do a short arm 3 link. But I wouldn't do it without strengthening the uca mount on the body side, and getting a solid joint with provisions for a larger than 10mm bolt on the axle side on top of the cast center section. Rock krawler makes one that runs a 9/16" bolt and I believe currie also does. Or you can just build a link tower on the passenger side.
Someone's popped one up there? I've had no issues. They've been the best of both worlds for me. Invisible on the street, and I've yet to find an obstacle they wont get me over.[/QUOTE]
Never ran one, and thats because Ive never been impressed by them enough to purchase one.
Ya know what they say, if you don't get stuck, you arent wheeling hard enough. People find obstacles they can't get over while fully locked all the time.
ktm racer 419
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Thats close to what mine was length wise, but midarms with a crossmember? why? theres nothing for the crossmember to do up there unless you have plans to make it enormous and hold the tranny up too.
I just welded some brackets to the plated unirails.
I just welded some brackets to the plated unirails.
Tranny skid plate so I don't wreck that. Tied into a crossmember and t case skid
chedisme
NAXJA Member
- Location
- middletown, NY
it is good to have some armor if your going to keep it lift small for a while. It was a blast when my jeep was at 3" with a good belly skid. gives you some piece of mind.
ktm racer 419
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just a couple notes, don't make it too big or else heat won't be able to escape as easily making SUPER hot floors and tranny/t-case temps.
and don't make it too big and heavy that its a huge pain in the ass to put on the jeep. i like having a lightweight/ structural crossmember with a skid plate bolted over it.
and don't make it too big and heavy that its a huge pain in the ass to put on the jeep. i like having a lightweight/ structural crossmember with a skid plate bolted over it.
Boss Cherokee
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- Riverside Calif.
It's funny to hear when someone tells you something is over rated! Especially when the one doesn't have the item and the ones that have the item tell you it was a great investment! Even funnier when he advises you to stand on the skinny pedal!! ASK guys that stand on the skinny pedal because they don't have traction enhancement in their XJ. If they truly stand on it and have been wheeling seriously for more than weekend trips to the mall chances are they will have a list of items they've broken and that's not limited to axles or u-joints. It would probably include output shafts and t-case cases. So when you feel the urge to stand on the skinny look in your wallet 1st and make sure you have Visa or a lot of cash if your running a 30 with bigger than 32/33 or a 44 with 35's and up. Now let mr clarify"stock axles and u joints and no lockers and truly standing on the skinny"! Any ways radius arms are fine. I am still running highly modified Ford radius arms since my 1st built XJ for the Hammers back in 1992. 8 1/2" lift locked 9"s with 44 outers on 36x15.50 MTZ's. I cut the arms, tubed, arched them, strapped them and Johnny jointed them! I love the simplicity of them. My van is 5 link with 1" heims so I have driven and owned every type of suspension including air bags, except for the elliptical type spring suspension. Seen them in action never could afford to try them! Even heims are getting been ridiculous! Use Johnnies at least you can rebuild them! Here's a pic of my easy 23 year proven radius arms. I just redid the trac bar from the stock Ford that had been cut down to fit. The new bar is in 1 1/2" stuffed with 1 1/4" solid round stock (a little over kill) with 7/8" heims because I've finally decided to go Hydro assist and wanted to free up space. I also made a steering stabilizer bracket off the top of the 9" housing which eventually will hold the hydro ram! (Neither item is in the pic).
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chedisme
NAXJA Member
- Location
- middletown, NY
It's funny to hear when someone tells you something is over rated! Especially when the one doesn't have the item and the ones that have the item tell you it was a great investment! Even funnier when he advises you to stand on the skinny pedal!! ASK guys that stand on the skinny pedal because they don't have traction enhancement in their XJ. If they truly stand on it and have been wheeling seriously for more than weekend trips to the mall chances are they will have a list of items they've broken and that's not limited to axles or u-joints. It would probably include output shafts and t-case cases. So when you feel the urge to stand on the skinny look in your wallet 1st and make sure you have Visa or a lot of cash if your running a 30 with bigger than 32/33 or a 44 with 35's and up. Now let mr clarify"stock axles and u joints and no lockers and truly standing on the skinny"! Any ways radius arms are fine. I am still running highly modified Ford radius arms since my 1st built XJ for the Hammers back in 1992. 8 1/2" lift locked 9"s with 44 outers on 36x15.50 MTZ's. I cut the arms, tubed, arched them, strapped them and Johnny jointed them! I love the simplicity of them. My van is 5 link with 1" heims so I have driven and owned every type of suspension including air bags, except for the elliptical type spring suspension. Seen them in action never could afford to try them! Even heims are getting been ridiculous! Use Johnnies at least you can rebuild them! Here's a pic of my easy 23 year proven radius arms. I just redid the trac bar from the stock Ford that had been cut down to fit. The new bar is in 1 1/2" stuffed with 1 1/4" solid round stock (a little over kill) with 7/8" heims because I've finally decided to go Hydro assist and wanted to free up space. I also made a steering stabilizer bracket off the top of the 9" housing which eventually will hold the hydro ram! (Neither item is in the pic).
all were saying to him is dont go crazy, hes only had a jeep for a few weeks maybe months, no need to jump the gun and go rad arms or 3 link. and the RE radius arms I had did hop alot when fighting for traction. and lockers arent needed, but they help. so for just having fun purposes, Id say they are over rated. and hes only on 235s
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foxwar71
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- Foxboro, MA
And the "rebuilt" versions had even more hop :roflmao:
chedisme
NAXJA Member
- Location
- middletown, NY
I called that the rabbit mod
"Iv got radius arms! check it! they bounce!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9jOJ9A1qZQ&feature=share&list=UU1u5-6OG-xR0xSY48lsnOdA
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chedisme
NAXJA Member
- Location
- middletown, NY
I already have gotten hung up on my T case so I need to skid plate that.
Tranny took a log and made a small dent. I dunno about you but as a kid with this being my DD I dont want to kill it. I also love to show off to the auto teacher. (hes cool Loves cherokees and thinks mine is funny because of all the shit I do on it yet it still a $500 jeep)
