Long Arm time and cost?

[94XJ2door5speed]

So to all of you who have done a homebrew radius style longarm upgrade, how long did it take you and was it cost effective in the long run over say buying the TnT or anyother "bolt on kit"? Was there any unforseen problems and what was your goal lift height? Trying to decide it it is worth it if someone only wanted 4" of lift or so but planned on adding another 4" and a link rearend.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

my junk flexes like a big dog, i used 2X2X.250 wall square tubing turned on edge with some joints that i recycled from some adjustable short arms. total cost about $5 for the rod to weld them if i paid for it and if i paid for it $5 for the scrap tube pluss the $10 for the materials for the flat belly with the mounts built in to it from the scrap yard or the welding shop if you ask if you can dig in their scrap bin it can be free. then your time.


my total for the whole thing 1.5 hours of my time and cost of electricity. definately worth it over the cost of any thing i would have or could have bought.

 

[sgtmack]

I just finished a 3-link on mine, should be about the same cost. I used 5 johny joints, 1 rod end, 2" square for the lowers and 1 1/2" DOM for the upper. Total of about $400.00 to buy it all new, and a couple of Saturdays to figure it out and weld it together. A radius arm setup would add a couple bushings, which are cheap, and would take a lot less time. Fitting the upper arm where I wanted it took most of a day. So if you had all the parts, figure a weekend to do it, and maybe you can find some used arms to steal joints from. $200.00 - $400.00 would be a good estimate.

Not all of us are as lucky as OverKill.:wave1:

 

[XJ_ranger]

if you're going to run long arms - buy em...

if you're going to take the time to put together a good front suspention, and make something perform the way you want to your specs, and do EXACTLY what you want - then make it...

If i could have my front suspention work as well as it does by writing a check and bolting/welding stuff on in a weekend, I would have...

the best 'fabricated' front suspention IMO is the Rock Krawler 3 link - my only issue is the low hanging lower arms...

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

There are many excellent parts available now, but holy crap does the cost add up! I'm slowly gaining parts to build my MJ and plan to do a long arm 3 link front and a triangulated 4 link rear. If you don't make your arms adjustable you can save quite a bit of money. I like the Rubicon Express style of adjustable arms, but they only adjust by removing at least one end of the arm and are a bit costly.

Large RE Joint 3792 $30 through DC4wd.com
RE12050 threaded tube 1.5" OD x 1.25x12 thread 11.95 each.
RE12060 threaded billet stud 1.25x12 thread 37.95 each.
HW3080 1.25x12 jam nut 2.95 each

I found Ballistic Fab had some similar parts for a touch less money that allowed adjusting arm length without removing the arm, so I decided to make adjustable upper arms and non adjustable lowers to save a little coin, but it still adds up. I also like the adjustable nature of the Rubicon Express joints and solid races as opposed to the races in the Ballistic Fab joints. Both of these joints are significanly less money than the Evolution joints or a few others. The forged Currie Johnnie Joints are an economical alternative but I don't like that they can't be adjusted for tightness. So, I purchased the following parts:

18 Rubicon Express 3792 joints at $30 each! Total $540. 6 for the front three long arms, two for the track bar, 8 for the rear arms and two for the ends of my 1/4 elliptic spring packs.

3 HW3080 Rubicon Express 1.25x12 RH jam nuts $2.95 each
3 1.25x12 RH thread Tube Adapters $12.99 each
3 1.25x12 LH thread Tube Adapters $12.99 each
3 1.25x12 RH billet threaded studs with 1.5" coped end for welding $15.99 each
3 1.25x12 LH billet threaded studs with 1.5" coped end for welding $15.99 each
3 1.25x12 LH Jam Nuts $4.29 each
1 1x14 RH tube adapter $10.99
1 1x14 LH tube adapter $10.99
1 1x14 billet threaded stud with coped end for welding $14.99
1 1x14 billet threaded stud with coped end for welding $14.99
1 1x14 RH jam nut $2.59
1 1x14 LH jam nut $2.59

I'll need to get some 1.75 OD x 1.5 ID DOM tube for the upper control arms, some 1.5" ODx 1.25 ID tube for the track bar and some 2" x .25" wall DOM tube for the lower control arms.

As you can see, this stuff sure adds up quickly. I'll have three adjustable upper control arms, one adjustable track bar, and four non adjustable lower control arms with these parts. Oh, it'll take me months to get it built too!

Jeff

 

[vetteboy]

There are many excellent parts available now, but holy crap does the cost add up!

Yeah it does. I think I came in at just under a grand for my front & rear links and steering...

(8) 2.5" Johnny Joints w/threaded shanks
(8) 5/8 x 3/4 Poison Spyder Heims
(20) tube inserts
(4) tie rod ends

24' of 2" OD x .25 wall DOM
36' of 1.5" OD x .25 wall DOM
4' of 3x3x3/16" box tube
10' of 2x6x1/4" rect. tube

That covers most of it.

 

[old_man]

My long arms cost less than $200 for everything.

http://www.4x4getaways.net/longarms.htm

 

[ZacSquatch]

So far mine have cost $175 and I still need 4 more 2" JJ's

2 big RE flex joints - $50
2 2.5" JJ's - $80
2 peices of 3" DOM 2"x1/4 wall - $20
2 peices of 4" DOM 1.75"x1/4 wall - $20

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

So far mine have cost $175 and I still need 4 more 2" JJ's

2 big RE flex joints - $50
2 2.5" JJ's - $80
2 peices of 3" DOM 2"x1/4 wall - $20
2 peices of 4" DOM 1.75"x1/4 wall - $20

If you want any of the links to be adjustable you'll need more parts yet! Jeff

 

[ZacSquatch]

RE flex joints have the weld in male bungs... thus adjustability and upper has one JJ that will have the forged threaded end and the panhard will have the same...

 

[SOUTHTEXASXJ]

I really need to go with the long arm setup for the ride quality! great info!

 

[XJ_ranger]

ride quality?

you do know that the arm length really isnt what makes or breaks ride quality right? and that its more the arm angle... the flatter the better...

 

[Phil]

ride quality?

you do know that the arm length really isnt what makes or breaks ride quality right? and that its more the arm angle... the flatter the better...

Whatever. Go 38.5s or go home! LCA length, that is.