Rough Country drop bracket install w/ pics

i'm lookin to push my axle forward a little like an ins or 1.5's if i put these drop bks on my lift will it move it forward? 4.5 RC (came with lower control arms just not adj)
 
I just installed it on my 4.5 RC kit with lowers, and it did move my front out a little over an inch.
 
I'm still wondering if it would be better to go with the RC full kit (with brace) or do MJ mounts and no brace....
 
I think the idea of a drop CA bracket is not a "bad" idea. The RC does present a concern my mind. Instead of the range of motion being centered back up into the wheel well based on the original pivot point at the frame, it moves the critical pivot point down, which throws the range of motion into the rear portion of the wheel opening (see my diagram below). With RE's brackets, they move them forward a bit to compensate for this. I can say that I have run an RC lift on my TJ and other than cheaply made parts, it was a somewhat decent kit. If they would step up and offering flex joints as well as ditch ther cheap poly bushings for Clevite bushings, they would probably hold their own a bit better in the market.

CACAD.jpg
 
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x2elite said it moved his front axle forward over an inch....
 
yellowta said:
The arms swing in a circular motion, therefore dropping the mounting location straight down, it will push the axle forward some amount. The RE brackets do the same thing.
Click to expand...

does that clear things up a little?
 
The RE moves the frame mount point farther forward, reclaiming some of the lost wheelbase. Again, think about the geometry of the "radius arm" setup and look at my drawing. The pivot point is still off from where it needs to be. I am not saying it isn't a decent idea, I am just stating my concern with the RC design. Again, RE has never been chincy in the design/manufacturing process, so I would definitely consider the RE over the RC.
 
Jason, I got the braces for the UCA's today. Thanks again for the quick shipping!! I will be installing these this Sunday.
 
so again with the question, will RC offer these brackets in an MJ friendly version?

i'd rather not buy braces that i don't need, cause i bet it'd be hard to sell them without the brackets.
 
Chris @ GATR said:
The RE moves the frame mount point farther forward, reclaiming some of the lost wheelbase. Again, think about the geometry of the "radius arm" setup and look at my drawing. The pivot point is still off from where it needs to be. I am not saying it isn't a decent idea, I am just stating my concern with the RC design. Again, RE has never been chincy in the design/manufacturing process, so I would definitely consider the RE over the RC.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. I think pushing the mounting point forward is a better, more refined design. I bought the RC's anyway and here is why...... Grimus. Where is the Rubicon Express guy on our boards? I'm not knoking RE or it's dealers at all but Grimus responds (quickly) to anyone who posts an RC problem. That customer service deserves my support.

Oh and also... the HUGE money I saved vs the RE brackets/braces I can damn near buy 1 pair of adjustable arms. I wanted to get 4 adj arms anyway so I'm still ahead on $$. Plus I figure (and I'm no expert) that further back brackets and the longer arms (yes maybe only an inch longer) will do even more for ride quality.... Long arms ride better because of this theory right?

kudos Grimus. Keep up the good work, and show these threads to the RC bosses...... get yourself a raise!
 
long arms ride better because they are more parallel to the ground, so when you hit a bump the arm goes up instead of getting jabbed into the frame-rail like it would with 6" and shortarms
 
Today I put the drop brackets and braces on my Jeep. Rough Country's drop brackets and braces are very well built and well thought out. They are also very beefy and I have no fear of them failing at anytime. They fit very well and were very easy to install.

The hardest part of the install was taking apart my Jeep. My Jeep is an eastern Jeep but the rust was not the problem, my lift has only been on for about 2 years. The hardest part was getting the damn upper control arms off. On the passenger side, the upper bolt came out without much problem. Once it was out, the problem was getting the control arm out of the stock bracket. Once it was out everything bolted right up without any problems.

The drivers side upper control arm: the nut came off rather easy but then we couldn't get the bolt out. We had to undo the upper control arm at the axle. The nut came off easy but we had one hell of a time gettng the bolt out. Once we pounded on it for a while it came out, and everything went back together very easy.

These do push you axle forward at least an inch. once everything was bolted back up, my sway bar was hitting my coil spring on the passenger side. It was not to bad to fix the problem. All we did was rotate the coil spring slightly.

The drop brackets have made my Jeep ride much better. They have also reduced the amount of noise coming into the cab because of the reduced angle of the control arms. Now when I run over a bump in the road, or a pot hole, it doesn't jar the Jeep like it used to.

Over all I am VERY pleased with the purchase, and so far the performance of these parts. I will be taking the Jeep on it's first offroad trip, since the install, this weekend. I will let you now how they do.
 
sweet man, glad to hear that your install was pretty easy. isnt the ride 100% then before?!! I thought that it made a night & day difference.
 
I have the Trail master drop brackets on my '92 XJ. The ride is better than a stock cherokee but the brackets hang so low that they grab at every thing on the trail. The kit was on the XJ when I bought it and I plan to remove the drop brackets as soon as I can afford to.
 
Oizarod115 said:
so again with the question, will RC offer these brackets in an MJ friendly version?

i'd rather not buy braces that i don't need, cause i bet it'd be hard to sell them without the brackets.
Click to expand...

I have the Trail master kit on my XJ and it does not have the braces if price is right I might take them off your hands
 
firejeep6081 said:
I have the Trail master drop brackets on my '92 XJ. The ride is better than a stock cherokee but the brackets hang so low that they grab at every thing on the trail. The kit was on the XJ when I bought it and I plan to remove the drop brackets as soon as I can afford to.
Click to expand...

I had the trailmaster drop brackets with the same problem. I ordered extended fixed control arms from Poly Performance. I ordered the rubicon express ones that were for their 4.5" lift and they work awesome. In my style wheeling they are alot better then the drop brackets. You should look them up all four control arms only cost me $405 shipped to my house. They mount in stock location without the drop brackets.
 
here is a pic of the drop brackets on my Jeep. My buddy has more, and some of the install. I will post them when he sends them to me.
100_3929.jpg
 
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