I guess I can add to this thread there Loren.
I have a unique perspective to this whole subject. My previous Jeep, a CJ-7 was a huge platform for experimenting for over 8 years and a variety of different suspensions on it; bolt on lifted leaf springs, Spring over axle, coil overs with radius long arms, coil overs with 3-link, and back to SOA.
Then there is from 2000 to 2002 myself with four other partners had our own fab shop building off road play toys. We played with a LOT of designs and theories……….
I neither bash or 100% say any system is “perfect”, they all have their quirks, it is whatever is closest to what you value the most out of your setup.
Radius arm style: pretty much what 95% of the aftermarket long arm kits and home boy fab jobs are doing. (TNT, Frank Z's, Clayton, etc) I did this in 2001 on my CJ-7 with Racerunner coil-overs, modeled at the time after FORD’s radius arms on their older trucks. (Although Rubicon Express was playing with their TJ long arm kit at the time.) What I found is you have to have the right combination of bushings and joints as the design will bind. When I first played with it I had less flex than with my Spring over axle setup with ALCAN leaf springs. The bushings/bind was preventing the total flex from happening. At first I played with bushing and found some nice soft durometer bushings. Helped with flex but the street manners then became quirky. My final solution was to do what the “quicker” disconnect did for sway bars. I made one of the upper links removable and went back to harder bushings. On the street drove like a champ but off-road MAD flex!
Iron Rock’s Long arm runs the same theory. One side only being the upper control for the axle position. My concern with their design, the stress that one arm gets for holding the axle in position being solid welded to the arm. Even FORD’s Radius arm design had bushing between the wedges and clamp to “give” a little.
For no reason other than experimenting, switching and playing with designs I went to a 3 link much like Rock Krawlers kit is. I found the opposite from radius arms. The bushings had to be really solid, so I used rod ends on both ends of the three links. For the most part drove great, little squirrely a high speeds but at the time it was not my DD.
The last year of my CJ-7 I was driving every day, I went back to SOA with ALCAN leafs, very stable platform. All around great performer which is where my theory is now with my XJ.
It is up to you Loren to decide what you want to do with you Jeep. Why do people upgrade to Long Arms in the first place? Two main reasons; large lift and now the short arms are at such an angle that the ride and control is horrible.
Second;
Mad flex Yo!
When I set out to build out my XJ I went opposite of what I did to my CJ. I wanted an Expedition vehicle, middle ground all around. My goals low center of gravity with the biggest tire possible with cutting and bump stops. I figured out how to stuff 33’s on a 4.5” lift, Lots of armor and stayed mostly stock with the arms other than flex joints. It drives great to me, and fills my need offroad.
If I was to do a long arm conversion I think I would go with a four link this time. BDS makes one and Raptor/Ira runs it, but I am curious about
Poly Performance’s 4 link kit.
I disagree with Frank, I want a modular setup, I do not want to have to drop my front suspension to get to my drivetrain. I am trying to figure out why he thinks it would be a disaster in the making? BTW TNT's new Y-link edition is suppose to be modular as well.................
