Radius arm vs True long arm

Elliott said:
a.) what are you gonna do when that upper link breaks?
b.)Theres no sense in reinventing the wheel, most LA kits on the market for base vehicles are well engineered and designed. Now just rip off their design. :D
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A) build it so it doesn't. PLENTY of rigs running on a 3-link.
B) I couldn't disagree more. Those "kits" are compromises based on using stock brackets, some one the frame side, some on the axle side, wheelbase, etc... Most TJ's I see with "kits" don't climb worth a damn, or jack like crazy under torque.
 
If you were to use the RE control arm setup on the passenger side, or both sides for that matter, what joints would you say would be the best to use?

Could you go with a hiem or johnny joint connecting the short control arm to the long control arm, and then some type of super joint at all the extremities?
And if so, what are some of the better super joints/uniballs/et all to use?
 
Rich said:
B) I couldn't disagree more. Those "kits" are compromises based on using stock brackets, some one the frame side, some on the axle side, wheelbase, etc... Most TJ's I see with "kits" don't climb worth a damn, or jack like crazy under torque.
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If he upgraded to Clayton's LA's:

All new high clearance 1/4" axle brackets
Beefy crossmembers and brackets
2x2x.25 control arms
1/4" skid
an ACTUAL subframe instead of brackets attached to tin unibody
etc, etc, etc.

I would agree with you if he was making a super trick crawler with all the one ton goodies but from the sounds of it this is a beginners rig which will get probably 35's or so, will drive to and from the trail, stock wheelbase....

I've seen Clayton's or similar homebuilt suspension systems work amazingly and they are fairly simple to build. Just my opinion.
 
yeah i agree with you Rich and Elliot, thats why im taking my time and I haven't even tore the Jeep apart yet. Trust me, I want to make this a good design for her safety and for everybody else, my roomate just ordered the Rockcrawler Tri-link for the XJ so im gonna steal the design off of it. Mudonthetires, I ordered the RE Large Heim joints from DC4WD. Hes got the best prices around.

Zack
 
mudonthetires10 said:
This is crappy and I made it pretty quickly, but as an alternative to the picture on page 1 (of the triangulated 3-link with no trac bar), here is a diagram of a non-triangulated 3-link with the trac bar. Hope this was what you were asking for pictures of, or else I'm going to feel like a douche.
View attachment ai11.photobucket.com_albums_a154_mudonthetires10_Internet_20Pics_SAS.jpg
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I dont think you get what I'm drawing. What I had in my picture is a 3-link, and its not triangulated. I like the idea of having a single upper vs. the traditional y drivers side arm. Either one of the styles will work, the y design will take less time to fab cause its got one less frame mount. The upper link on the 3 individual links is angled a little bit, but in no way would it help with lateral movement of the axle. That is what the track/panhard bar is for. And by the way, the track/panhard bar does not count as a link.
 
You might just want to order the brackets that go on the frame from RK. Since its only three mounts it shouldn't break the bank. Then build your control arms yourself. Go ahead and buy a trackbar and make sure is sits pretty close to parallel with your drag link. If you choose not to buy the mounts from RK then check out polyperformace, they have some great link mounts for the frame.
 
yeah, thats what I am thinking, but my roomate just ordered the RK kit so we can always use those brackets to fab some new ones...we have plenty of metal laying around. we will prolly start working on in this weekend.

Zack
 
good luck man, keep us posted.
 
i will, im getting the metal sometime this week and then we will start measuring, measuring, measuring and then cutting/welding.

Zack
 
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