• RME Gear & Apparel

Building UCA's

O

Offrodeo

Member
Ok guys please bare with me, I'm a newbie to off road suspensions.

I have stock UCA's on my 2000 xj. I am curious if I would get more articulation if I were to build new ones with a flex joint. With a little research that I've done, Johnny joints seem to be popular.
Are there "as good" ones out there that are cheaper for some one like me who isn't hardcore? (yet)
Should I do a double flex joint? I have a single flex on the lowers.
 
bryson

bryson

RME Resident Ninja
Supporting Member
Location
West Jordan
More articulation? Not really. XJ uppers are pretty flimsy in stock form, which means they articulate fairly well. You aren't going to benefit noticeably in the articulation department by replacing them with stock-length arms regardless of the joints in them. If you are looking to make them stronger, then yes, replacing them with a more solid arm and a flex joint is ideal.

I agree with the above comment that the best bet is to go with a true long arm setup. It is my opinion that you just save your pennies and buy a long arm kit - don't bother replacing your stockers (unless absolutely necessary) until then.
 
XJEEPER

XJEEPER

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland Springs
How much lift are you running on your XJ? What is you long term goal? As mentioned, stock UCA's flex rather well. With the factory 4 link setup, when you install taller coils/spacers, the front axle is moved further away from the body on a arch, so your caster changes, and your wheelbase decreases. A more important reason for replacing stock UCA's and LCA's is to upgrade to units which offer the ability to adjust their length so you can dial in your wheelbase and caster correction when you lift your rig. I've run short arms and long arms on the 3 XJs I've owned, and I prefer the ride qualities of a long arm setup over the short arm, but under 4-4.5" of lift, short arms will perform fine.
 
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