LongArm Kit install (RE + Custom parts)

[BlackSheep]

Greetings,
I'll try to add info as I go through this process. Unfortunately, I already got the x-member installed without any photos.

This kit is a first generation Rubicon Express xtreme duty longarm kit. I purchased the x-member, the rear control arms (4), the rear track bar and various hardware from a guy who built himself a custom suspension kit. He had already sold the front control arms with his axle, so I had RockLogic build me some front control arms off of measurements I took. With this kit, the x-member is a single piece unit, rather than the 3 piece they are currently selling.

First thing I had to do was block up the tranny and remove the stock x-member. This was easy as I have done it half dozen times already.

Next is to prepare the frame for the RE x-member. This requires drilling four 1" holes on the bottom side of the frame, and four 1/2" holes on the top side of the frame. This allows 4 extra bolts to be used to bolt the x-member on. The 4 additional bolts are drilled mid-way between the existing holes on the frame.

Drillling the 1" hole was easy, I measured for placement, then broke out the old hole saw. No problem. Getting the holes drilled in the top of the frame was a bit of a different story, although not terribly difficult.

The big problem here is making it so the bolt can fit between the body and the frame. The x-member has a nut welded to it, so the bolt has to fit through the top of the frame to thread into the x-member. Luckily, I have a 1" body lift, so that helps.

Drilling the initial hole in the top of the frame simply required a long enough 1/2" bit. Now for the fun part, getting the bolt to fit.

For the forward bolts I was able to use my hole saw and drill right through the floorboard just in front of the seats. This allows me to drop the bolt through the floorboard and into the hole.

I couldn't do this with the rear bolts though. the construction of the area above the bolt hole is too complex to simply cut a hole through. So, I drilled an additional hole in the frame next to the first hole, then used a series of files to make a slot. This allows just enough room to angle the bolt through the slot, then position it to tighten. Works pretty good, I now need to go out and purchase the proper length bolts. (the one I used to check my work is just a tad short for full thread engagement).

That's the install of the x-member. It uses 6 factory bolt locations and 4 additional bolting locations.

 

[BlackSheep]

Next is to prepare for the control arms. This of course requires cutting off the original frame side control arm mounts. After I removed the front lower right control arm, I broke out my new 4.5" grinder, and went to town with a cutting blade.

I started on the bottom of the LCA mount, and cut the mount in half. This left me with two pieces that are welded along the frame sides, and across the back of the mount. I cut the weld from the bottom side of the frame, and then just cut away as much of the outer mount as I could without getting into the frame.

I used a pry bar to pry the remaining steel away from the frame as much as possible, then cut the weld. The outer part of the right side mount fell away!!

The inner part was super easy!! I used my 5lb sledge hammer to break the weld. It took about 2 minutes of flexing the steel back and forth with the hammer before the mount simply fell off.

A bit of grinding, cleanup and some paint and it was good to go.

Measured the length of the lower longarm at 39" (from outside of front bolt hole to the outer end of the RE joint. I had to turn it in another 3 full turns once I got it in place to shorten it up.

Used my hydraulic jack to jack the RE joint into position at the x-member, then used a long punch to help line up the bolt hole. Threw a bolt in there and went on to the front (axle) mount. This is where I had to turn the arm an additional 3 full rotations to make it shorter so the bolt holes would line up. Some creative use of my hydraulic jack and my punches and the bolt slid right through.

Bolting on the upper front control arm was a piece of cake. My big question here is whether I have to remove the factory frame side upper control arm mount????

Here's a photo of the arm installed.

 

[BlackSheep]

another photo of the right side front radius arm.

 

[Herzog]

Nice.

I installed the newer generation RE kit (drop out pan) on my parents' wrangler about 4 months ago. It rides so much better than the stock arm setup.

 

[BlackSheep]

Originally posted by Herzog
Nice.

I installed the newer generation RE kit (drop out pan) on my parents' wrangler about 4 months ago. It rides so much better than the stock arm setup.

Hey, did you have to remove the front upper frame side control arm mounts when you installed that kit??

 

[Herzog]

Originally posted by BlackSheep


Hey, did you have to remove the front upper frame side control arm mounts when you installed that kit??

No, I think I left the uppers mounts there. Do they seem to interfere with anything?

 

[BlackSheep]

Originally posted by Herzog


No, I think I left the uppers mounts there. Do they seem to interfere with anything?

No, they don't appear to be in the way. I am doing this completely blind (I mean no instructions or anything), so I wasn't sure what might happen when I start to flex. It actually appears that the exhaust pipe will get in the way before the upper mounts.

 

[Herzog]

What size lift are you running with this setup? My parents' jeep sits at 3.5" and looks like the suspension will hit on a few things, but it never does. I had to re-route the exhaust from the cat back cause it was in the way of the upper rear arm. I actually cut out the large OEM muffler and put in a slightly narrower one in for clearance.

Also, it looks like you have the low-profile belly pan. The one I did had one also. It seemed to raise the transmission & t-case up about 2 inches causing major driveline angles. I had a spare RE hack & tap that I threw on it and had a new driveline built, but I had to angle the rear pinion up. This meant cutting off the rear shock mounts and moving the brackets and re-doing the rear trac-bar. It was more work than I thought it was going to be, but it was well worth it. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Greg]

Lookin' good, JD. I can't wait to see the diffrence it makes on your TJ's ability.

When are you planning on testing it out?

 

[BlackSheep]

Originally posted by Herzog
What size lift are you running with this setup? My parents' jeep sits at 3.5" and looks like the suspension will hit on a few things, but it never does.

I will be running the Tera 4" springs. I'm considering putting a set of 1" spacers on top of the springs. I want to go up to 35" tires eventually.

I had to re-route the exhaust from the cat back cause it was in the way of the upper rear arm. I actually cut out the large OEM muffler and put in a slightly narrower one in for clearance.

Yeah, the newer versions of the RE suspension have straight upper rear control arms. The upper rears I have are already bent (from RE) to clear the muffler. I'll have to wait and see how it goes. I should be starting on the rears tomorrow. Just have to finish the front.

Also, it looks like you have the low-profile belly pan. The one I did had one also. It seemed to raise the transmission & t-case up about 2 inches causing major driveline angles. I had a spare RE hack & tap that I threw on it and had a new driveline built, but I had to angle the rear pinion up. This meant cutting off the rear shock mounts and moving the brackets and re-doing the rear trac-bar. It was more work than I thought it was going to be, but it was well worth it. Let me know if you have any other questions.

A couple of things here. I have the raised motor mounts, so that will help, I already have the SYE kit, but I will be raising the pinion angle anyway, so the shock thing will still have to be done. I don't think I'll want to raise it much, but just a little to give me a warm fuzzy. The rear trac bar will be going in as well. Hopefully, it won't give me any hassle.

Originally posted by Greg
Lookin' good, JD. I can't wait to see the diffrence it makes on your TJ's ability.

When are you planning on testing it out?

I hope to have it ready so I can take it to supercrawl as a recovery vehicle. I'll get a little testing down there, but not really. I'm planning a trip to Moab with my girlfriend, the BlackSheep and the mt bikes in October, so that will be my chance to test it out.

 

[JeepTJ38]

i never really understoof how you could flex with the upper control arms welded back into the lower ones. All the new L.A. kits run both arm independently back to the crossmemeber. Seems better in my book but I guesss it works since a bunch of people are running the lift.

 

[Herzog]

Originally posted by JeepTJ38
i never really understoof how you could flex with the upper control arms welded back into the lower ones. All the new L.A. kits run both arm independently back to the crossmemeber. Seems better in my book but I guesss it works since a bunch of people are running the lift.

It basically turns it into a radius arm setup so there is a bit of binding going on but as long as it is setup right with bushings in the right place and with enough deflection in those bushings, the flex is un-inhibited and more stable in my opinion.

 

[JeepTJ38]

but what do you think is better. Im looking for a new 6inch LA lift for my TJ. RE version or the new ones with 4 full arms ?

 

[spencurai]

if you pull off one of the upper arms on a long arm, you get basically the same things as a rockkrawler kit, a radius arm and one other link. It essentially acts just like a wristed radius arm.

 

[WJL]

You will like the LA it rides alot better. I run the 5.5" and like it.
There is plenty of articulation no lack of that. I think the upper arm tied to the lower would be better. The upper just sets the caster and your pinion angle in the front, of corse the lower arm would have to be designed to take the extra forces.
There is probally more to it than that.

 

[Fuller]

i have my front end set up lke that and i think the ride is superb compared to the stock set up, and the flex is great also.


i think the best thing i did besides the long arm kit was going with the skyjacker straight track bar it doesnt have anything to bind on the axel side so you can realy get some good flex.

 

[Fuller]

whats the deal with taking the passenger side upper controll arm off? what does that gain? it seems like it would just throw the caster off.

 

[BlackSheep]

Originally posted by limegrnxj
whats the deal with taking the passenger side upper controll arm off? what does that gain? it seems like it would just throw the caster off.

well, really, both upper control arms have been removed. The caster is adjustable because the new upper arms are adjustable in length. The big difference of course, is it changes from a 5 link (4 CAs and trac bar) to a radius arm setup (two frame connections plus the trac bar).

 

[Fuller]

Originally posted by BlackSheep


well, really, both upper control arms have been removed. The caster is adjustable because the new upper arms are adjustable in length. The big difference of course, is it changes from a 5 link (4 CAs and trac bar) to a radius arm setup (two frame connections plus the trac bar).

Yeah I understand that part I have the radius arm set up. what I was referring to was the set up like rockkrawlers, or earlier in this thread Spencer said that if you take out the passenger upper arm it will be like a wristed radius arm set up, and I was reading someplace were some one said they would take off the passenger upper control arm so its like the rockkrawler kit when on the trail, I was wondering what is the advantage of this.

 

[I Lean]

Originally posted by limegrnxj



Yeah I understand that part I have the radius arm set up. what I was referring to was the set up like rockkrawlers, or earlier in this thread Spencer said that if you take out the passenger upper arm it will be like a wristed radius arm set up, and I was reading someplace were some one said they would take off the passenger upper control arm so its like the rockkrawler kit when on the trail, I was wondering what is the advantage of this.

Eliminating one part of one radius arm (or "wristing" it) removes the natural binding that a radius arm setup provides. That can be good or bad--if you have stiff mounts on your radius arms so the bind actually restricts flex, then you can free yourself up. In Blacksheep's case (and maybe yours too, I dunno) he has large, soft rubber bushings at all the "bind points". (the axle mounts, and the upper arm mount to the lower arm) They'll deflect enough to allow for all the articulation he wants.

A wristed radius arm also has the nice effect of torque jacking the non-wristed side nicely too. Sometimes to the point of looking comical--some rigs will almost look like they could roll themselves over on flat ground just from a clutch dump.