What shop and lift???

[fire4j15]

Ok people I need help here. I want a long arm kit. I have about 6-8,000 dollars to work with. I have looked at the teraflex Max LCG kit, rubicon express 5.5 lift, and full traction. I have a new 06 rubicon unlimited that is going to be a daily driver and then moab on the weekends. wanting to run
37" tires. What lift and the most important thing is what shop. Would love to hear everyone's answer's. Thanks,
p.s. I would for sure pay more money for labor for a shop that knows what it is doing.

 

[Herzog]

Look into Mount Logan Offroad as well... I have always drooled at the stuff that comes out of their shop.

I've been impressed with the Teraflex LCG kit. I've watched and climbed under a few rigs in Moab that have that kit. Pretty sweet stuff.

 

[ROCKRUNNER]

I also agree that the Teraflex kit is a good kit and I have had good success with them. We can also build you a custom suspension. Have you looked at coilovers vs springs? Also Rubicon Express has a good long arm kit as well. Stop by or call and I will get you some quotes!

 

[timpanogos]

I'll have some pictures soon that might give you some ideas. I'll get them posted up

 

[waynehartwig]

There are only two pre-fabbed kits that I would reccomend - Rubicon Express and Clayton Off-Road. These are both awesome kits and will give you years of fantastic service. After purchasing either, you will never have buyers remorse. The major difference between the two, is Clayton is weld on while RE is bolt on.

RE's 5.5" kit will rub with 37's, unless you add larger bump stops - the kit is that flexy. Ask Timpanogo's how flexy it is... (I have this kit on my Rubicon) and he was able to see my rig work this weekend on some pretty difficult stuff.

 

[timpanogos]

RE's 5.5" kit will rub with 37's, unless you add larger bump stops - the kit is that flexy. Ask Timpanogo's how flexy it is... (I have this kit on my Rubicon) and he was able to see my rig work this weekend on some pretty difficult stuff.

Not only is Wayne's jeep "flexy", but likely more important ... it just seems to hookup very nicely. Of course his tires don't hurt him here, but it's more than that ... nice suspension, nice jeep for sure.

 

[fire4j15]

Thanks guys, This is exactly the response I was looking for. a lot of knowledge and first hand accounts. I will be calling all of you to see what you have to offer. Thanks again. I look forward to seeing some pics.

 

[waynehartwig]

Thanks guys, This is exactly the response I was looking for. a lot of knowledge and first hand accounts. I will be calling all of you to see what you have to offer. Thanks again. I look forward to seeing some pics.

Don't forget to call me... Since I'm no longer in Utah, I no longer charge sales tax

 

[GOAT]

I am currently building up an 04 Unlimited and will eventually swap in some longarms as well.

For a LWB jeep, breakover angle will be big concern with longarms. Claytons is the only LA kit currently available that doesn't just retain the same SWB crossmember and stretch the rear arms to work on the LJ.

Look into this jeep unlimited clayton install.
http://homepages.donobi.net/unionguy/

You may considerTnT customs. They should have a unlimited longarm kit available or at least, will soon.
http://www.tntcustoms.com

You can also have a local fabshop like RockLogic build you a topnotch high clearance setup like the TnT and Nth arms to your specs.

HTH-Marcus

 

[RKCRWLR]

FWIW, I wanted the TnT customs LA, but the LJ version was not ready. I really liked the bent arms for clearance. Instead, I bought the 4.5" RELA from Wayne, along with the Tom Woods 1350 shaft (a work of art - I can't beleive a driveshaft can be beautiful). I am sure there are a lot of good folks on here who sell and work on stuff. I can tell you that dealing with Wayne was simple and shipping was fast. I installed the 4.5" LA - a mistake. If you go RELA, do the 5.5". It makes me nervous when the first thing the instructions say is that things don't work quiet right with the 4.5 version (track bar lengths, etc). I will be adding a spacer to give me a little room to play with. Ride is unbeleivable...soft, soft, soft. I am in shock about that. Flex is scary compared to my YJ. Exhaust is a PITA to deal with on the LA. Its going to have to visit the pipe shop as my stress level has grown exponetially over it. I did the install myself. Three days of very hard work in the garage, two severely bruised fingers (watch out when you drill out the front track mount. Bit grabs, fingers get smashed... grrrr.) but it finally got done. Now if I can just find a shop to do a full alignment on this beast. Thanks Wayne for the kit and the advice and to others on the board who had chimed in. Good luck with your decision and you pending install!

Tim

 

[waynehartwig]

FWIW, I wanted the TnT customs LA, but the LJ version was not ready. I really liked the bent arms for clearance. Instead, I bought the 4.5" RELA from Wayne, along with the Tom Woods 1350 shaft (a work of art - I can't beleive a driveshaft can be beautiful). I am sure there are a lot of good folks on here who sell and work on stuff. I can tell you that dealing with Wayne was simple and shipping was fast. I installed the 4.5" LA - a mistake. If you go RELA, do the 5.5". It makes me nervous when the first thing the instructions say is that things don't work quiet right with the 4.5 version (track bar lengths, etc). I will be adding a spacer to give me a little room to play with. Ride is unbeleivable...soft, soft, soft. I am in shock about that. Flex is scary compared to my YJ. Exhaust is a PITA to deal with on the LA. Its going to have to visit the pipe shop as my stress level has grown exponetially over it. I did the install myself. Three days of very hard work in the garage, two severely bruised fingers (watch out when you drill out the front track mount. Bit grabs, fingers get smashed... grrrr.) but it finally got done. Now if I can just find a shop to do a full alignment on this beast. Thanks Wayne for the kit and the advice and to others on the board who had chimed in. Good luck with your decision and you pending install!

Tim

You're welcome!
Yeah, the 4.5" is cutting it close... Imagine makig that kit work at 3.5"!! They do sell it....

Exhaust is actually pretty easy - it's only the muffler you have to worry about replacing, unles you do a triangulated kit, then the tube needs re-worked. A 6"x16" muffler will work beautifuly there...

When you drill out the trackbar, use a 1/2" drill with a cross bar! ...I learned that one the hard way, too.

This kit is very nice and after all said and done, you will be very happy you did it. The ride is simply amazing - off road abilities as well. But anyone that has done one, will completely agree it's a PITA to install!!!!! But when you think about it, it's a 100% suspension replacement. Nothin stock stays behind.

 

[Elkhunter96]

I have a lot of respect for the Rock Krawler lifts. Dollar for dollar, I think they may be the best kit on the market. Their control arm joints are nice and heavy duty and the arms themselves are very heavy dutym solid. I am planning on putting one of their 5.5 long arm kits on my TJ when my savings are there. They go down to ejs every year or look them up on the Web http://www.rockkrawler.com

but that is my .02

P.S. I run a 4 teraflex kit, with their older shortflex control arms, good soft ride, just wish I had a long arm kit that does not have those cheap rubber bushings that keep wearing out

 

[waynehartwig]

P.S. I run a 4 teraflex kit, with their older shortflex control arms, good soft ride, just wish I had a long arm kit that does not have those cheap rubber bushings that keep wearing out

That's a Teraflex issue... I have had my rubber bushings on my Rubicon Express kit for over 70,000 miles.

Also, RE's arms are made of 2"x.25 wall CroMo - I don't know of anyone else in the industry with arms built like that...

Rubicon Express and Clayton Off Road are both lifetime warrantee - no questions asked. You break it, they will replace it. I had broke a coil on Constrctor about a year ago - RE overnighted a new one to me. Even updated me from 4.5" to 5.5" of lift at the same time (I bought the fronts, but they replaced the rears).

 

[Greg]

That's a Teraflex issue...

With the old style arms it may have been an issue, the new TeraFlex arms & bushings have been out for over 2 years & they're a massive improvement over the old style arms. I doubt you'd wear the new ones out, the bushings are huge. I was impressed with the ones on our XJ.

 

[Cody]

I like the Tera system and Clayton's system is BOMB proof. The RE kits have always been good too. Probably couldn't go wrong with any of them but if it were MY choice I would go with Clayton's kit.

Here is someone's experience with RK

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum//showthread.php?t=10852

there are about a dozen other similar experiences with RK--ranging from joints falling apart on the freeway to arms falling apart. I think they are on like gen 10 of their kit that was supposed to be the **** at gen 1 but still doesn't work.

At any rate, I'm not going to get into another RK pissing match, but I still have yet to find a grand cherokee owner who is somewhat knowledgable and/or experienced with offroading who has been happy with their RK kit.

 

[Bart]

Agreed, I'm putting the new Tera LCG MAX kit on my TJ and have no doubts the new joints they use will hold up as well as anything out there.

 

[waynehartwig]

With the old style arms it may have been an issue, the new TeraFlex arms & bushings have been out for over 2 years & they're a massive improvement over the old style arms. I doubt you'd wear the new ones out, the bushings are huge. I was impressed with the ones on our XJ.

I think the short arms are still the same junk they used to be? I think they only changed the long arm ends?

 

[Elkhunter96]

I think Teraflex now offer the good short arms which are the same as in the LCG kits and the junk arms they have sold in the past. last time I was in there I saw the same crappy short arms I have for sale and some newer style that are like the long arm kits for sale. But the ones I have are just plain crap

 

[SICK99TJ]

call mt logan they are the most experienced and will get you any kit you want. but for the amount of money you have they can probly build you a custom lift right from scratch. these guys are the ****....just my two cents.