is a 4.5 inch long arm kit worth it, i mean im buying new wheels and tires within a month and i have a used rustys 3 inch kit i got on craigslist, but i was wondering if i just throw a 1.5 inch shackle on the back, some 4.5 inch springs on the front and get a long arm kit, how much more capable would it be? and would i gain alot of flex compared to short arm?? id also get some blisten 5100s. does anybody have a 4.5 inch long arm kit? i know RC makes one. then id get the SYE from Iron rock offroad, and put some money away for a new rear, with a locker. good idea? bad idea?

 

do it. you'll be happy with your results. definitely go with the rc kit good price, not bad quality.

 

You got to decide what is going to work for yourself,4.5inch lift you ll need a sye to do it the right way.The new project I bought from my buddy has a short arm 4.5 and it rides like an old dump truck, it needs long arms in my opinion to ride easier. Your capability will depend on you and how well you can drive off road, I ve seen guys with 2.5, 3 inch lifts go better than noobs with 4.5+ lifts.You dont have to be taller just smarter.

 

go either long arms or drop brackets. you will thank yourself for it.

as for flex, you will get so much more flex, you won't be able to stop giggling.

and that's with the drop brackets, you can imagine how much more you'll get with long arms.

and you won't necessarily need an SYE, i have longarms and 8 inches with no t-case drop or sye installed. but i do have a wrangler slip yoke on my driveshaft to eliminate binding.

 

how do you articulated without the rear driveshaft falling out?

 

if you do the long rm let me know ill buy your 3inch

 

Just remember, the steeper the angle of the front control arms, the worse the ride will be. Keep the arms as close to level (like the long arms) and your ride will be better.

 

Ive heard some people say bushings suck with Rc, but other people love RC. i like their design the most so ill probably try them



i have a stock cherokee right now, and ive been offroading since last summer. ive gotten alot of compliments from people with gigantic trucks. one guy with an old cj with a v8 in it said he shouldnt have waisted all that money cause im doing everything he was...so i think its time for a lift. long overdue.
i wouldnt go any taller then 4.5 inch, thats why i want 4.5 inch.
thanks for the help




well im deffiniatly getting a Hack n Tap kit. ironrock sells one for 260 w/ everything you need. and i like the idea of long arms better. thanks

im going to be using the leaf springs from the 3 inch kit...just adding a 1.5 inch shackle and getting new coils. the leaf springs are rusty's 3 inch full packs...good quality leafs. the coils are so rusted that their nasty, ive been chipping the old powder coat off and im going to try some de-ruster. the stuff that turns the rust into something else. hopefully it will work. the shocks look beat too...but it was only 150, and the leaf springs themselves are worth 225... but its gonna be a while. first thing im doing is getting the 3 inch on. then new wheels and tires...then saving up for shocks, 4.5 inch springs, and a long arm kit, along with longer brake lines, a sye, and shackles for the leaf springs.

thanks for all the help

 

I agree with the first part of this but not the RC quality part. Why buy a long arm kit when you have to start replacing parts a year later? buy a good quality LA kit.

x2? we wheel with a kid that has a 3.5" and the rear flexes and the shaft always falls out.

 

ironman 4x4 (a vendor here) sells a kit that is pure beefy and about $549.50 for the arms. You just would need the crossmember. He also offers a great warranty. He is a really great guy!



ironman4x4fab.com (PM him on here for the discount code)

 

cause when you articulate, your driveshaft basically swivels on a center location, therefor not really extending.

if i were to jump it off a ramp, the rear axle might drop far enough away and the rear driveshaft may pull out, but i doubt it. and i don't jump it.
the rear driveshaft was replaced with a stock unit the correct length, then the yj slip yoke installed.

i do have a brand new SYE in box, but gonna do a doubler setup instead.

 

I've been debating this question myself. I have Short arm now. Rides rough. Long arm much smoother. I've been told to get limiting straps with a long arm kit. They come in different lengths and sell for about $60 for a pair. You can also make them yourself.
Your ideal on shackles and 4.5" springs is on point. Good thinkin.
If money weren't an issue right now. I'd put my money on T&T Customs Long arm set up with frame stiffeners.
I can't stand RC products, but my opinion is only second hand since the kit was on a friends XJ and not mine.
As for your shock option there. I just got Fox shocks. I'd tell you to get those over the Bilstein 5100's. I'm so blown away with how well the Fox shocks are. They can also be rebuilt. Just my 2 cents.

 

the fox shocks are 150 for one shock...thats double the price of a blisten 5100...im not paying 600$ for shocks....300 however is a good deal for a good quality shock. if i was rich, sure id go fox, but sadly im not.....

 

those are pretty expensive, but it is a quality product. i wonder if i could get a RC cross-member (i like the skid plate it offers) and run those long arms... it would be high quality, but also cost alot more then just getting the RC kit....if i got the rc kit i would just put new bushings in it...that seems to be what goes bad...i dunno. maybe ill just go rustys all the way.

 

Rusty's long arm kit works great! And here is the quote from his page: We apologize for what we think is a high price - there is simply no way we can put this kind of quality at your door for less.

For $1000 you can have the crossmember, arms, shocks, and coils and brake lines. for a really nice and stout combination.


Altho... I run short arms. I just pushed my axle forward about 2 inches with adjustable upper and lower control arms and it made a night and day difference.... I have never riden in a long arm ride, but going from short-short arms to long-short arms gave me an extremely good ride