Trumpster

I'll keep it short and sweet.

2000 XJ Classic, 4.5'' Rough Country X Flex lift with IRO double sheer track bar and Rusty's sudo crossover steering setup.

I'm looking for some Control Arm Drop brackets but with the extremely poor experience I had with RC, I cannot bring myself to purchase one of their products again just out of principal.

Can anyone speak to Rocky Road's CAD brackets? Are the RE CAD brackets that much better to warrant the extra $90? I'm not looking to cheap out, but this rig doesn't see heavy wheeling and is on pavement 80% of the time (sadly).

Thanks for the input in advance!

Stlavguy

I have the rocky road...... Love them!
I started with an RE3.5 Super Flex kit and my XJ rode and Drove like S**t! i pulled off the Super Flex LCA'S and installed the CAD brackets with the stock arms and it was a dramatically better. drove much like stock, harsh bumps gone, and is still great off road.
But.... I'm still gonna go Long Arm soon, I have my eye on TnT Customs Long Arm system now.

Stlavguy

Install was smooth, its built very well. its was just simple.
hell you can buy mine if ya want them.

Trumpster

Thanks for the input. I'd love to hear a bit more feedback on these if anyone has some.

Not opposed to buying used as long as they're in good shape BTW Stlavguy. PM me so we don't make a mess of this thread.

Jamie57

I haven't posted anything about my experience from Rocky Road till now. I purchased their CAD. And I was not impressed. The bolt holes are Flame cut. That means they were made with a cutting torch. Then I found that the holes are too small for the stock bolts to go through. Then I found that the supplied bolts would not fit also and that the nuts they provided would not fit the bolts.
So I drilled them out. Unfortunately my drill press was in my basement and we were working in a friends garage 25 mile away. Ended up breaking a drill bit. Then I find that the sleeves provided also do not fit bolt provided.
Leave them out and proceed with install. Fit does not look good. Some spaces where I would have thought there would be contact between the two parts. Ended up emailing them and all they told me was that the bolt supplied was the wrong one. It was too big.
No Shyt.
The STOCK bolts wouldn't have gone through the holes let alone their "Correct supplied bolt". I'm positive bolt alignment is not correct.
All in all I feel let down. This product looked like something I would have fabbed up in a shop without all the proper tools. I'd say Red neck but I've seen red necks do better.

HOWEVER I do love the way it handles. I like that the control arms are level with the ground giving me a much smoother suspension.
My feelings are that this is just a cheaper way to go then a true long arm system. AFTER everything else I've planned in my build is handled I'm going to look into a true long arm.

I ARE EL1TE

Hmmmmm... and only Grade 5 hardware? Those should be at least grade 8. That's a safety issue.

Trumpster

@ Jamie57:

That is the kind of feedback I'm looking for, along the same lines though, did they take care of you (if you contacted them) without giving you a lot of grief? Mistakes happen, but seeing those holes being that out of round and "dirty" really doesn't instill a lot of confidence in a product.

I just want something I'll be able to take out of the box, measure up, and bolt on. I don't think I should have to modify something that is supposedly designed for my (our) rig(s) unless the product specifically says it will require custom fabrication or modifications to work. If you're warned, then you know what you're getting into; if not, it should be a bolt on affair.

Anyone else with feedback please post it up!

blankdeluxe

Why don't you just go long arms if your planning on upgrading anyway? Check out the SeriousOffroad kits. I have heard nothing but good things about it and they are still affordable.

http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.co...4-7.5-S-A-Lift

Trumpster

I don't see myself going any higher and the cost vs benefit of going to a long arm kit is not something I see being worth it for me. My current lift has all of 3,000 miles on it or so and I'm not looking to drop almost another $1,000 into it right now. Maybe, just MAYBE down the road I'll go that route, but right now the short arms will be just fine with their angle corrected.

xj_maniac_newb

I've got the RCX drop brackets, bought them used for $50 bucks. I honestly dislike rough country with a passion, but the drop brackets are actually alright. They fit pretty good and the brace they provide gives them a nice look (Even though in all honesty the brace does a whole lot of nothing.. Its held to the frame rail with two big *** self taping bolts). I'm happy with mine, they went on pretty easily. Plus all the importan hardware is grade 8 stuff, which surprised me. From my experience i'd recommend them, and thats the ONLY thing i'd recommend from RC.

Jamie57

I will recommend CAD. I will NOT recommend Rocky Road.

ta2tony

So all the grade 5 hardware that was in my jeep when it rolled out of the factory 17 years ago is a safety issue?

Stlavguy

Like I said I have the Rocky Road CAD brackets and they work fantastic( the short arm setup I started with from RE was a S**T ride), I can't remember thinking that the holes were "flame cut" when i did my install and all the hardware that came with my setup worked great. but also if i recall I used the factory upper and lower control arms bolts.
as far as the RC CAD brackets go...
there support brackets are a little weak in comparison to Rocky Road. as stated its just a couple self tapping screws into the bottom of the anybody where the Rocky Road slides all the back to the transmission cross member.
Just throwing all this out there, and I'm still going long arm sooner rather than later

ClassicX

I have the RE CAD's. no complaints. Easy install and have stood up fine over the years. I recommend them

xj_maniac_newb

Meh they're not weak, hell they're not even really needed. I could take those braces off and slam mine with a BFH a few hundred times and they'll never move. But they do offer some rigidity, they're not just some self taping screws, they're 3/8" self taping bolts. Not as strong as a nut and bolt, but not necessarily weak either.



If i were to buy a new set, i'd probably go with the RE drop brackets. Just so i wouldnt have to deal with Rocky Road again.