Hey Ya'll just got my jeep. It has a D44 swap out of a 79 bronco. Not a huge fan of the radius arms. Did a little research and being that i am able to admit my faults and am not as mechanically inclined as id like, i come to all you and your wealth of knowledge. Would this solve my problem and allow to 4 link the front?
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...it_p_1542.html

 

With the 78-79 D44s out of Fords you are pretty much stuck with the radius arms because the wedges are cast as part of the tube and can't be removed. You'd have to retube the axle basically. Radius arms when set up right work quite well. Almost all of the long arm kits on the market for XJs are radius type setups. There are a few 3 and 4 links but the radius is far more common. If it still has the stock bolt and bushing set up on the frame end it works OK but you can modify them with heims or a johnny joint of some type and they do much better. Google some images of them on XJs and you'll see plenty of articulation. Only downfall is slight unloading gassing up hills.

 

marc pretty much covered everything. great looking jeep! looks like it was done well, from this angle at least. 9" out back?

 

Mine have only unloaded twice I can remember. Nothing wrong with my set up, has some slight bind but I can't tell if it is steering or arms. I use all 12" of my shock travel on 4.5" of lift and could probably use a slightly longer shock.

 

thats great info guys!! thank you...
Yes i have the ford 9 in the rear as well.. Ill run er as is until i see fit for a change. I was just rather curious as to getting more flex.. I did a flex ramp compared to a buddies Long armed XJ with the D35 and he out flexed me. BUT i think partly cause I'm not locked in the rear yet and the rear wouldn't get enough traction. Thanks for the props on the rig! I think my excitement has me Just Emptying Every Pocket already hahahah

thanks again for the advise and info!

 

Take it easy with the spending. Just keep poking around the Internet. You wouldn't really flex better with a different arm setup. You might articulate better with a 3 link, but both systems should be able to use about the same amount of shock travel. You may be limited by your shocks, sway bar, rear leafs etc. figure out what's holding you back. I don't know your background with off roading but it looks like you've got a pretty good starting point with that jeep

 

Im running the same setup on my jeep runs great flex on mine is limited by shock travel. but finding whats limiting the travel might be your issue check your bump stops along with what has already been suggested also look into what shims the ford radius arms have in them.

these two builds come to mind for good reading
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/pr...n-94-xj-27850/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/ne...g-story-92593/

 

Often times tire size has a bit to do with the ammount of flex you can get. I could stuff 33s a lot easier than my 38s because the 33s fit inside my fenders because of stock width axles where my 38s hit mid tire.

 

Those old radius arms are a hell of a lot stronger than the flimsy control arms the Xj had. If you manage to break one with a light Xj, something is very wrong.

 

only thing I've heard is the the ford arms need gustets

 

I bashed my old 78 F150 4x4. I had a 585hp motor, D44 and a set of 35s, never had a problem other than the clamshell bushings that go between the axle housing and radius arm.

 

thats good to know mine has urithane 4degree shims.

 

Thats the only way to adjust the pinion angle in those setups as well. Yeah, my old truck was a competition mud bogger. Powered by the FR 514cid.