jedijeb

I have been searching around trying to find front control arms either with urethane bushing already installed or with none installed at all. I have read about people buying new ones but having to try to get the rubber ones out to put in urethane ones which seems to not be that easy.

Looking at stock height right now and maybe 2-3 inches lift in the future and want to have the control arms and track bar ready for that when I can afford it. Definitely need to do something with them now as it feels like I am piloting a flat bottom boat down the road instead of a truck. Back end feels like it is sliding on wet pavement and front end feels like the tires are at about 15psi. It is an 85 with 140k miles and all original so I imagine the bushing are shot and are a big part of the problem. Might as well upgrade while I am fixing it.

Thanks for any advice.

Turbo X_J

Urethane bushings make for lots o noise & "road feel" in a dd.

kirknd4spd

Why not just replace the bushings in your stock arms? Unless you just really want new control arms, in which case I like my RE Superflex upper arms. And I'll probably make my own lowers with Johnny Joints once the bushings need replaced in the RC arms I have now.

mrfajita

My steering is all heims. More road feel is a good thing IMO in anything thats not a luxury car

jedijeb

I have heard that it can be a real pain to get the old ones out, also wondering if the stock ones are as rigid as the after market ones? How difficult would it be to replace them with the Energy Suspension ones where you need to reuse the outer sleeves from the stock bushings?

This is most likely not going to be a DD, more a hunting and fishing and drive 15 miles to work once in a while type rig. Once in a while maybe a 100 mile drive to my parents for a hunting trip too, all back roads.

Would adjustables just be a waste for something of this type?

mentalbreakdown00

When you re use the outer sleeves all you have to do is heat them out, clean the grit left install new ones grease the bee jeezus out of the I.D. and metal sleeve and done. This junk they say about road noise I feel is a bit on the not correct side. I have installed on hundreds of cars/ trucks poly control/ sway bar/ shock bushings, everyone has loved the feel of the poly never had a complaint of noise. On my 89 chevy the entire truck is poly bushed, even the cab mounts... best thing I ever did for the old tired girl, now poly motor/ trans mounts you will feel increased engine vibes/ harsher seeming shifts etc..

jedijeb

It doesn't sound too difficult like some have said. I think I will probably just go with the complete Energy Suspensions kit for about $125, looks like it would have everything I need.

Another think I keep hearing about is using a double shear track bar, but at 2" or less, I don't see any offered in that level. I guess it just isn't needed when you have that little lift.

SeriousOffroad

BLACK....
http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.co...84-96-XJ-BLACK

RED....
http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.co...XJ-84-01-FRONT

jedijeb

Thanks, that looks like a good set to work with.

mentalbreakdown00

A double shear track bar is one without a tie rod end on the frame side. It uses two bushings like the bottom side has to give it more pivot, at a 2" lift you probably won't need one, but go up to about 3" or more and yes. I still have my stock trac bar at 2".

kirknd4spd

At 1.5" I needed an adjustable track bar. I've got the 3.5-4.5" lift RE track bar from Serious Offroad, works perfect on my XJ.

jedijeb

I looked at those, I was afraid they would be too long with so little lift. Did you have to adjust the end all the way into the adjustment to make it fit?