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ok i have been wondering what the difference is between the two kits... i have a short arm on my jeep from the previous owner and i was looking into upgrading to a long arm kit. If so has anyone got any good reviews on rubicon express lift kits?
I've seen some long arms in person iron rock clayton and some rough country radius arms. They all seem better than stock but have one thing in common they're on pretty tall jeeps angles srent great they dont seem to flex any better than my short arms my short arms go every where the long arms go then my welded rear takes me passed them.
to be honest I have not ridden in aong arm jeep if the ride is enough better off road they will be worth it but for being more trail capable I dunno a cheap budget built jeep with lockers will show up the long armed open axle rigs.
I also agree with drop brackets huge bang for your buck in getting control arms flat Im currently working on putting my raised short arms raised the xle end im going to run this 3 linked with a johny joint pressed in. Then drift into a longer armed similar to the sfr.
Keep in mind the stinky fab 3 link uses a weld on passenger side bracket for the upper so it's not a bolt on kit.
The 4 link is a bolt on kit.uses factory upper axle mounts.
the upper arms are 70% of the lowers this keep castor axle from changing (much) during suspension cycle.
Sfr lower links are about 32" long at least from my measurements. The kits that tie to the crossmember are 36ish maybe 38 depending on where they actually tie t the cross member.
The iron rock kit I saw was all clustered and just didnt appeal to me not pleasing to the eye. Clayton or whoever's used the upper turned vertical. Yuck.
Rusty's brackets look good I do like them.
Keep in mind no hands on experience from me only seeing, il be building what I think is best and my arms will be flat. Probably 3 link for fitment and so I can run heims on both ends of the upper for easy castor tuning.
Sfr mentioned 4 link is more stable maybe a firmer ride compared to the softer more flexible 3 link.
By the 4 link run it then pull the passenger arm have the best of both worlds
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
The closest I come here is I have RE 7.5" coils. They come in various spring rates. Mine are 210# coils. I have had them over ten years and they haven't sagged and ride fairly well
That said, the difference between short and long arms is huge. It's all about geometry. CAD systems cheat the geometry by relocating the mounting points, yes it does smooth the ride, but at a cost of clearance.
It boils down to how you use your vehicle...what do you need from it? Daily driver with mild off road, sure, a CAD will get you improved ride quality on the street, but will have limits on the trails. Daily driver/weekend warrior is a tough bill to fill, but usually a mild long arm or mid arm does great, either radius or 4 link, if you want to get serious, then go 3 link, greater articulation. And remember, more lift doesn't equal greater ability, so the bottom line is this...what are YOU looking for out of your rig? Figure that out, and make your life easier, haha
short arm vs long arm?
