So which is better for an off road application? im going to be doing a long arm upgrade with a zone 4.5 inch lift and i was curious which system would offer the best flex and control. id like to do a 4 link because of some articles i have read on 4link xj's. but i have also heard good things on the 3link and not so good on the y-link. kind of new to this part of the lift territory. but i did work with a guy with a 4-linked toyota and the axels could get nearly vertical (it was highly modded mind you) but thats kinda what im going off of any advice? im not a jeep speed guy ill never be flying across the desert but i would be crawling over the mountains in the distance to just give you an idea. any advice would be awesome thank in advance guys

 

3 link IMO is an ideal offroad setup, radius arm setups are fine for most folks though..
A 4 link with a pan-hard is what you typically see when people refer to 4 link'd xjs..
Otherwise you'd need a triangulated 4link which is nearly impossible to squeeze under the front of an xj.

My last XJ on 4.5" lift, 35s, and a B. Lee's Offroad 3 link kit:

 

Oh wow that's. A great picture good looking rig ok so three link might be the way to go. I'm running a 1998 xj with the ax-15 so its been harder to find things to fit the manual

 

B. Lee's Offroad can also make one for a manual trans.

 

Matter of fact, the first one ever built went on a jeep with the AX-15.

 

Also, the x-member is pretty high clearance..so it sits up nice and out of the way:

 

if you're keeping a D30, I don't see a reason to go to a 3 link unless you're cutting and fabbing your own anyway since you have to do a new upper tower, or truss, and lower links.

it's much easier to go with a radius arm setup, and it will still perform phenomenally, comfortably, and be stable. I ran a radius arm at 4.5" and never felt it unload once, never had a single problem. at that height I'd recommend them to anyone. seriousoffroad has the best value vs. quality ratio I've seen so far. you just can't beat it

that being said, I'm building a 3 link for my new jeep. if I ever go back to a D30 for some odd reason, I'll for sure pick up some T&T or seriousoffroad arms.

 

Ya I'm still going to be running my Dana 30 . and 32 or 33inch tires with some uber bumpstops and a fender trim

 

And I thought bds suspension has 4/3 link that. Worked with the Dana 30 without cutting and such? Or messing with the axel in general I mean :/

 

if your going sick with the stock axles I recomend going with a radius arm set up and shackle relocation boxes and a slightly longer rear leaf. if your good at fab and going to upgrade axles I would say 3 link front and a triangulated 4link in the rear.

 

I see now I took a peek at serious offroads goodies I like them um next question is frame stiffeners are those a must for a long arm kit?

 

The rock crawler 3 link bolts in. Their 4 link you need to cut the old passenger upper mount off and weld on the one they give you.

 

Coulda sworn the Clayton 3 link required a truss system too. Either way. It's whatever you're up for. I'd rather just bolt up some radius arms and go. The biggest factor is that T&T and serious offroad offer belly pan/ tcase protection. Cant remember what other companies offer that much protection


As for frame plates, they are not required. But they are highly recommended. Drag that underside over a couple ledges and you've got yourself a dented frame

 

frame stiffeners are not required but the XJ uniframes are known for not being very strong so highly recomended.

 

The Clayton 3 link requires their truss but i don't really know why especially since rk makes use of the diff mount, I don't see why Clayton makes you cut it off.