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 Post subject: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 7:06 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
I keep killing bushings in my rear control arms and tri-link. These things were just never meant for the amount of repetitive flex I put them through. I also want to have the rear ready to go for when I do the SFA swap as I will be replacing the c8.25 with a 1 ton axle (D60, Sterling 10.50, 14Bolt).

My main goals are to have a much flatter/straight travel arc for the rear axle with more lift and reliability/strength.

Today I started cutting out the frame side control arm mounts. Stock looks to be 1/8". I used 1/4" plate for these.

Image

My first design was just a simple bracket.
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I felt I could make it stronger and I also wanted it ramped so it can slide over an obstacle. So I ended up cutting these out. Considering I don't have a plasma cutter yet I feel these came out pretty sweet.

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This is as far as I got before having to head into work. This next image I used paint to give you an idea for the rest of the mount design.

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For the lower links I plan on using 2" .25" wall DOM tubing.

On the axle mount end I was going to use [url="https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/125RESET.html"]1.25" heim joint from Ruff Stuff[/url] but for the price I can just run one of the joints below on both ends. The Metal Cloaks offer the most misalignment at 34 degrees per joint vs 30 degrees of the other two. I plan on running these over heims because they will be quieter and are rebuildable.

https://www.currieenterprises.com/compl ... nny-joints
https://www.metalcloak.com/Forged-Durof ... p/7348.htm"]Metal Cloak Duroflex Joints
http://www.rockkrawler.com/ProductDetai ... s%5F1%2E25

Compared to the kit JBA sells mine will be way stronger, allow more articulation, and will be quieter without the heims in it..
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I may end up cutting off the axle mounts and moving them up so they don't sit below the axle but Idk if the extra effort and $ will be worth it since I don't plan on keeping the c8.25 for much longer. If I do move them I will still have sufficient vertical link separation because the mount I'm going to make for the upper links can just sit higher off the top of the differential.

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'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2018 10:18 pm 
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LOST Junkie

Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
Today I finished the assembly of the mounts. I just need to order the joints and tubing. Once I get home from work tonight I'll get them cleaned up and primed.

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(ignore my ghetto muffler hanging down)
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The width of the mount where the joint sits is 2.72" on one and 2.83" on the other. The specified mounting width of the 2.5" Johnny Joint is 2.82". The one is spot on but the other I will need to spread apart 0.1" if it's too tight on the joint.

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Although the JJ is "the standard" for rod ends I think I am going to go with Duroflex joints as they how lower NVH levels. They are 2.62" wide so I may need to tack on a washer inside the mount.

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Ran out of mig wire halfway through but luckily the welding supply store is right up the road. Went and picked up a 10lb spool of Lincoln wire.

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Not sure on how long I'm going to make the lower links yet. I would like to open up the rear of the wheel well into the bumper to do a 4-5" stretch. Will need to look into how I can reinforce the back end and if it's doable without a cage yet. I may need to build a subframe or plate the unitbody frame.

For now I'm just going to order a 7' section of tubing. This will be plenty as I expect link length with no stretch to be in the ~38-40" range.

Once the joints and tubing are in I'll drill the mounts. The JJ use a 3/4" bolt and the Duroflex use 9/16" bolt.

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L.O.S.T. #31000

'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

DobermanRacing.com - Team Driver
Sponsored by UltRanger & CellTech


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2018 10:10 am 
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LOST Newbie
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Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 8:38 pm
Posts: 88
Location: Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Great project, would love to have your welding skills.


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2018 12:50 pm 
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LOST Member

Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Posts: 160
Nice workmanship! :mrgreen:

i'm curious at the length you're choosing.
- are you extending the uppers similarly?
- what's the driveshaft and pinion angle going to do on droop?

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Mine: 1993 W250, Cummins/5spd/NP205/3.54, Lockright, ~3" lift, 315/75R16 Duratracs, extra smoke, more noise, 374,000km


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2018 2:49 pm 
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LOST Junkie

Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
A quick update. I received all of my tubing for the rear links.

Image

The lower links are going to the stock axle mounts then to the mounts I made in the previous post.

Wasn't sure what I was going to do for the top but I've decided on using a Ruff Stuff truss and Ruff Stuff 4 link mount for the axle side. The frame side I'm still unsure. I have a few ideas but will wait til the truss is in and I can mock stuff up.

Image

Image

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L.O.S.T. #31000

'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

DobermanRacing.com - Team Driver
Sponsored by UltRanger & CellTech


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2018 2:53 pm 
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LOST Junkie

Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
u2slow wrote:
Nice workmanship! :mrgreen:

i'm curious at the length you're choosing.
- are you extending the uppers similarly?
- what's the driveshaft and pinion angle going to do on droop?



For the lowers I'm going to keep them around 40". For the uppers I'd like to get 30" but I'm not sure on where they will mount yet. I have a few ideas but need to get under there and mock it up.

I used an online 4 link calculator and that helped me decide on the lengths. Keeping the uppers in the stock body side mount and using the truss I will be longer then stock around 25-26". If I move the body upper mounts I would need to bring them closer together but that will mess with the triangulation which supports the axle from moving laterally.

I plan on doing a SYE kit and a custom shaft.

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L.O.S.T. #31000

'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

DobermanRacing.com - Team Driver
Sponsored by UltRanger & CellTech


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:45 pm 
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LOST Junkie

Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
So I ended up using Barnes Enduro joints. They have a 1.25" thick shank with 3.25" of threads. They offer 80 degrees of flex per arm. I used 9/16" bolts all around.

The upper arms are currently set to 20", they are adjustable from 19" to 23".

I was going to modify the stock mounts to accept the 9/16 bolt but ended up making new mounts built onto the stock lower mount since the frame is thicker there and can handle the stress. When I built them I rotated the bolt horizontal to allow more flex. The axle side mount uses a vertical bolt position which makes the joint stronger.

This improved handling a ton. Steering is much more firm and direct. I used to think my rack was on its way out but it was just slop in the upper rear control arm.

Lower arms are up next. I'm planning on offering a set of bolt in double adjustable control arms for sale. I'm working on getting wholesale pricing for the joints but paying retail for everything I should be able to offer them for $399/set. If they approve my business account they will be cheaper than that. They will be virtually indestructible, rebuildable, quieter than heims, and offer up to 4" of adjustability so you can run them with no lift up to 6" lift. ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

_________________
L.O.S.T. #31000

'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

DobermanRacing.com - Team Driver
Sponsored by UltRanger & CellTech


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:41 am 
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LOST Junkie

Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
Drives so much better. ImageImageImage

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L.O.S.T. #31000

'03 KJ Freedom Edition - 4" JBA Coilover Lift w/ 32" Cooper STT PROs
'98 XJ Sport - 6" Full-Traction 4-Link Long Arm - Jeepspeed #2731 (Race Jeep)

DobermanRacing.com - Team Driver
Sponsored by UltRanger & CellTech


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 Post subject: Re: Rear HD Control Arm Mounts + Adjustable Long Arms
PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:31 pm 
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LOST Newbie

Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 9:53 pm
Posts: 86
Location: WNC
love it

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