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 Post subject: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arms
PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 12:02 pm 
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At 123,000 miles, the CRD's suspension is more shot than I'm willing to deal with for much longer. Having to replace that is a good excuse to lift it a bit, as well as to take care of some maintenance items that make sense to do while I'm in there.

This vehicle is 97% daily driver, 3% tow vehicle and light-to-moderate trail runner. The main goal is a little more underbody clearance without compromising on-road manners. To that end, here's what's been ordered so far:

- OME 1.5" lift, HD springs at both ends, long-travel shocks in the rear
- JBA lifted KJ upper A-arms
- Moog strut mounts
- Moog greasable lower ball joints
- Moog inner & outer tie rod ends (outers also greasable)
- Raybestos R300 brake discs
- Raybestos semi-metallic brake pads

I've used OME suspension before on XJs and really like it. I'm willing to trade off some ride quality for the added load capacity of the HD springs - they're mainly wanted for towing and cargo hauling, but figured I may as well do both ends in case I ever picked up a bumper and / or winch.

Anyway, I'm torn between two choices on the rear UCAs. Choice #1 is the Iron Rock Offroad Short WJ Adjustable A-arm and WWDiesel's mounting bracket. Choice #2 is JBA's KJ Tri-Angulated 4-Link.

There is a significant price difference between the two. However, this is a case where I'm willing to spend the money if, in the longer term, it makes sense to do so.

What I'm mainly interested in is hearing from anyone with the 4-link installed as to how road manners (particularly when towing) are. While it should improve articulation over the boomerang setup that the stock UCA uses, this one is going to mainly stay a DD and not be pushed hard in the dirt, so I'm not sure that I'll see much of a benefit from it. That said, if it works better for towing, I'm more likely to be talked into it.

Also, are the rear lower control arms likely to need replacement at 1.5"? I doubt it, but since the bushings are shot on the current set I'm going to have to figure something out on those as well.

I'm looking to pull the trigger on the rear control arms either tomorrow or Monday at the latest so that everything arrives next week, so any ideas between now and then would be extremely helpful.

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2005 KJ CRD Limited 4x4:
245/75R16 BFG TA KO2s
OME / Clevis 2.5" Lift
JBA Lifted A-Arms
IRO WJ Short Rear UCA/WWDiesel mount
Skid Row Skidplates
HDS Model 001 Thermostat (190°F)
Suncoast TC
Full Weeks Kit
Bosch 5V glow plugs
Hayden 2986 fan clutch / GM 11-blade fan
Samco / Sasquatch Intake Hoses
Carter in-tank pump
Provent 200
V6 Airbox


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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 12:29 pm 
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Posts: 456
Location: Prescott, Arizona
Stick with the Ironrock. The 4-link is way overkill for what you're doing. Just make sure you replace the rear lower control arms. There is a recall going around for the RLCA's right now, so you may get an OEM set installed for free from a dealer if you're lucky.

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2006 Limited CRD: Frankenlift II, Fumoto Drain Plug, DIY Stage 1 Tune, In-Tank Lift Pump


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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:05 pm 
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APC9199 wrote:
Stick with the Ironrock. The 4-link is way overkill for what you're doing. Just make sure you replace the rear lower control arms. There is a recall going around for the RLCA's right now, so you may get an OEM set installed for free from a dealer if you're lucky.


Thanks for the heads-up on the recall; going through the change-of-ownership hell with FCA so that I can get the notification I'll need in order to hopefully get them replaced under the recall.

Spoke with IRO today, and they were happy to sell me the UCAs without the bracket, so ordered that plus one of WWDiesel's KJ brackets for it. That's everything I need; boxes should start showing up in a day or two!

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2005 KJ CRD Limited 4x4:
245/75R16 BFG TA KO2s
OME / Clevis 2.5" Lift
JBA Lifted A-Arms
IRO WJ Short Rear UCA/WWDiesel mount
Skid Row Skidplates
HDS Model 001 Thermostat (190°F)
Suncoast TC
Full Weeks Kit
Bosch 5V glow plugs
Hayden 2986 fan clutch / GM 11-blade fan
Samco / Sasquatch Intake Hoses
Carter in-tank pump
Provent 200
V6 Airbox


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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 11:44 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:03 am
Posts: 535
Location: NJ
I'm working on a set of adjustable lowers with duraflex joints. Stock length and a long arm set.

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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:22 pm 
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Myke wrote:
I'm working on a set of adjustable lowers with duraflex joints. Stock length and a long arm set.


That would be rather nice :) Got any photos of the prototypes?

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2005 KJ CRD Limited 4x4:
245/75R16 BFG TA KO2s
OME / Clevis 2.5" Lift
JBA Lifted A-Arms
IRO WJ Short Rear UCA/WWDiesel mount
Skid Row Skidplates
HDS Model 001 Thermostat (190°F)
Suncoast TC
Full Weeks Kit
Bosch 5V glow plugs
Hayden 2986 fan clutch / GM 11-blade fan
Samco / Sasquatch Intake Hoses
Carter in-tank pump
Provent 200
V6 Airbox


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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:11 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Posts: 160
I've got the KJ up to about 3" lift (rear is 2" spacers plus coilover overloads). LCA's were updated on a recall. JBA's extension bracket on the UCA.

The next iteration is most likely going to be IRO's WJ arm, and a truss on the diff to mount it properly.

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Hers: 2005 KJ, V6/6spd/NV242J/3.73/posi, 2" Teraflex, ¾" cradle drop, KK forks, 22½" hub-to-flare, RRO arms, 245/75R16s, 260,000km
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: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:16 am 
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u2slow wrote:
I've got the KJ up to about 3" lift (rear is 2" spacers plus coilover overloads). LCA's were updated on a recall. JBA's extension bracket on the UCA.

The next iteration is most likely going to be IRO's WJ arm, and a truss on the diff to mount it properly.


I'll put in a recommendation for WWDiesel's UCA mount; PM him for more details, but I have one and it is beefy.

Note: work on my lift won't start until the 8th, so neither it nor the IRO UCA are on the KJ yet. As a result I have no in-use experience with the combo at this time, but it is an extremely solid piece.

_________________
2005 KJ CRD Limited 4x4:
245/75R16 BFG TA KO2s
OME / Clevis 2.5" Lift
JBA Lifted A-Arms
IRO WJ Short Rear UCA/WWDiesel mount
Skid Row Skidplates
HDS Model 001 Thermostat (190°F)
Suncoast TC
Full Weeks Kit
Bosch 5V glow plugs
Hayden 2986 fan clutch / GM 11-blade fan
Samco / Sasquatch Intake Hoses
Carter in-tank pump
Provent 200
V6 Airbox


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 Post subject: Re: About to lift, trying to figure out the rear control arm
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 12:30 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:49 pm
Posts: 27226
Location: NOW Southeastern Ohio/ Tanzania
Running the JBAs bolt ons on two of my KJs lots of miles no issues
Don't need or what adjustable lowers, lots of headaches unless going way high ( over 5 inches )

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited


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