IFS Upgrades???

detroit_doc · **Posted:** Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:57 pm

RespectMyLibertay wrote:

Al's arms' price is for the pair of upper a-arms. This thread is about IFS.

Actually marc9976 started this thread and we've kinda of hijacked it.

marc9976 - sorry 'bout that. I'm not sure about the rear. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

unixxx · **Posted:** Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:26 pm

Jeepin Al made a custom tri-link for the rear but I don't think he sells it. All J Products and Rubicon Express sell Rubicon Express rear lower control arms that are adjustable.

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:25 am

True, but he asked about Independent Front Suspension upgrades.
You can get adjustable rear lower control arms from Rubicon Express. I believe All-J has them, like unixx said. Rusty's also carries beefier rear lower control arms and custom ones that I think Al himself uses with his custom rear tri-link. Our KJs' rear suspension is fine for handling a 2.5" lift and 31s as far as I know, it's just our front that needs to be beefed up. The KJ has a crap front diff (not suspension, but still a major problem) and as many of us have found out, sub-par ball joints in both control arms. Since Jeep designed the upper a-arms with non-serviceable ball joints, upgrading to an a-arm with greasable and replaceable ball joints is a must for offroaders. The lower control arms fortunately can be replaced with greaseable MOOGs.

Really, if you get those two items for the front, you can wheel just fine with 31" tires. Just pray you don't grenade your front diff! Some people upgrade the rear suspension, but usually just for a little extra flex and adjustability. Then there's dudes like Jeepin Al...but 33" tires on a KJ is a whole different ball game.

http://www.rustysoffroad.com
Go to Suspensions and then KJ parts, or Custom parts and the custom arms are right at the top of the page.

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

The biggest problem so far, has been weak ball joints up front. It doesn't take too many passes down the rocky roads of colorado to klill them! The rear doesn't give me too much trouble yet but the front...Geez!!! This is supposed to be a Jeep right??? What were they thinking? A set of STRONG upper A arms would have been nice! I love my Libby otherwise...

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:48 pm

marc9976 wrote:

The biggest problem so far, has been weak ball joints up front. It doesn't take too many passes down the rocky roads of colorado to klill them! The rear doesn't give me too much trouble yet but the front...Geez!!! This is supposed to be a Jeep right??? What were they thinking? A set of STRONG upper A arms would have been nice! I love my Libby otherwise...

Don't mean to hijack, but where are you in CO? Have you gone into the LOST Rockies forum, introduced yourself? I can't remember if you have or not, but let us know where you are, and keep checking the rockies forum for events. Things are a little slow now with the weather, but we have an awesome time as soon as the trails clear up.

OK, back to your regular scheduled program.

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

I have not been on LOST Colorado for an intro yet, I'll do that soon! I'm in Golden CO, right at the base of the mountains!

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

Anyone have an opinion of the A arms from Rusty's? The look beefier than the ones from Al's and they have uniballs instead of ball joints! Anyone have them installed???

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:23 pm

marc9976 wrote:

Anyone have an opinion of the A arms from Rusty's? The look beefier than the ones from Al's and they have uniballs instead of ball joints! Anyone have them installed???

Where did you see pics? Ive yet to see any?

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

If you go to Rustysoffroad.com, search for kj parts, it's at the bottom of the page. Part #KJ-UCA1. They look pretty good! I haven't called for a price yet...

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:57 am

As for the Rusty's a-arms,
I'd be interested to see if the extra steel welded in behind the uniball (reinforcement?) would contact the springs. Just a thought...I'd think you'd want to keep that area clear. Maybe it's there to provide a good place for contact without damaging the arm?
I'm not work for Jeepin' Al, but his a-arms are beefier than they look in the picture on his website:
http://www.jeepinbyal.com/files/index.php?id=1
They are definitely beefier than stock, at least.

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

What's the part # for the greasable lower Moog's?

kolesy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:31 am

marc9976 wrote:

What's the part # for the greasable lower Moog's?

MOOG K3199

orm · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:22 am

look at my post in this thread on page 2 regarding rusties a arms.

marc9976 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:08 am **Posts:** 65

Correct me if I'm wrong, Rusty's will or is offering their a arms with adjustable joints for about $350??? For a PAIR??? That almost sounds too good to be true...Am i mistaken???

orm · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:16 pm

yup. that info is from Rusty himself. talked to him last monday.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:16 pm

marc9976 wrote:

Correct me if I'm wrong, Rusty's will or is offering their a arms with adjustable joints for about $350??? For a PAIR??? That almost sounds too good to be true...Am i mistaken???

Im fairly sure that Als arms are around that price?

Jeepin Al · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:36 pm

Yep, my arms are $375 and free shipping, so they will be within $10 of each other price -wise. The uniball is a great thing, but they may not be legal in all states, I know here in NJ they will fail inspection. Some of them when they start to wear, like the rock krawler units, you can tighten them up a couple of times before a rebuild. They do not have grit and dirt protection as the ball joints do. And if you happen to see one picture up on Rusty's site a while back, I believe he removed the rear support plate. That plate at full droop would get caught in the spring (been there and done that). Helps with the ball joint contact however. :shock:

The adjustable ends may transmit road and suspension noise into the cab, however, full off road applications, there will be no flex as with the rubber joints(very minimal flex). This is one reason I didn't go with poly bushings, I was told by the Nissan owners that run poly bushings that the noise drove them crazy, most of them switched back to rubber. I like the idea of having another level of adjustment on the front end.

I am right now working on a new tri link set up to replace the factory rear "boomer-rang" and ball joint. Should be a complete bolt unit when I get done. Sometime in January I should be done with it.

Al

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:02 pm

I was telling marc in another forum that the sperical bushings are great for flex, but I would only use them in double sheer. Using those in a single sheer setup like those arms are not a good idea, especially if you flex and work them as hard as the CO guys have been on these trails. The ball joints are built for that king of operation. Having used plenty of control arms using those spherical bushings, there is just a very slight amount of slop between the bolt and the bushing, especially compared to a ball joint, and then putting the bolt for the spherical bushing in single sheer, when maxed out that bolt will bend and/or sheer right off between the spherical bushing and the knuckle. It's nothing against Rusty's, just that particular use of that spherical bushing that I would not trust that design at all.

orm · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:53 pm

out here in Cali, pre-runners and desert cars are all the rage. EVERY single one of them uses uni-balls at the top and /or botom of the knuckle. look at total chaos fab, camburg engineering, kar-tek, etc. etc. most of these applications are for raceing and, i'm sorry, but going 140 mph across a giant "wash-board" road with dips 2-3' deep is nothing compared to what any of us subject our KJ's to. just my logical opinion but if it works for off-road racing such as the baja 1000, then it will work for my Liberty :wink:

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:03 pm

orm wrote:

out here in Cali, pre-runners and desert cars are all the rage. EVERY single one of them uses uni-balls at the top and /or botom of the knuckle. look at total chaos fab, camburg engineering, kar-tek, etc. etc. most of these applications are for raceing and, i'm sorry, but going 140 mph across a giant "wash-board" road with dips 2-3' deep is nothing compared to what any of us subject our KJ's to. just my logical opinion but if it works for off-road racing such as the baja 1000, then it will work for my Liberty :wink:

Not to sure about that.. I know two very smart people above you said they are not good for flex though..

IFS Upgrades???

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