bombout800

Just curious as to why there hasn't been anyone try and drop the rear control arm mounting points at the frame.

-Would there be zero benefit?
-Would it not be cost effective?
-Would it throw geometry off at all?
-How would it affect or better the ride?
-Could the control arms being more parallel improve ride?
-Could the decreased angle make the ride suffer?
-Could it limit axle up travel or down travel?

I don't know much about any of this, but was just curious as to why a front drop bracket is marketed but not a rear? Also, I'm sure it would just give another point to get hung up on when off road.

Open to all discussion

Christarp

- There's not as much benefit as using them up front because they're used mainly for caster correction
- Not really
- Probably not
- Not much at all
- Yes they could, but that's a side effect of drop brackets, that's not their main purpose (which is to bring caster back to stock levels in lifted jeeps at the front end to improve steering), since the back wheels don't do any steering it doesn't matter what the caster is.
- Usually having more level control arms improves the ride, but a lot of what changes the ride the most is the shocks and springs you're running (or coilovers). Having them level but still the same length still limits flex because the axle moves forwards and backwards more as it droops compared to a long arm, so the benefits are very small
- The stock arm length is mainly what limits length before the axle has moved too far forwards or backwards. Having them level would help with getting more down travel before the axle shifts a ridiculous amount forward, but the best way to mitigate that is to get longer control arms.

Basically the main benefits to drop brackets are correcting steering geometry, there is a side effect of making the arms more parallel to the ground which is good, but that alone won't improve much and as such the rear doesn't need them. Plus like you said it's another thing to get hung up on when out on the trails.

TheDirtman

You can cut off the control arm mounts on the axle and rotate them up to flatten the arms out and gain clearance. You will loose vertical seperation but the JK has way more then is actually needed.

bombout800

But is there anything else you benefit from besides clearance?

TheDirtman

Flatter arms are better for geometry. Less axle shift during articulation, smoother on road ride, better instant center, less squat when accelerating, better climbing ability. I would use new HD brackets, not reuse the factory ones and you may need adjustable arms depending on your set up.