Long Arm vs Short Arm Suspension
03-15-2011, 11:11 AM
#31
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Thanks everyone for the great information! Oddly enough the slider discussion was actually quite informative as that decision is being made too.
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend and the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
edit footnote: rock crawling stock height and wheels - the full length heavy duty Rock Hard tranny and oil pan skid saved my azz. Just saying. I think I need the gas tank skid now that thing got beat to heck! Wheeled slow and careful - no impacts at all on the diffs or arms. Just gave the skids some serious workout. Oh... my muffler is a bit flatter. haha.
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend and the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
edit footnote: rock crawling stock height and wheels - the full length heavy duty Rock Hard tranny and oil pan skid saved my azz. Just saying. I think I need the gas tank skid now that thing got beat to heck! Wheeled slow and careful - no impacts at all on the diffs or arms. Just gave the skids some serious workout. Oh... my muffler is a bit flatter. haha.
Last edited by BigMAK1; 03-15-2011 at 11:16 AM.
03-15-2011, 11:13 AM
#33
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Thanks everyone for the great information! Oddly enough the slider discussion was actually quite informative as that decision is being made too.
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend end the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend end the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
03-15-2011, 11:15 AM
#34
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Originally Posted by BigMAK1
Thanks everyone for the great information! Oddly enough the slider discussion was actually quite informative as that decision is being made too.
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend end the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
Took the Rubi out on it's first serious rock crawling trip last weekend end the terrain out here has a -lot- of ledges. Enough so that my next concern is the long arms being used as ad-hoc sliders. I think I'll weigh that... and likely end up copying Chris' setup to mount 37's with a 3" Long Arm. 37's for a little more clearance to help avert control-arms-as-sliders syndrome and keep the lift from being too agressive.
Altho my choice seems to bounce back and forth between 3 and 4".. (sigh). We'll see in a few weeks - hopefully I'll have a couple bucks leftover after my kid's wedding to buy my lift (have to keep the bank account well in the black until after that!).
New driveshafts are a given for what I'm doing - so if I decide to go 4" Long Arm will the wear and tear really be that much worse vs. 3"? Does the handling degrade much going the extra inch?
Ask northridge4x4, he went from our 4" to the 3" long arm on his 2door.
03-15-2011, 11:45 AM
#35
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03-15-2011, 12:39 PM
#36
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Lifting the body doesn't give more clearance - except of-course more room for the tires/wheels. Since I'm going for 37s as long as I can clear those I don't want to bother with a body lift -- basically maintaining the center of gravity lower and clearing 37s seems like the best option.
03-15-2011, 05:15 PM
#37
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Originally Posted by BigMAK1
Lifting the body doesn't give more clearance - except of-course more room for the tires/wheels. Since I'm going for 37s as long as I can clear those I don't want to bother with a body lift -- basically maintaining the center of gravity lower and clearing 37s seems like the best option.