MAJKF

I am running the older design. Got my caster to 4 on the money with about 3" actual lift.

What would be really cool is if there was a "tail" on the rear of the LCA bracket that smoothed it out against the frame. to make it more like:
__-frame
/ -drop bracket

instead of:
__-frame
I -drop bracket

incase of rolling back going over rocks it hangs down like a big catch point.

urmyboyblue

Kinda...I didn't do cam bolts and was PLANNING on upgrading control arms but then I got goofy and wanted it purty and then added gears, etc. I didn't take care of the basics first. To be honest, I've got to get it on a rack to get numbers...Been in the shop a couple of days chasing an axle seal problem :(

rsmwrangler

Why not do adjustable control arms instead of the cheap drop brackets ? i'll be dragging those crappy brackets all the way at John Bull here in Big Bear, considering i have a 2.25" lift. get your caster where it should be, and the wandering goes away, plus aftermarket LCAS are beefier than the stock LCAs, and won't hang 2-3" low. I run 5* caster in my JKU with Synergy adjustable lowers front, i have an Adams 1310 DS, 2.25" lift, zero vibes, and can do 80mph with one hand, and i don't need to have rock anchors in place, which those brackets will be when im running the fun trails, for that i have the damn Rubi rails with the Ace sliders already acting as rock anchors , i need to get rid of this slider setup and get me a pair of PS rocker knockers or VKS sliders.

urmyboyblue

The eventual plan is to do control arms. I've just went off on tangents with my Jeep and never stuck with one thing. The other reason is because I'm in Florida...It's a long drive to get to places that can cause a large amount of damage to the belly of my Jeep.

MAJKF

First of all, agrree about dragging them. See my post above about how that could be addressed. Im planning on welding a skid/reverse ramp on mine to tie them into frame.

The case for brackets is that brackets correct geometry. Caster correction is really just a bonus built in to them, an additional selling point. Adjustable control arms dont adress geometry, which means the jeep will be jarring over bumps at anything over 5mph. It all comes down to the angle of the control arm. The closer to parrallel the arms are the better the suspension is able to do its job and absorb bumps. When they angle down (as with lifted jeeps) hitting a bump transfers shock through the control arms to the frame. Correct geometry allows the suspension to articulate upwards, the coils to do their job, without transferring the aforementioned shock.

Imagine walking into a curb holding a shovel in front of you at downward angle vs holding it slightly angled up at curb height.

Rednroll

^^^This

There are advantages of geo brackets over adjustable LCA's. Cost being one of them, as well as putting the LCA's paralel to the ground which translates to a smoother ride and also reduces brake dive when braking. The brackets don't hang down 2-3". Most are within the 1-1.5" where there are other items under your Jeep that hang down lower than the brackets but things seem to get exaggerated when you're trying to make a counter-point against them.

I have adjustable LCA's for caster correction, but I also understand the benefits the Geo brackets have over them.

rsmwrangler

I don't understand where the jarring comment comes from, why I don't have jarring anything in my Jeep? I have the synergy adjustables front with factory uppers, Teraflex fixed rears with factory uppers. E rated 35" tires, pumped at 34psi, I drive mine 130 miles daily, and can do 80mph or more with one hand, I would think I'll know a thing or two about how my Jeep handles.

Adjustable lowers will address caster, so what do you mean adjustable arms don't correct geometry ? If I had a higher lift, I'll need to address pinion angle as well, in which case I'll add upper adj arms. I'll never correct geometry with a cheapy, bracket, if I went even higher, then I'll do al long arm kit.

What do people buy into the marketing of the brackets is beyond me, I see it in the other forum a lot because it seems some are just interested in having a pavement monster, and they're terrified of getting their jeep dirty, or from rocks or whatever, brackets are just cheap, ill give you that, and sure they will address caster and pinion angle for cheap, I'm saying and encouraging people to do the same with arms for max performance.

rsmwrangler

Sure and i agree, price, is their main advantage, I'm not saying brackets don't work, i just said they were rock anchors, i'll measure the lost clearance again, it's more than 1.5" guarantee with them, the lowest point in the belly is your front diff, then your front lowers mount points, but this points are not in the middle of the vehicle, the brackets will put your whole factory arms at the same level with the front lower mounts, and now the bracket is at the same level as the front lca mount, if you hit the front mount, you can hit any point in the factory lower control arm, which btw will bent easy, one of the benefits of beefier lower control arms is that you can hit them with confidence , and you'll hit the drop bracket as well, if you have skids in the mount, you'll just slide, the bracket will simple drag you down, the bracket will sustain direct hits front the front sure, now hit it from the side, and what will you get .... i understand how the bracket works, but everything else you seem to be telling me is coming from the brackets marketing, and how vendors have positioned some of their lower cost kits into the Jeep market.

I don't need to be sold into brackets simply because i don't think cheaping out the geometry/strength in my Jeep will give me any of the the benefits i was looking to have both onroad and offroad. . I don't have any of the issues the bracket is supposed to address, and i dont have any of the issues the bracket will give me if i had them when i'm doing offroad. the fact that my lowers have little scars in them, that i know it would have totaled my factory lcas leaving me stranded in the trail, is more than enough reasons for me to say no to cheapy brackets and factory lowers.

I understand not everybody will wheel the same, heck i know i'm not wheeling as hard as other well experienced people will, better be ready than sorry. i'll cheap out in other things, i've got the cibie light setup instead of JW speakers

orangedude71

I would say, if your control arm brackets are hammered like mine from playing on the rocks, drop brackets are probably the worst thing you can do. But if your wheeling is of the mud and dirt variety, then brackets are a great thing. That's my two cents on it anyways.

TheDirtman

You can always raise the axle side bracket to get geometry correction and more ground clearance.