casamtb

I just installed the JKS brackets on my 13 JKU as well. I literally put them on last night and did a 5 mile test run down a shitty road this morning and they are awesome. I had the Synergy fixed length and they were fine when I was at 2" lift. When I went 3+" i too noticed a lot of road energy was being transferred into the frame. It felt like the axle was vibrating back to front over bumps and expansion joints... because it was. Geometry. The JKS mounts are box welded and use integrated welded spacers, they are solid and I cannot imagine them getting taco'd. If they do, I'll replace them for a $160. My stock frame LCA brackets were getting beat to crap with the Synergy LCAs so i would rather have the JKS brackets take the beating instead. The LCAs are parallel to the ground so I cannot imagine sliding them over rocks so going to be an issue. Backing up over rocks, sure, though if i have gotten myself into that position, i am probably already rock stacking anyhow. I agree a long arm kit is the best option, and will go that route one day. But for now 95% of my driving is road. The 6-8 trips i take a year, I'll run blues and blacks all day on 3" and 33s and now i'll be enjoying the ride home as well. And for the .005% of the time i need to back over a rock... I'll find a 3" rock and place it under said pinned tire. I was skeptical as well for a while and felt like I was selling out by going to drop brackets. But after wheeling with a bunch of people who have them, it's just really never an issue.

rsmwrangler

I'm sorry to see you had issues with your fixed lowers, and precisely the reason i prefer adjustable, if the lift goes up, the arms can be ready to go in no time.

I know you guys with brackets will defend to death, again, i wish i knew why. Nobody in my trail group runs brackets, but we've had a couple of invitees with them, their Jeeps were lifted higher than mine, and they were dragging them all over the place, they didn't get stuck, but i know for a fact one of them was struggling in the obstacles more than the other..again, if you feel you have to have them go ahead and run them, they're better than running cam tabs by far, they're just not something ill run personally in my Jeep, i believe in adjustable arms speaking in terms of performance.

Everybody in this pics is running a lift higher than mine, and nobody have brackets, nobody complaints about their arms. Set them as they should and enjoy.

20160828_150646 by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr 20160828_120712 by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

LidLess07X

After owning three JK's with all levels of lift ( both cost and complexity ) I have found the brackets to be much better suited to my needs. I can assure you it has absolutely nothing to do with cost and everything to do with geometry. The brackets get the lower control arms parallel to the ground giving a far superior on-road ride and reducing brake dive in a way adjustable control arms just can't do. Even if they sacrifice a little bit of ground clearance.

Rednroll

Really, the only one that seems to be defending something is you in regards to adjustable LCA's. Everyone else just seems to be posting their experience which just doesn't seem to align with yours.

I'm not trying to be argumentative. As I said, I have adjustable LCA's. It's really just understanding simple geometry in understanding why a bracket puts the LCA's more parallel to the ground, which translates to a smoother ride.

rsmwrangler

Did I say brackets don't fix geometry?, did I say brackets don't run parallel to the ground? Did I say brackets don't do what they are supposed to?

When it comes to point of view, mine is different, and brackets are not in my thoughts regardless... does that change how they work?

d. gage

Dude move along...

nthinuf

You did not install the cams that came with the lift? So you were running 3.5" coils with NO caster correction? That certainly explains the flighty steering complaint.

If that is the case, then the title of this thread is just a bit misleading. It should be something more like "adjusting caster for the lift height is amazing! What was I thinking by waiting so long... ".

Any form of correction would have improved the handling, it just happens that you chose brackets.

PowellVols

Dumb question here but can you run the drop brackets with cam bolts?

TheDirtman

You can but will have too much caster correction unless you are at 6"+ of height.

urmyboyblue

Well....Yeah! Not much else to say about that. I've only had my Jeep for a couple of years so it's still a learning curve...

Case in point...