Two Door RockKrawler 3.5" Long Arm kit installed
12-27-2008, 08:57 PM
#1
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Two Door RockKrawler 3.5" Long Arm kit installed
Well, it's been a few days now, and I'm finally getting around to writing something up on this.
I had my RK 3.5" Long Arm kit installed this week. The install is not for the feint of heart. The shop doing my install (Flatlangers Hot Rods in Norfolk) actually specializes in Hot rod cars and trucks (they're on my list for a hemi conversion eventually). They are also among the founders of Dark Side Offroad (if I understand correctly), the local club. They do more advanced lift kit installs, not your basic spacer lift shop. The other major Jeep project they had underway was a TJ with a FT longarm being ripped up to make room for 42's. With it hitting some supply snags (some specialty wheel thing), they agreed to drop everything and work on my Jeep one weekend.
Dropped it off Friday night, picked it up monday nght. I showed up saturday and 'helped', well kept them company and distracted them with inane questions for four hours or so.
The install took at least 40 manhours to do. They were going slow and making sure it was done right, as it was their first JK, they were having fun playing as well. Thanks again guys!
There is some exhaust modification required before the lift can be completed, and I took it to Meineke. While they meant well, they did a shitty job, both in looks and in sensor placement. The sensor got moved too close to the drive shaft, which whacked it and busted my sensor. So I have a Check enginer light until I can get that fixed. Fortunately, Flatlanders hooked me up with an exhaust specialist who will redo the whole modification (now that the lift is installed, the exhaust can be more reliably reworked with that in mind) I just need the funds to regroup a little first. Until then, it's a minor annoyance.
Anyway, here it is:
The ride is great, a little vibration when I picked it up, and yesterday I tilted the rear pinion up a little more and lengthened the upper rear control arm a little, and the vibration is gone now.
Here are some more pictures, including the rear truss welded on, the rear track bar bracket weld, the front track bar gussets that were optional but I decided to go ahead and do them.
I got between 4.5 and 6 inches of lift, depending on where I measured, although the pre lift measurement had the extra weight of the lift parts loaded in the back. Still it was more than I was expecting.
I have only flexed it once, near my house, since I got it, but the flex is very nice. so much so that the rear tire rubbed on the bumper a little. I may need some limiting straps in front because the front Driveshaft may hit the front exhaust crossmember during a full droop. It hits when the Jeep was on the lift.
Anyway, I'll add more when I think about it.
What do you think?
I had my RK 3.5" Long Arm kit installed this week. The install is not for the feint of heart. The shop doing my install (Flatlangers Hot Rods in Norfolk) actually specializes in Hot rod cars and trucks (they're on my list for a hemi conversion eventually). They are also among the founders of Dark Side Offroad (if I understand correctly), the local club. They do more advanced lift kit installs, not your basic spacer lift shop. The other major Jeep project they had underway was a TJ with a FT longarm being ripped up to make room for 42's. With it hitting some supply snags (some specialty wheel thing), they agreed to drop everything and work on my Jeep one weekend.
Dropped it off Friday night, picked it up monday nght. I showed up saturday and 'helped', well kept them company and distracted them with inane questions for four hours or so.
The install took at least 40 manhours to do. They were going slow and making sure it was done right, as it was their first JK, they were having fun playing as well. Thanks again guys!
There is some exhaust modification required before the lift can be completed, and I took it to Meineke. While they meant well, they did a shitty job, both in looks and in sensor placement. The sensor got moved too close to the drive shaft, which whacked it and busted my sensor. So I have a Check enginer light until I can get that fixed. Fortunately, Flatlanders hooked me up with an exhaust specialist who will redo the whole modification (now that the lift is installed, the exhaust can be more reliably reworked with that in mind) I just need the funds to regroup a little first. Until then, it's a minor annoyance.
Anyway, here it is:
The ride is great, a little vibration when I picked it up, and yesterday I tilted the rear pinion up a little more and lengthened the upper rear control arm a little, and the vibration is gone now.
Here are some more pictures, including the rear truss welded on, the rear track bar bracket weld, the front track bar gussets that were optional but I decided to go ahead and do them.
I got between 4.5 and 6 inches of lift, depending on where I measured, although the pre lift measurement had the extra weight of the lift parts loaded in the back. Still it was more than I was expecting.
I have only flexed it once, near my house, since I got it, but the flex is very nice. so much so that the rear tire rubbed on the bumper a little. I may need some limiting straps in front because the front Driveshaft may hit the front exhaust crossmember during a full droop. It hits when the Jeep was on the lift.
Anyway, I'll add more when I think about it.
What do you think?
12-27-2008, 09:03 PM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Alpharetta, Georgia
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Looks great man. I've been lookin at the 5.5" long arm system from Rockkrawler with 37's once my 35's run out of treads.. we'll have to see.. anyways have fun buddy
what size DC wheels are those? 17"? they go with the red rock very well.
