Does any one else make a JKS style control arm?
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JK Enthusiast
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From: hawaii
Does any one else make a JKS style control arm?
Ive seen alot of TJ arms built similarly where the entire unit swivels but for the JK every one is using the "johny joint" on their control arms. Is the JKS arms the only company using a bearing inside the shaftas the flex spot on the control arm? It's also nice that you can retain a rubber bushing for that comfy factory feel, but with unlimited flex. If you know of similar arms or some one thta has a good price on the JKS post em up....
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JK Enthusiast
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From: hawaii
JKS quality is pretty good but for price of a full set of replacement arms they are not the most fiscally responsible choice for me. Almost every one is offering a full set of adjustable arms for about 1000, you spend nearly that for just the lowers from JKS. Like I said if any one knows a good deal going for the JKS to post that up too. Hard to tell but it seems like the superlift/black diamond arms swivel in the same fashion as the JKS arms.....
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I'll snoop around for ya again later, just got some things to do quickly..
Lemme know what the think of these or if you've heard of them.
Lemme know what the think of these or if you've heard of them.
Last edited by wayoflifette; Dec 27, 2009 at 07:23 PM. Reason: link to blacklisted manf
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
the jks arms are the ONLY arms that i know of that use clevite bonded rubber bushings on both the axle and frame mounts just like factory. likewise, they will offer the most comfortable ride and will be 100% maintenance free. unless you're running coilovers and have really big flex, bonded rubber bushings should outlast a johnny joint or just about any rebuildable joint out there. and, unlike johnny joints or other spherical joints which are "hard joints", the rubber bushings will offer a more comforatble ride. the down side to rubber bushings is that they are designed to twist in place - not rotate like a johnny joint and therefore, will bind a bit at a full flex and to a degree, limit your flex. of course, the swivel feature on the JKS arms are designed to push beyond this bind and offer more articulation.
style_front, is there a reason why you are looking to replace all your control arms? if you're just in need of setting your caster up front, you should be able to do this with just lower arms. likewise, in the rear, if you are in need of setting your pinion angle, you only need adjustable uppers to do that.
style_front, is there a reason why you are looking to replace all your control arms? if you're just in need of setting your caster up front, you should be able to do this with just lower arms. likewise, in the rear, if you are in need of setting your pinion angle, you only need adjustable uppers to do that.
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JK Enthusiast
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From: hawaii
the jks arms are the ONLY arms that i know of that use clevite bonded rubber bushings on both the axle and frame mounts just like factory. likewise, they will offer the most comfortable ride and will be 100% maintenance free. unless you're running coilovers and have really big flex, bonded rubber bushings should outlast a johnny joint or just about any rebuildable joint out there. and, unlike johnny joints or other spherical joints which are "hard joints", the rubber bushings will offer a more comforatble ride. the down side to rubber bushings is that they are designed to twist in place - not rotate like a johnny joint and therefore, will bind a bit at a full flex and to a degree, limit your flex. of course, the swivel feature on the JKS arms are designed to push beyond this bind and offer more articulation.
style_front, is there a reason why you are looking to replace all your control arms? if you're just in need of setting your caster up front, you should be able to do this with just lower arms. likewise, in the rear, if you are in need of setting your pinion angle, you only need adjustable uppers to do that.
style_front, is there a reason why you are looking to replace all your control arms? if you're just in need of setting your caster up front, you should be able to do this with just lower arms. likewise, in the rear, if you are in need of setting your pinion angle, you only need adjustable uppers to do that.
Heres my current plan although admittedly it continually evolves. Right now I am deploying to the stan and I will be saving my pennies for the king coils in front. Due to the length of the kings I wanted to replace all 4 arms in front so that there would be minimal bind, although I realize just the lowers would get me rolling. For the rear I will likely use krawlers 3 link conversion, get some spring clips and stick the longest shocks that I can fit in the rear (I like the bilstein 7100's).
Regarding your comment on the rubber bushing designed to twist in place and eventually binding, my understanding is that the JKS upper half of the arm swivels independent of the lower section of the arm effectively removing any bind from the bushing. I could be wrong but it sounds to me like the JKS arm can turn 360 degrees without placing any bind on the bushings what-so-ever. Atleast thats what I am lead to believe from the look of it and the description thats offered from JKS website.
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From: hawaii
I'm not a rocket scientist or in this case a CA scientist, but the JKS and the Johnny Joint appear to essentially do the exact same thing only differing in their respective swivel points.
The JKS appears to have a more restricted mounting bushing, but compensates for having a swivel arm shaft. Where the JJ has a stationary shaft and a more flexible bushing which in fact is a one piece ball that virtually never wears out. The other difference I noticed was that the JKS bushing do not get any kind of lubrication and this would be fine if there was NEVER going to be any movement, but by design the bushings will flex and therefore will eventually crack. So which will need to be rebuilt more often would be a question on my mind. I have little experience with JKS, but I know JJs are extremely easy to rebuild once their outer bushings wear down. IMO...if I was building my own arms, I would definitely opt for the Johnny Joints, but again that's just me and my personal experience speaking.
I guess from what I can see from both company's sites, can or would you ever articulate your axles beyond a 30 degree angle. I'm thinking you will stuff your fenders before you reach that mark. I ask that cause that is what JJ's are rated at. A CA that has a 90 degree angle might sound like the ultimate CA, but if you can articulate your axle 90 degree's then you have a pretty impressive rig...
Again I'm not knocking JKS or your choice, I just know sometimes I need someone else to point something out cause I was too caught up staring at the shiny jeep part in the window.....Unfortunately its usually my girl and her hand across the back of my head....
The JKS appears to have a more restricted mounting bushing, but compensates for having a swivel arm shaft. Where the JJ has a stationary shaft and a more flexible bushing which in fact is a one piece ball that virtually never wears out. The other difference I noticed was that the JKS bushing do not get any kind of lubrication and this would be fine if there was NEVER going to be any movement, but by design the bushings will flex and therefore will eventually crack. So which will need to be rebuilt more often would be a question on my mind. I have little experience with JKS, but I know JJs are extremely easy to rebuild once their outer bushings wear down. IMO...if I was building my own arms, I would definitely opt for the Johnny Joints, but again that's just me and my personal experience speaking.
I guess from what I can see from both company's sites, can or would you ever articulate your axles beyond a 30 degree angle. I'm thinking you will stuff your fenders before you reach that mark. I ask that cause that is what JJ's are rated at. A CA that has a 90 degree angle might sound like the ultimate CA, but if you can articulate your axle 90 degree's then you have a pretty impressive rig...
Again I'm not knocking JKS or your choice, I just know sometimes I need someone else to point something out cause I was too caught up staring at the shiny jeep part in the window.....Unfortunately its usually my girl and her hand across the back of my head....
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From: hawaii
Nevermind I think I understand what you meant WOL. I wasn't accounting for the pendulem effect of the control arm. The swivel on the jks will not allow the axle to move freely from front to back which is where the rubber bushings will have to smash down in order to allow movement. I forget the axle moves on more than one axis at times