Long Arm- radius arm or 4 link
05-20-2008, 12:28 PM
#1
JK Freak
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Long Arm- radius arm or 4 link
Hey all,
I've got questions about long arm suspensions...
I want to lift my Jeep once, and lift it right. I've contemplated long arm kits with 35's(I really dont want to go bigger, it will still be my daily driver)
I'm trying to see what LA lifts you guys like and what the differences are. From what I can tell, there are two types, the radius arm(Rubicon Express), and the standard 4 link suspension type(I think Full Traction makes one of these) Can someone please give me some insight on the differences?
I am looking for excellent articulation...
Thanks.
I've got questions about long arm suspensions...
I want to lift my Jeep once, and lift it right. I've contemplated long arm kits with 35's(I really dont want to go bigger, it will still be my daily driver)
I'm trying to see what LA lifts you guys like and what the differences are. From what I can tell, there are two types, the radius arm(Rubicon Express), and the standard 4 link suspension type(I think Full Traction makes one of these) Can someone please give me some insight on the differences?
I am looking for excellent articulation...
Thanks.
Last edited by NGINIER; 05-20-2008 at 03:23 PM.
05-20-2008, 04:57 PM
#3
JK Super Freak
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I have no ability to compare the 2, but I have the FT LA 4" kit and love it as my DD, with 37's and they ride great, and will have serious trail info over the next 2-3 weeks.
I will keep you posted.
I will keep you posted.
05-20-2008, 05:05 PM
#4
JK Freak
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Originaly posted by member Ctimrun
This is quoted from another thread, post credit goes to Ctimrun. Hope it helps your thoughts.
And for the sake of opinion I went with Teraflex LA, but my local shop will ONLY recommend either Teraflex or RE as they are the lifts that have the least amount of negative feedback according to the shop owners. Jeepers Den in Orlando, FL
I am not sure I would call them dumb. Radius arms are designed to have anti-squat properties in the rear. While this is good for everyday street driven vehicles, it may not be so good on off road driven vehicles. Most of us probably would never notice the anti-squat off road, but others may, depends on the conditions of where the vehicle is used off road. The RE radius arms have what some believe as too much anti-squat, and in fact when accelerated can actually raise the back end of a vehicle and unload the rear tires.
The example that was given to me several times, by different people in the suspension industry is this.... Lets say you are climbing a steep hill with a slippery surface, whether it is hard granite rock (or similar), gravel, loose dirt, or even wet grass. You accelerate to climb whatever hill you are attempting, the back end of your vehicle raises slightly unloading the rear tires (which is a bad thing!) causing them to spin, and preventing the needed traction to climb the hill.
I was very interested in the RE long arm kit until I started talking to people who know what they are talking about. I am not talking about people who make other types of lifts. I have talked to actual users and people who have purchased radius arms kits. One person I talked to in length was David from Northridge 4X4, and he would have got the sale whether I bought the RE kit or otherwise, so he has no reason to steer me away other than just being honest.
Keep in mind that these people all said the radius arm kits are very nice kits and do have their place. If you are looking for the best possible street ride, then I don't think you can look anywhere but a radius arm kit. If you want the best off road kit, I don't think you can beat the flex of the 4 link (or 5 link, whatever we are calling them) long arm kits such as the Full Traction or Teraflex kits.
I think Rubicon Express and Teraflex have great customer service and will respond to customers very quickly with answers to problems. Full Traction not so much.
I hope all this helps....
__________________
And for the sake of opinion I went with Teraflex LA, but my local shop will ONLY recommend either Teraflex or RE as they are the lifts that have the least amount of negative feedback according to the shop owners. Jeepers Den in Orlando, FL
I am not sure I would call them dumb. Radius arms are designed to have anti-squat properties in the rear. While this is good for everyday street driven vehicles, it may not be so good on off road driven vehicles. Most of us probably would never notice the anti-squat off road, but others may, depends on the conditions of where the vehicle is used off road. The RE radius arms have what some believe as too much anti-squat, and in fact when accelerated can actually raise the back end of a vehicle and unload the rear tires.
The example that was given to me several times, by different people in the suspension industry is this.... Lets say you are climbing a steep hill with a slippery surface, whether it is hard granite rock (or similar), gravel, loose dirt, or even wet grass. You accelerate to climb whatever hill you are attempting, the back end of your vehicle raises slightly unloading the rear tires (which is a bad thing!) causing them to spin, and preventing the needed traction to climb the hill.
I was very interested in the RE long arm kit until I started talking to people who know what they are talking about. I am not talking about people who make other types of lifts. I have talked to actual users and people who have purchased radius arms kits. One person I talked to in length was David from Northridge 4X4, and he would have got the sale whether I bought the RE kit or otherwise, so he has no reason to steer me away other than just being honest.
Keep in mind that these people all said the radius arm kits are very nice kits and do have their place. If you are looking for the best possible street ride, then I don't think you can look anywhere but a radius arm kit. If you want the best off road kit, I don't think you can beat the flex of the 4 link (or 5 link, whatever we are calling them) long arm kits such as the Full Traction or Teraflex kits.
I think Rubicon Express and Teraflex have great customer service and will respond to customers very quickly with answers to problems. Full Traction not so much.
I hope all this helps....
__________________
Last edited by tambil68; 05-20-2008 at 05:09 PM.
05-21-2008, 09:52 AM
#6
JK Super Freak
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Hey Nginier, long time no see. Just wanted you to know That FT has absolutaly no customer service wich led me to cancel my order. 
If you order FT you will wait and wait.....and wait...and wait.
Just purchased RE long arm, mitch loves his and I could not pass up the deal.
See you on the trails. Maybe this Weekend?
If you order FT you will wait and wait.....and wait...and wait. Just purchased RE long arm, mitch loves his and I could not pass up the deal.
See you on the trails. Maybe this Weekend?
05-21-2008, 10:46 AM
#7
JK Super Freak
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I normally dont get too involved with what I read on these boards, but after reading this statement I had to set this straight.
When the rear of a vehicle lifts under acceleration, commonly due to "anti squat" properties built into the suspension geometry, this does not unload the rear end of the vehicle (reduce rear wheel traction). To the contrary it actually increases rear wheel traction.
Think of it this way: One of Newtons laws states that every force has an equal and opposite force, so therefore inorder to apply a force up to lift the vehicle then there has to be force applied in the oppsite direction (in this case downward to the ground through the tires). This is the thery of anti-squat.
Look at the launches of drag cars. They lift in the rear when they leave the line. Do you think that they would not have eliminated this phenomenon if it was reducing rear wheel traction?
By the way, all the after market long arm suspension systems that I have seen for the JK have some sort of anti-squat built into them. Some more than others I would assume without doing measurements/calculations. Radius arm or not...
Sorry for the rant, just had to comment.
When the rear of a vehicle lifts under acceleration, commonly due to "anti squat" properties built into the suspension geometry, this does not unload the rear end of the vehicle (reduce rear wheel traction). To the contrary it actually increases rear wheel traction.
Think of it this way: One of Newtons laws states that every force has an equal and opposite force, so therefore inorder to apply a force up to lift the vehicle then there has to be force applied in the oppsite direction (in this case downward to the ground through the tires). This is the thery of anti-squat.
Look at the launches of drag cars. They lift in the rear when they leave the line. Do you think that they would not have eliminated this phenomenon if it was reducing rear wheel traction?
By the way, all the after market long arm suspension systems that I have seen for the JK have some sort of anti-squat built into them. Some more than others I would assume without doing measurements/calculations. Radius arm or not...
Sorry for the rant, just had to comment.
I would like to add here that I am by no means a suspension engineer, but I have talked to one in person who explained this to me. I tried my best in my words to relay this info here, probably didn't do it justice.
I really don't think that comparing a drag car to a lifted Jeep is a good comparison, and I realize many people will have differences of opinions on this topic, again I was just trying to relay what I was told by someone that knows what they are talking about.
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05-21-2008, 11:34 AM
#8
JK Freak
my lift is getting installed as we speak, will be done in the morning. RE 4.5 la on a 4 door sahara unlimted. going out this weekend to test it. i will let you know how it performs with hopefully some pics.
to other replies: i am fairly new at the offroad thing, when a vehicle is accelerated, isnt there a natural tendency for the front end to lift a little not the rear. or maybe im not understandiong some of these posts. like i said this is new to me, so any info is great.
to other replies: i am fairly new at the offroad thing, when a vehicle is accelerated, isnt there a natural tendency for the front end to lift a little not the rear. or maybe im not understandiong some of these posts. like i said this is new to me, so any info is great.
05-21-2008, 02:36 PM
#9
JK Freak
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Hey Nginier, long time no see. Just wanted you to know That FT has absolutaly no customer service wich led me to cancel my order. If you order FT you will wait and wait.....and wait...and wait.
Just purchased RE long arm, mitch loves his and I could not pass up the deal.
See you on the trails. Maybe this Weekend?
If you order FT you will wait and wait.....and wait...and wait. Just purchased RE long arm, mitch loves his and I could not pass up the deal.
See you on the trails. Maybe this Weekend?
Oh and I am still on this crazy "i just graduated" kind of schedule. I will actually be out of town this weekend until Monday and I'm looking at houses all day tomorrow. Next week would be good for me and of course the Gap trip on that weekend... See you there. I just ordered the duster deck cover and bikini header. I'll probably switch to those two and no doors for the gap trip...
Lots of questions for you...
05-22-2008, 07:42 AM
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JK Super Freak
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Yo! Doing well, thanks. Just picked up the RE LA 4.5 for $3K includes shocks and both drive shafts( New in Box) Found this in the For Sale section of the forum. To good to pass up considering in retails at $4500+. Now I just need someone to install it. Mitch said we could do it at his shop but don't really want to bother him with it. I think I'll look around to get someone to install it at a decent price.
I still am going with 35's
Congrats on Graduating.. James
I still am going with 35's
Congrats on Graduating.. James