Sinking Creek 4WD Association

Gotta buncha other things that take priority over this at the moment, but definitely need to long arm the front fairly soon for correct pinion angle, better handling and articulation, and because what I have rigged up at the moment barely works due to an issue with my lower axle brackets and the stock lower control arms I've been using "temporarily". For those of you I haven't talked to, I decided to go with a radius arm/panhard bar setup for cost effectiveness since my current axle brackets are setup for stock configuration, but worth keeping since they're good strong Clayton brackets and because I already have a nice HD panhard/trackbar setup, and because I'm poor

http://claytonoffroad.com/product_info. ... cts_id/138

So ye, looking for good ideas and tips on inexpensive vendors, design considerations, and even examples of exemplary versions just for thought... I know you threw me a couple brands Will, but I forget

Currently leanings:
-Buy some sort of frame brackets
-Make upper links/pinion angle adjusters from current adjustable upper control arms and 1.75x.120 DOM I already have
-Buy main lower arms (cheapest I've found http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspe ... tj-zj.html or http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspe ... tj-zj.html if I can make them work)
-OR make main lower arms from 2x.25 DOM that I already have + 4 link tabs + 2 joints + stock control arm bushings (haven't added this up though)

Also johnny joints or heims at the frame? Whichever I use, I figure they oughtta be beefier than the ones I used in the rear since there's a lot more load on them...

THANKS GUYS!

A kit like Clayton is easy, well made, safe, and fast, but every jerkoff with a TJ does that.

You can make your front suspension if you want a more hands-on experience, but you gotta work on your fab skills first or you will end up hating your life and quitting or cutting corners and making a POS deathtrap when you are stuck on some component of the build or it's not coming out how you wanted it too. Whatever you do, stop driving 80mph in a lifted TJ that has full width axles (Don't even say it Matt, the difference between 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton axles and jeep width doesn't qualify them to not be grouped together) and my booger welds holding it all togehter

If I was doing it, I would probably just use a link calculator and decide on locations based on what and where I could fit stuff, buy some brakckets, weld it all together and go wheeling at Windrock. I don't totally see the point of a front long arm kit when your rear is more or less homemade, but I'm finickey and like homogeneity in my things. Even if what I build sucks, it will look the same hahah.

But, going back to what Will, you, and myself were talking about last night (why do the noobs never listen??? ), fix your broken front upper bracket, tighten up everything and adjust what you can to as close to what you need as possible, and start addressing the little things that add up and give you that sense of overwhelment and frustration, like PS issues, mis-matched wheels, rat's nest wiring, etc. I did just that with my F-250 last semester and I love it again. 4 months ago, I hated it, thought it was a sack of shit, and was on the verge of selling it.

I'm glad to see you are choosing the right path and keeping your Jeep. It is stupid not to.

Matt you have already discussed this with all of us I think at least once, I agree with Alec, repair/fix your current set up and wheel it until you have the time/money/fab skills to build your own front suspension. Or just buy long arm kit from one of the may companies that sell them and bolt it on. Rustys, rubicon express, clayton, rough country, tnt customs, genright, currie, bds. Lots of people make them. Search around you only need the radius arms and cross member and your good.

Totally agree Alec. I did listen to yall and I really appreciate all yalls advice. I'm workin on makin that list and all those little things are my first priority, but whenever I'm not able to be wrenching on my Jeep, I'm thinking about what I'm gonna do when I get a chance and when I wrote this I had just been thinkin bout what I'm gonna do about my front suspension. I feel yall on jus leavin the front as it is for now and wheelin it, I mean, I haven't long armed it yet, but I also feel like there's more of a problem with it than yall do I guess :/

I've got plenty of other things to work on before getting to this, but it does gotta get done and I didn't figure it would hurt to start thinking about it. And sure it's not like I couldnt figure somethin out on my own, I've got plenty of ideas, but I post up here to ask yalls opinion, cause yall are the ones I trust. A second opinion is always good, someone may know where I could find a better option than the ones I'm lookin at, everybodys had different experiences, and the conversation might even help someone else out.

I'm sorry if my questions annoy ya Matt, but I always just get the same ole "just buy a bolt-on kit!" answer from ya, so I figured I'd post up and see if anybody else had any ideas, tips, tricks. I'm sorry, but like I've said, I just aint got the means to buy all bolt-on stuff even if I wanted to. And I don't want to. Personally I just have more respect for homebuilt stuff and most of all, I enjoy it more. All agree, in some cases bolt-on is justifiable or is more economical, but in this one at least, it just doesn't make since to me and I couldn't afford it if it did :/

Anyway though, I'm sorry I asked. I guess I'll probably just buy the lower section of the arm since I've added up the parts I'd need to make them and it's almost the same. But anybody know where I can get the Rustys ones for cheaper than 270 or another company that makes some for cheaper or better ones for around the same price?

Will, I know you mentioned some small vendors to check, but like I said, my memory fails me

Matt, your questions don't annoy me one bit! Ask any question you want.. I encourage questions that's how you learn. I asked Will a million questions when I built my turd. Sorry if it came off that way. I agree 100% that home built stuff is much more enjoyable and rewarding. I think your best bet is to buy the lowers then fab up some radius arms like your talking about using your existing control arms and tube. That will save you a lot of money and it will work good since you already have everything. Did you ever go look at the xj? I saw it had 265k on it.

Word of advice from an older member. You have the most free time you may ever have right now. If you spend it all waiting on parts and wrenching you will miss out on some good trips. If thats what you want to do than by all means do it. Once you graduate and get a full time job, and then a house, etc etc free time becomes scarce. Enjoy your free time while you have it.

alk1174 wrote:Word of advice from an older member. You have the most free time you may ever have right now. If you spend it all waiting on parts and wrenching you will miss out on some good trips. If thats what you want to do than by all means do it. Once you graduate and get a full time job, and then a house, etc etc free time becomes scarce. Enjoy your free time while you have it.

This needs to be posted in Alecs build thread

Matt612 wrote:This needs to be posted in Alecs build thread

Ironically read from my cubicle after a wrenchless weekend of studying