Longer control arms for more articulation

[Eddie Greenlee]

I’m thinking about longer arm control arms for more articulation of my axles. So installing frame side brackets for a 3 link up front and frame side brackets For the rear from artec and just the right length control arms may be in my future. Is there an easier way to figure where to weld the brackets to the frame ?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

How do standard length control arms not give you sufficient articulation? My axles are connected with standard length Currie arms and people following me on the trail have commented my axles are flexing so well it looks like the axles are gonna fall out of my TJ lol.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Well I know all the different limitations put on an axles movement like shocks. Sway bar. Control arms.... all have their limiting factors. So if I lengthen the control arms it makes sense to me there would be more rotation ? Is that not right ?

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Because at some point the length of the control arm will the determining factored how far the axle will rotate. Just me thinking

 

[jjvw]

Well I know all the different limitations put on an axles movement like shocks. Sway bar. Control arms.... all have their limiting factors. So if I lengthen the control arms it makes sense to me there would be more rotation ? Is that not right ?

How much shock travel are you after? I've done 11" front and 12" rear on short arms. And the arms aren't a reason not to go further.

 

[Steel City 06]

https://savvyoffroad.com/product/sma-kit/
You'd have to adapt it if you have a non-factory rear axle, but all the rest of the work is already done.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Well I know all the different limitations put on an axles movement like shocks. Sway bar. Control arms.... all have their limiting factors. So if I lengthen the control arms it makes sense to me there would be more rotation ? Is that not right ?

it would be right if your control arm length is what was limiting you, but if you have stock shock mounts, it's not.

My control arms were limiting my downtravel in front, but it wasn't their length, it was that they're cheap RC arms with huge bodies that were contacting the lower shock mount. I clearanced it and they'll go way farther than my 11" travel shocks will allow.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

How much shock travel are you after? I've done 11" front and 12" rear on short arms. And the arms aren't a reason not to go further.

Well I’ll have to measure but it just makes sense to me the longer the arm the Further the travel

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

it would be right if your control arm length is what was limiting you, but if you have stock shock mounts, it's not.

My control arms were limiting my downtravel in front, but it wasn't their length, it was that they're cheap RC arms with huge bodies that were contacting the lower shock mount. I clearanced it and they'll go way farther than my 11" travel shocks will allow.

Tell me what to do

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

How do standard length control arms not give you sufficient articulation? My axles are connected with standard length Currie arms and people following me on the trail have commented my axles are flexing so well it looks like the axles are gonna fall out of my TJ lol.

Tell me what to do to get mine like that

 

[jjvw]

Tell me what to do to get mine like that

Focus on the shocks

 

[jjvw]

https://savvyoffroad.com/product/sma-kit/
You'd have to adapt it if you have a non-factory rear axle, but all the rest of the work is already done.

The mid arm doesn't change much, if anything, as far as shock travel is concerned.

 

[jjvw]

Well I’ll have to measure but it just makes sense to me the longer the arm the Further the travel

Cycle your axles without springs installed and more things will start to make sense.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Tell me what to do to get mine like that

My suspension is nothing magical, it's just using 4" springs, Currie Johnny joint arms, Currie track bars, and correct length shocks. The wong track bars can even be a source of lack of droop.

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Longer arms don’t allow more travel (flex) longer shocks and moved shock mounts do.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Tell me what to do to get mine like that

Longer arms don’t allow more travel (flex) longer shocks and moved shock mounts do.

where should I move them

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

My suspension is nothing magical, it's just using 4" springs, Currie Johnny joint arms, Currie track bars, and correct length shocks. The wong track bars can even be a source of lack of droop.

I have 4" springs, Johnny joint ends on my control arms, the shocks Rancho told me to get.

 

[starkey480]

I have 4" springs, Johnny joint ends on my control arms, the shocks Rancho told me to get.

Look up outboarded shocks. Upper shock mount gets raised and put longer shocks in. On a properly set up rig shocks should limit down travel and bumpstops limit uptravel just before shock bottoms out. The key here is shocks. Most people move to a longer mid arm kit to correct geometry and improve climbing ability not necessarily articulation.

 

[jjvw]

where should I move them

They go where they need to go to accommodate the shock you want to use.

 

[jjvw]

..., the shocks Rancho told me to get.

Rancho assumes factory mounts. If you notice, longer travel shocks have a longer compressed length. That compressed length need to fit somewhere. At some point, the compressed length interferes with up travel while creating an unbalanced amount of down.

Moving the mounts allows that additional compressed length to fit somewhere without compromising the up travel, while keeping both the up and down travel balanced.