Replacing front control arms on stock LJ what kind to get?

[CMD Z]

I'm slowly replacing the suspension on an otherwise stock 2005 Unlimited (64K miles). Since I'm keeping the stock ride height (for now), and only doing occasional, mild offloading (no rock crawling), should I stick with the stamped metal & bushing style control arms? For my use case, are there benefits to going with adjustable and/or heim joint style?

Suspension replacements so far (within the last 1.5K miles):

• Rancho 5000 shocks (stock length)
• Moog heavy duty tie rod
• Moog drag link
• Duralast sway bar end links, front and rear

Thanks in advance.

 

[jjvw]

Stock height means stock arms. They will do everything you need them to do.

 

[CodaMan]

Stock arms all the way.

 

[SteveBarrus]

64000 miles, what’s broken? Why are you replacing them?

 

[Jodh]

Can you just replace the bushings?

 

[Goatman]

So much easier to replace the whole arm. Stay stock. And regardless of miles they are well over a decade old by now. Rubber deteoriates regardless of milage.

 

[pagrey]

Can you just replace the bushings?

You can and I have. After a difficult trail I had broken free two bushings out of 16 from the arms. I've since replaced two arms and haven't had any other problems "yet" but wouldn't recommend anybody push in bushings for that reason.

 

[CMD Z]

64000 miles, what’s broken? Why are you replacing them?

Fair question. I'm a noob trying to track down a "clunk". Each of the items in the list of replaced parts had easy-to-identify issues. Since so much of the suspension already had issues, is 15 years old, and the clunk remains, I'm considering replacing other parts. I can't easily say that the control arms bushings are bad... they look pretty good and there's no play when I try to wiggle them by hand. But, again, I'm a noob.

 

[SteveBarrus]

Fair question. I'm a noob trying to track down a "clunk". Each of the items in the list of replaced parts had easy-to-identify issues. Since so much of the suspension already had issues, is 15 years old, and the clunk remains, I'm considering replacing other parts. I can't easily say that the control arms bushings are bad... they look pretty good and there's no play when I try to wiggle them by hand. But, again, I'm a noob.

Good to know. Describe the clunk, what causes it to happen and how consistently it happens?

 

[SteveBarrus]

Check your rear driveline U-joints. An original worn out u-joint is more likely to cause a clunk.

 

[2busy2work]

I finally found my clunking after I had changed all the control arm bushings front and rear. That helped but did not fix the issue. I finally found the problem. It was a shock mount pin broken on the right front shock. New shocks yesterday and it rides like a new jeep!

 

[Mikey340]

Which control arms(brand) did you go with? Fix your clunk?

 

[Rubicon88]

Factory mopar

 

[CMD Z]

Which control arms(brand) did you go with? Fix your clunk?

In my case, the control arms ended up not being the issue. In fact, after enlisting assistance, the sound was actually coming from the rear passenger wheel (really sounded like the front from the driver's seat). After much ado with GoPros in slo-mo, it ended up being a stripped bolt on the brake backing plate. Here's the video and resulting thread:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/rear-axle-clunk-brake-caliper-or-axle.36999/post-615558