Anyone have experience with these control arms?

Split bushings are an instant disqualifier. Also, the seller recommends them for 1-3" body lifts, which is weird.
 
cpwolf said:
That’s a pretty cheap set, the quality probably matches.

I’d look at Core4x4 personally, if budget is in play.

That, or really start looking for some quality used ones, but that may take time.
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I ordered core tier2 for the rear uppers. They are nice but im over the 2 week window on shipping and overall cost on flex joint arms. Im guessing i need lowers and a different rear tracbar relocation bracket. Waiting on a response from zone to clarify which bracket came in the kit as it looks similar to the bracket suggested to angle the tracbar diffently. The lowers in the zone kit are kinda unusable for what im doing. Kinda wishing i hadn't purchased a kit at all and just pieced together components because so far.... the only things i seem to be using will be the springs and the shocks (which likely will be tossed)...... oh and extended fixed swaybar links that i will be modifying to quick connections.... for the 700 plus bucks i could have spent the money a bit more wisely and had a more usable supply of parts
 
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Lubbockguy1979 said:
I ordered core tier2 for the rear uppers. They are nice but im over the 2 week window on shipping and overall cost on flex joint arms. Im guessing i need lowers and a different rear tracbar relocation bracket. Waiting on a response from zone to clarify which bracket came in the kit as it looks similar to the bracket suggested to angle the tracbar diffently. The lowers in the zone kit are kinda unusable for what im doing. Kinda wishing i hadn't purchased a kit at all and just pieced together components because so far.... the only things i seem to be using will be the springs and the shocks (which likely will be tossed)...... oh and extended fixed swaybar links that i will be modifying to quick connections.... for the 700 plus bucks i could have spent the money a bit more wisely and had a more usable supply of parts
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Yes, thus the “buy once cry once.” The other option is buy twice cry twice.
 
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So for future reference since i could find little about these control arms or the brand protune suspensions. There was one or two posts i could find of folks using them on cherokees. The joints were smaller than the axle bracket and they had to shim with washers. Also mentioned the bushings hard but loosened up after 100-300 miles. (That seems to be common on poly bushings).... next goimg thru a ebay sellers negative and neutral feedback i saw very similar complaints. Now factor in i looked specifically for negative and in no way can calculate how many were sold vs the feedback left. Also being ebay i didnt trudge thru positive feedback so that likely cpuld be inaccurate as some folks are karens. I have emailed both the seller and mfg for info on the joints construction, arm materials and abilty to be rebuilt as well. If i remember and get a response i will update
 
Lubbockguy1979 said:
So for future reference since i could find little about these control arms or the brand protune suspensions. There was one or two posts i could find of folks using them on cherokees. The joints were smaller than the axle bracket and they had to shim with washers. Also mentioned the bushings hard but loosened up after 100-300 miles. (That seems to be common on poly bushings).... next goimg thru a ebay sellers negative and neutral feedback i saw very similar complaints. Now factor in i looked specifically for negative and in no way can calculate how many were sold vs the feedback left. Also being ebay i didnt trudge thru positive feedback so that likely cpuld be inaccurate as some folks are karens. I have emailed both the seller and mfg for info on the joints construction, arm materials and abilty to be rebuilt as well. If i remember and get a response i will update
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No one is going to know anything about ProTune. Except that we already know everything we need to know about them.

Keep it easy and look for something with either bonded rubber bushings or Johnny Joints.
 
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jjvw said:
No one is going to know anything about ProTune. Except that we already know everything we need to know about them.

Keep it easy and look for something with either bonded rubber bushings or Johnny Joints.
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I remember years ago when in the xj community folks experimented, did budget stuff, it wasnt always about buying top tier off the shelf stuff..... it made things far more interesting and fun.
 
Lubbockguy1979 said:
I remember years ago when in the xj community folks experimented, did budget stuff, it wasnt always about buying top tier off the shelf stuff..... it made things far more interesting and fun.
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The XJ world also likes wristed radius long arms. If you think buying cheap garbage that is known through other iterations to not work well is more interesting and fun, then go ahead and buy these eBay arms.
 
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Lubbockguy1979 said:
I remember years ago when in the xj community folks experimented, did budget stuff, it wasnt always about buying top tier off the shelf stuff..... it made things far more interesting and fun.
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Having gone thru building a '98 XJ since 1997; there were a lot of parts manufacturers over the years offering a wide variety of parts that ranged from CHEAP to EXPENSIVE.
While I could not afford the most expensive; I did A LOT of reading to see how the different parts manufacturers parts performed, which ones did not live up to advertising, which ones would break the most often and which ones performed well at a reasonable price.
I haven't heard of the manufacturer of the parts in your link, but I have read about Core 4x4 who offers several Tiers of parts which appear to perform well and are reasonably priced.

You need to determine what your budget will allow and whether you want to purchase the parts as you can afford them or dive in and max out your credit cards.
 
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CharlesHS said:
Having gone thru building a '98 XJ since 1997; there were a lot of parts manufacturers over the years offering a wide variety of parts that ranged from CHEAP to EXPENSIVE.
While I could not afford the most expensive; I did A LOT of reading to see how the different parts manufacturers parts performed, which ones did not live up to advertising, which ones would break the most often and which ones performed well at a reasonable price.
I haven't heard of the manufacturer of the parts in your link, but I have read about Core 4x4 who offers several Tiers of parts which appear to perform well and are reasonably priced.

You need to determine what your budget will allow and whether you want to purchase the parts as you can afford them or dive in and max out your credit cards.
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I dont disagree maybe its the evolution of the market but it seems like there are less innovative ways to do things and more copy and paste with a different paint scheme nowadays. Kinda like how used to you could use google to look for things but in the past 2ish years its changed to a sales site with occasional info. Was alot more fun building junkyard parts amd stuff vs buying kits for 100x and having to modify them to work....
 
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jjvw said:
The XJ world also likes wristed radius long arms. If you think buying cheap garbage that is known through other iterations to not work well is more interesting and fun, then go ahead and buy these eBay arms.
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I asked, maybe next time i will refrain from asking because unless its one of 2 or 3 brands it has to be junk.... btw only 1 of those brands was around last time i was remotely interested in jeeps. Back then everyone was on a terraflex nut hugging escapade... times change products come into favor and go out....
 
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Lubbockguy1979 said:
I asked, maybe next time i will refrain from asking because unless its ome of 2 or 3 brands it has to be junk.... btw only 1 of those brands was around last time i was remotely interested in jeeps. Back then everyone was on a terraflex nut hugging escapade... times change products come into favor and go out....
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No. What happens is that over time people tend to find what works well and will tend to discourage others from wasting time and money on what doesn't. No one is stopping you from buying what are clearly junk arms on eBay. Go do it, since you are arguing that nothing matters except for variety for the sake of variety.
 
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jjvw said:
Go do it, since you are arguing that nothing matters except for variety for the sake of variety.
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Yep, and find yourself back in the same place looking for arms a year from now.

@Lubbockguy1979. If you want to go to junkyards to get some iteration of an arm and that's more fun, then knock yourself out. From your threads I've read it sounds like your trying to get by for awhile until you do a real build. Why? Just save and wait. There's no reason to throw good money away (unless that is your version of fun).
 
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jjvw said:
No. What happens is that over time people tend to find what works well and will tend to discourage others from wasting time and money on what doesn't. No one is stopping you from buying what are clearly junk arms on eBay. Go do it, since you are arguing that nothing matters except for variety for the sake of variety.
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Start at the top of the thread and reread. I asked about them as i found very little info. I then came back and gave the info i found that seemed pertinent aside from the usual control arm bad. I spent a bit of extra time to forward on the next guy what issues seem to be prevalent. After reviewing what was said about them by folks that used them as well as speculation from fellow members the issue of them not properly fitting the control arm bucket seems to be the first major issue for a remotely street driven vehicle. Aside from bushing construction. Then you have the lack of info regarding if they are even possibly servicable. Id wager them to be very similar to rough country joints from comparison of pictures and those dont have a stellar reputation of quality. Ive already gone a different direction in purchasing parts as i really would rather not buy parts to only figure out yet another way to modify them to work. At that point i might as well bust out the welder and buy tube and the joints of my preference. I was trying to avoid that untill further into this project
 
Lubbockguy1979 said:
Start at the top of the thread and reread. I asked about them as i found very little info. I then came back and gave the info i found that seemed pertinent aside from the usual control arm bad. I spent a bit of extra time to forward on the next guy what issues seem to be prevalent. After reviewing what was said about them by folks that used them as well as speculation from fellow members the issue of them not properly fitting the control arm bucket seems to be the first major issue for a remotely street driven vehicle. Aside from bushing construction. Then you have the lack of info regarding if they are even possibly servicable. Id wager them to be very similar to rough country joints from comparison of pictures and those dont have a stellar reputation of quality. Ive already gone a different direction in purchasing parts as i really would rather not buy parts to only figure out yet another way to modify them to work. At that point i might as well bust out the welder and buy tube and the joints of my preference. I was trying to avoid that untill further into this project
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The mere existence of split bushings on those arms was the immediate disqualifier. Nothing else about them matters.
 
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