Howdy y'all
Figured I'd post my own thoughts on the Rough country X-Flex long arm kit for Our tj's
For starters I've had the RC 4" lift installed for about a year now and while this is primarily a review of the long arm kit some details from the standard lift will also be relevant
Price is a huge factor for me and Living in Canada has many disadvantages when it comes to ordering parts and has higher prices as well. In Short While something like a Barnes Long arm kit is a fantastic value down south, for me to order one and have it shipped here the price nearly doubles. This Is why price is such a huge factor for me in particular.
Additionally I used a hoist for my install and have professional experience installing various lifts from multiple Manufactures. That being said this is just an opinion piece reflective of my own experiences As always Your mileage may vary. My Review will be a bit long as I like to provide examples and evidence, just my style sorry.
Pre Requisites:
Rough country recommends already having a lift of between 4-6" already installed and an SYE is Recommended, Exhaust Modification "may" be needed
In my opinion you will absolutely want to have an SYE, even for Lj's having a sound driveline Should be a high priority. Poor Driveline angles Will result in Vibrations and Higher Wear.
For the exhaust in theory you could leave the stock system in but install will be very difficult and you will likely need to modify it regardless to avoid hitting the muffler with the control arms.
You may need to adjust or lengthen your brake lines (front and rear) as well as your differential breathers. Some lifts will have already addressed this but may need modification regardless.
There is no provided solution for the rear park brake cable brackets, I opted to just remove the metal brackets from the cables to avoid rubbing on the new arms.
Having Front and rear Adjustable track bars will be a huge benefit although not required.
First impressions:
The packaging is good, all parts arrived without damage and all hardware was accounted for (Please review your hardware kits before installing ANY lift)
The general part quality is high Particularly the Flex Joints and the Main Frame Brackets For the Long arms. The arms themselves are of good quality, the steel feels thick and the welds are good. The General Finish of the parts is just alright, nothing to write home about but no real issues either. Being a more value oriented kit this is fine costs need to be kept down somewhere and this feels like a good compromise.
Instructions:
Ill elaborate more but in short the instructions are going to be fine for most Diy'ers. most of my complaints are just in ease of install and clarity.
For starters RC expects you to be installing this kit on the ground which frankly will be perfect for most people but I used a hoist and so will most Professional shops and hardcore enthusiasts. Really this means the instructions for me were treated more as a reference than step-by-step guide. it would be nice to have this noted or in an ideal word alternative steps for hoist install as some other manufactures have. While using a hoist for install the hoist arm placement is very important, I ended up needing to adjust the hoist arms mid install which can be a sketchy thing to do. I would caution some to just install this kit on the ground unless you are confident in your abilities.
I also would like to see more manufactures include segregated hardware bags. This makes install a breeze and hardware identification much easier
Essentially steps can reference numbered bags instead of measuring hardware, there were a few points where I had to swap hardware as I had used the incorrect bolt or wrong washers. ( Steps would read more as "using hardware bag #3 install bracket xyz as shown" as opposed to listing the hardware specs individually)
Steps like this can feel a bit word salad like and could be more clear to the layman.
Listing torque specs as notes when needed is much nicer than needing to reference the included chart. its a small complaint but its an easy fix and again other brands already do this to make install more user friendly.
Rough Country Does not include any reference to setting up the rear pinion angle. While an experienced installer will know this already some diy'ers may end up with poor angles and drivability issues. Even a Footnote to recommend having a 4wd shop inspect the rear would acceptable, currently there is no mention of it at all. lengths for control arms are given but no context as to exactly what the arm lengths are responsible for.
On a More positive note the instructions have high resolution pictures and repainted parts for better visual clarity as well as bolded text for important numbers and important information. This is a great addition and I wish more brands would do this.
Additions like this make install much more clear.
Install Notes
-Install was very smooth for me however I did study the instructions ahead of time and made my own plan. this being the case I cant make a good comment on how easy this will be for others but I will say rough country does a good job making clear diy friendly instructions and quality notes for variances. you should feel confident while installing this kit.
-For the Exhaust I opted to unbolt it after the second 02 sensor and cut out the muffler section, from there I welded the original turndown tip onto the mufflers flange. This is very short and very loud. I plan to do a custom exhaust later but for now this will work.
-When you install this kit you will have to adjust the stock z linkage for the transfer case and its not the most enjoyable procedure. I have already swapped my stock transfer-case linkages for a cable shifter so I did not have to do this.
-as stated earlier I opted to remove the metal bracket from the rear park brake cables to avoid any metal on metal rubbing
-I did have to use different measurements than the numbers provided for my rear control arms in order to get the pinion angle and wheelbase that I desired, you may need to do the same depending on your existing setup.
-and the end of installation I like to use a paint pen to mark important hardware, this a a good habit in general as it can provide a visual indicator of a fasteners torque and also helps insure everything is torqued as you have visual confirmation
Value
At 1300cdn this kit is expensive but compared to the Rubicon express which I was quoted at 2800cdn and bds long arm at 3300cdn its frankly a steal. yes 100% it is not as nice as the competitors but for me the quality is within reason and I have no concerns with reliability. maybe others will be stronger but I suspect if you are able to break any of these kits you are blatantly abusing your rig or should be moving to a more durable fully custom setup. In reality not everyone has bags of cash lying around to dump into vehicles and being able to do the upgrades in stages was fantastic for me (rc lift->trackbars->SYE->Tcase Cable Shift->Long arm). All of my supporting mods were done months ahead of time and allowed me to stretch the cost out while being able to drive the jeep near daily through the process.
Final Comments
Overall I'm very satisfied with this kit. the long arm upgrade actually resolves some issues I had with the original 4" lift. the longer arms have a much more comfortable ride both on and off-road. My coil spring angles were much better than before and the extra rear control arm adjustments allowed me to pull my trackbar back from the fuel tank skid plate which was rubbing before. I have not physically measured but my wheelbase was also stretched mildly which helps with drivability and stability.
Driving experience is night and day compared to before, it just drives much more smooth and bumps don't make me cringe anymore.
Articulation Off-road is great again much better than before and I have 0 concerns with crossover angles. The front arms are barely lower than the front driveshaft and in the rear id much sooner hit the control arms than the driveshaft.
I did my own alignment and the extra adjustments from installing this kit made it much easier to achieve a decent alignment
Here is a few more Photos from the process and some completed shots. Thanks for making it the whole way through hope to see some of y'all out on the trails.
Figured I'd post my own thoughts on the Rough country X-Flex long arm kit for Our tj's
For starters I've had the RC 4" lift installed for about a year now and while this is primarily a review of the long arm kit some details from the standard lift will also be relevant
Price is a huge factor for me and Living in Canada has many disadvantages when it comes to ordering parts and has higher prices as well. In Short While something like a Barnes Long arm kit is a fantastic value down south, for me to order one and have it shipped here the price nearly doubles. This Is why price is such a huge factor for me in particular.
Additionally I used a hoist for my install and have professional experience installing various lifts from multiple Manufactures. That being said this is just an opinion piece reflective of my own experiences As always Your mileage may vary. My Review will be a bit long as I like to provide examples and evidence, just my style sorry.
Pre Requisites:
Rough country recommends already having a lift of between 4-6" already installed and an SYE is Recommended, Exhaust Modification "may" be needed
In my opinion you will absolutely want to have an SYE, even for Lj's having a sound driveline Should be a high priority. Poor Driveline angles Will result in Vibrations and Higher Wear.
For the exhaust in theory you could leave the stock system in but install will be very difficult and you will likely need to modify it regardless to avoid hitting the muffler with the control arms.
You may need to adjust or lengthen your brake lines (front and rear) as well as your differential breathers. Some lifts will have already addressed this but may need modification regardless.
There is no provided solution for the rear park brake cable brackets, I opted to just remove the metal brackets from the cables to avoid rubbing on the new arms.
Having Front and rear Adjustable track bars will be a huge benefit although not required.
First impressions:
The packaging is good, all parts arrived without damage and all hardware was accounted for (Please review your hardware kits before installing ANY lift)
The general part quality is high Particularly the Flex Joints and the Main Frame Brackets For the Long arms. The arms themselves are of good quality, the steel feels thick and the welds are good. The General Finish of the parts is just alright, nothing to write home about but no real issues either. Being a more value oriented kit this is fine costs need to be kept down somewhere and this feels like a good compromise.
Instructions:
Ill elaborate more but in short the instructions are going to be fine for most Diy'ers. most of my complaints are just in ease of install and clarity.
For starters RC expects you to be installing this kit on the ground which frankly will be perfect for most people but I used a hoist and so will most Professional shops and hardcore enthusiasts. Really this means the instructions for me were treated more as a reference than step-by-step guide. it would be nice to have this noted or in an ideal word alternative steps for hoist install as some other manufactures have. While using a hoist for install the hoist arm placement is very important, I ended up needing to adjust the hoist arms mid install which can be a sketchy thing to do. I would caution some to just install this kit on the ground unless you are confident in your abilities.
I also would like to see more manufactures include segregated hardware bags. This makes install a breeze and hardware identification much easier
Essentially steps can reference numbered bags instead of measuring hardware, there were a few points where I had to swap hardware as I had used the incorrect bolt or wrong washers. ( Steps would read more as "using hardware bag #3 install bracket xyz as shown" as opposed to listing the hardware specs individually)
Steps like this can feel a bit word salad like and could be more clear to the layman.
Listing torque specs as notes when needed is much nicer than needing to reference the included chart. its a small complaint but its an easy fix and again other brands already do this to make install more user friendly.
Rough Country Does not include any reference to setting up the rear pinion angle. While an experienced installer will know this already some diy'ers may end up with poor angles and drivability issues. Even a Footnote to recommend having a 4wd shop inspect the rear would acceptable, currently there is no mention of it at all. lengths for control arms are given but no context as to exactly what the arm lengths are responsible for.
On a More positive note the instructions have high resolution pictures and repainted parts for better visual clarity as well as bolded text for important numbers and important information. This is a great addition and I wish more brands would do this.
Additions like this make install much more clear.
Install Notes
-Install was very smooth for me however I did study the instructions ahead of time and made my own plan. this being the case I cant make a good comment on how easy this will be for others but I will say rough country does a good job making clear diy friendly instructions and quality notes for variances. you should feel confident while installing this kit.
-For the Exhaust I opted to unbolt it after the second 02 sensor and cut out the muffler section, from there I welded the original turndown tip onto the mufflers flange. This is very short and very loud. I plan to do a custom exhaust later but for now this will work.
-When you install this kit you will have to adjust the stock z linkage for the transfer case and its not the most enjoyable procedure. I have already swapped my stock transfer-case linkages for a cable shifter so I did not have to do this.
-as stated earlier I opted to remove the metal bracket from the rear park brake cables to avoid any metal on metal rubbing
-I did have to use different measurements than the numbers provided for my rear control arms in order to get the pinion angle and wheelbase that I desired, you may need to do the same depending on your existing setup.
-and the end of installation I like to use a paint pen to mark important hardware, this a a good habit in general as it can provide a visual indicator of a fasteners torque and also helps insure everything is torqued as you have visual confirmation
Value
At 1300cdn this kit is expensive but compared to the Rubicon express which I was quoted at 2800cdn and bds long arm at 3300cdn its frankly a steal. yes 100% it is not as nice as the competitors but for me the quality is within reason and I have no concerns with reliability. maybe others will be stronger but I suspect if you are able to break any of these kits you are blatantly abusing your rig or should be moving to a more durable fully custom setup. In reality not everyone has bags of cash lying around to dump into vehicles and being able to do the upgrades in stages was fantastic for me (rc lift->trackbars->SYE->Tcase Cable Shift->Long arm). All of my supporting mods were done months ahead of time and allowed me to stretch the cost out while being able to drive the jeep near daily through the process.
Final Comments
Overall I'm very satisfied with this kit. the long arm upgrade actually resolves some issues I had with the original 4" lift. the longer arms have a much more comfortable ride both on and off-road. My coil spring angles were much better than before and the extra rear control arm adjustments allowed me to pull my trackbar back from the fuel tank skid plate which was rubbing before. I have not physically measured but my wheelbase was also stretched mildly which helps with drivability and stability.
Driving experience is night and day compared to before, it just drives much more smooth and bumps don't make me cringe anymore.
Articulation Off-road is great again much better than before and I have 0 concerns with crossover angles. The front arms are barely lower than the front driveshaft and in the rear id much sooner hit the control arms than the driveshaft.
I did my own alignment and the extra adjustments from installing this kit made it much easier to achieve a decent alignment
Here is a few more Photos from the process and some completed shots. Thanks for making it the whole way through hope to see some of y'all out on the trails.
