Thoughts on installing a Savvy mid-arm on my 04 LJ with 35s
- Thread starter wheelman2925
- Start date
OP
I have thought about that and haven't ruled it out. I'd buy a built hp30 for the right price. The cost differential is still significant given the starting cost of used hp30 and a new currie 44 housing. The rest of the costs are about the same. I know it's not necessary but for my money, I lean towards a new 44.
I thought the same way when I ordered my RJ44, I wouldn’t do it again.
The 30 can be built to do everything the 44 can other than 5.38’s.
Just checking my understanding, if you outboard for short arms, would it need later modifications for the mid arm install assuming the spring height is not changing?
No. The existing outboard from the short arms is unaffected by the addition of a mid arm. My last mid arm install had an outboard I had done a couple years earlier.
And if the ride height were to change, the mid arm would not change other than normal control arm adjustments. What would change is the outboard because the shock travel bias would change.
I am also considering the outboard mod also and longer shocks in the front with new mounts to accommodate with the possibility of a mid-arm set-up at a later date to. I would like to improve the climbing ability and get better high speed control. I’m looking at using the poly performance shock towers and running a set of Fox shocks. I would like to have all the parts ready so when I tear it down I can get the work done without delays.
My questions are would I be better to do the outboard and mid arm at the same time? Does the ride height change with the mid arm install ( keeping same springs, I would not think so) Is there a shock length front and rear that is the go to size for these upgrades and is it different from short arm to the mid arm.
I am currently running a 06 LJ, 35’s ( max I will go) terraflex short arms, Currie 4” springs.
There is nothing specific to the midarm that changes the ride height. And it doesn't really matter if the outboard happens before or after. Only one minor difference happens with the angle of the upper shock mount because the mount gets positioned 90deg to the lower arm. But the angle difference between short and mid isn't enough to matter if the midarm is added afterwards.
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Would the shock length be the same. I think I see people using 11” travel shocks for the rear.
Midarm changes nothing about the shock length.
11" rears isn't worth the effort to outboard, regardless of the arms.
I agree with this!
I bought an HP30 and sold my LP30. Housing alone, I invested $50. 5.38s would be nice for hwy use, but 5.13s are plenty sufficient. As someone mentioned, with regard to TJ diffs, the only real difference is the gears.
I'm on 35s, savvy arms, Currie 4in springs, and track bars, savvy BL and savvy/Currie steering.
My shocks have not been outboarded, yet, but I do have a savvy midarm on the shelf. I don't necessarily agree with the belief that if you haven't outboarded or are not gonna outboard that you don't need a midarm. At some point with this setup you will need some form of geometry correction. That being said, you could always keep the shortarm and use a correction bracket to improve the climbing manners of the jeep, which negates the "need" for a midarm if you're only looking for a correction to geometry.
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Generally speaking, a rig that isn't outboarded isn't going places often enough where the benefits of the midarm show themselves. Though, there will always be exceptions.
I still maintain that an outboard with good shocks has significantly more value to far more people than the midarm. This includes whatever poor short arm geometry behaviors people think they have during most of the driving they do.
I should add that an outboard is easier to do with a triangulated rear because the track bar is no longer there to shift the axle side to side. This makes the shock mounts easier to setup. But again, many outboards have been done before there was a Savvy mid arm. And many preexisting outboards have had the midarm added.
Does "Tony at genright" have a number/email? I want to go genright all around my tj...
There are some really dumb suggestions, this one isn't the dumbest but not by much.
OP
First, thanks for dropping in. Is there anything I'm getting wrong from the beginning of this build?
Sorry, I got lost in all the back-and-forth bullshit and didn't keep track of the build. Want to condense it into one concise post?