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Rough Country Long Arm Install


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I looked and couldn't find one around me at the time and was impatient to start building a new front axle since I bent the one that is currently under it. Next thing I knew I was $2500+ into this one. so there is no going back now...

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Hey everyone, getting ready to install the RC long arm kit on my 86 and was hoping someone may have additional pictures of the lower control arm mount after it was trimmed? From what I've seen, some cut just the mount while others have cut the mount and the angled reinforcement(?) plate that sits between the mount and the frame rail. Any help would be appreciated

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Does it work on the 86? There have been issues with other LA kits on the 84-86 X/MJs. Make sure it will work BEFORE you cut anything off!

 

This is a concern.  The transmission mounting changed, and I don't know for sure if the pre-87 chassis actually had the second set of mount holes which are needed to properly locate the LA crossmember.  If you have an 87 or later and a Peugeot tranny you can make it work, but you have to mod up the tranny mount as the crossmember goes too far back for it.

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refer to what I did in the pictures above and do that. Take a piece of 1x4 tubing and dill holes and weld studs for the new placement of the mounting holes for the new crossmemeber, weld that to the frame where it needs to be. then attach the crossmemeber too it.  Make sure to make very good welds and do a few passes layering each weld to make sure it will have enough strength. Just about no matter what you do for long arms you are most likely going to have to "make it work". I'm not sure of one long arm kit out there that is made to bolt up to our comanches. The XJ kits have everything you need, you just have to get creative. 

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Thanks for the advice. I've been working on mounting the crossmember over the past two days with many complications. I ended up redrilling the mounting holes on the sideplates to avoid the inner crossmember support which in hindsight probably wouldve been easier just to chop those plates off. For the lack of a 3rd hole I plan to drill and tap a new hole in the unibody. Matching the 4 transmission bolts to the crossmember required a good amount of prying while dropping it. My feeling is that the kit does not work ideally with the 86 but now that my old lca mounts are gone theres no choice but to make it work. I'll be posting a build thread after its all finished.  

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There wasn't anywhere else it could have been mounted. To move the member back wouldnt have let the bolts match up. This will probably sound shocking but since the member sits further forward on the unibody than in all other years I was forced to shorten the provided long arms (cut out 3" then welded the arm back together). I intend to make a post regarding the 86 and long arm install to hopefully save someone from making the mistake I made. Whats ironic is I originally ordered replacement lowers and uppers but decided to cancel the order after seeing the small difference in price to go to the RC long arms and reading about the improved flex and driving quality. 

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Wow, that is sketchy at best.

 

Done right, whatever.  Most people can't nail a 100% penetration butt weld in pipe/tube without an internal sleeve though, but it may not matter since most control arms are made thick (1/4" wall or more) entirely for denting and bending (from rock contact) resistance.

 

Personally I'd put a sleeve inside or out of it.  I don't know what he did specifically, but it's quite possibly fine.

 

It probably would have been cleaner and easier to buy some new threaded tube inserts, cut the arms down at the frame end, and then install the new inserts.

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