Rough Country quality?

[DirtyComanche]

What's up with Rough Country?  They used to be literally one of the worst options for lift kits and suspension kits, but I was just glancing through what is available on TDot (Canadian retailer that's convenient for people in the frozen wasteland), and it looks like they sell an XJ long arm setup that appears to be reasonably well designed.

 

https://www.roughcountry.com/jeep-xj-long-arm-upgrade-kit.html?find=1992-jeep-cherokee-xj-4wd-734952

 

It's radius arms, so it will have the same problems as any radius arm setup.  But really, it seems like it's pretty decent.  I'm not going to buy it, but was just curious if they've come around or not.

[75sv1]

I can't speak directly as to their quality, except on a set of older rear leaf springs. I think they have improved those with anti-friction pads on the newer ones. On the Long Arm, the guy wheeling in front of me last spring had an RC Long Arm kit for sale. He replaced it with an IRO. The only reason he had was that the IRO and some others, the center section can be dropped with out taken off the suspension parts.  I went with Ironman myself. Mainly that it had plates underneath. Others add plates to protect the TC etc. IRO has a VG reputation. I have used some of their parts. Others I looked at and considered were: Stinky Fab, Cav Fab, possibly Dirt Bound. 

[Smokeyyank]

Thin steel on the arms and junk joints.

[howeitsdone]

The kit I installed from RC is of very good QUALITY. It is, however, a STIFF suspension. People seem to dog on them because it's the cool thing to say that their ride is "Rough", but it's simply stiff. When I've loaded the bed down with weight, it becomes a very enjoyable ride.

 

I'm sure, as with any manufacture, there have been some bad apples in the past. I think people just repeat what they see online too much without the experience.

 

Their customer service was also fantastic. I called just before 5pm and they answered no problem. I was missing a nut and they sent out a new leaf bolt kit right away.

 

Companies get better than they were yesterday all of the time  

[DirtyComanche]

3 hours ago, 75sv1 said:

I can't speak directly as to their quality, except on a set of older rear leaf springs. I think they have improved those with anti-friction pads on the newer ones. On the Long Arm, the guy wheeling in front of me last spring had an RC Long Arm kit for sale. He replaced it with an IRO. The only reason he had was that the IRO and some others, the center section can be dropped with out taken off the suspension parts.  I went with Ironman myself. Mainly that it had plates underneath. Others add plates to protect the TC etc. IRO has a VG reputation. I have used some of their parts. Others I looked at and considered were: Stinky Fab, Cav Fab, possibly Dirt Bound. 

 

Which is a very valid reason.  Originally all of the long arm kits were designed with the arms bolted to the crossmember, and no way to remove the crossmember to drop the transmission without having to drop your whole front axle.  This design absolutely sucks if you have to change a clutch or tranny.  Some time ago it seems most of the brands came around on making it so you didn't have to do that, which was after a few home brew types made their crossmembers that way.  It's actually why I wouldn't consider buying it, regardless of what the rest of it is like.

 

2 hours ago, Smokeyyank said:

Thin steel on the arms and junk joints.

 

I didn't see the thickness anywhere, other than the crossmember is .250".  I'd assumed the arms are the same, which should be adequate for most people.  Are they thinner than that?  And which joint is junk, their own flex joints?  Do they fail, and how?  They seem to use OEM bushings at the axle side, which is fine, that end does not misalign and a urethane bushing there will absorb some vibration.

 

59 minutes ago, PocketsEmptied said:

The kit I installed from RC is of very good QUALITY. It is, however, a STIFF suspension. People seem to dog on them because it's the cool thing to say that their ride is "Rough", but it's simply stiff. When I've loaded the bed down with weight, it becomes a very enjoyable ride.

 

I'm sure, as with any manufacture, there have been some bad apples in the past. I think people just repeat what they see online too much without the experience.

 

Their customer service was also fantastic. I called just before 5pm and they answered no problem. I was missing a nut and they sent out a new leaf bolt kit right away.

 

Companies get better than they were yesterday all of the time  

 

Spring rate is something that is subjective to your use.  Same with shock valving.  Personally I'd suspect they use not so great shocks, any cheap lift kit has to or it won't be a cheap kit.

[Smokeyyank]

20 minutes ago, DirtyComanche said:

I didn't see the thickness anywhere, other than the crossmember is .250".  I'd assumed the arms are the same, which should be adequate for most people.  Are they thinner than that?  And which joint is junk, their own flex joints?  Do they fail, and how?  They seem to use OEM bushings at the axle side, which is fine, that end does not misalign and a urethane bushing there will absorb some vibration.

 

I don't know a lot from the XJ side, but from talking to people in the WJ group that actually wheel. The arms just aren't the beefiest. Few have dented them with little contact on rocks.  Cost has to be cut somewhere and it's those two areas they do it in. Yes their flex joints fail early. Just get super sloppy and since they aren't rebuildable you have to buy new ones. Their urethane ones do not last they get chewed up easily. Most get maybe 10k miles before needing to replace them. Some don't even get that. Rather spend the little extra ~$200 and go with IRO and get 3 link vs radius arm. 

[DirtyComanche]

2 hours ago, Smokeyyank said:

 

I don't know a lot from the XJ side, but from talking to people in the WJ group that actually wheel. The arms just aren't the beefiest. Few have dented them with little contact on rocks.  Cost has to be cut somewhere and it's those two areas they do it in. Yes their flex joints fail early. Just get super sloppy and since they aren't rebuildable you have to buy new ones. Their urethane ones do not last they get chewed up easily. Most get maybe 10k miles before needing to replace them. Some don't even get that. Rather spend the little extra ~$200 and go with IRO and get 3 link vs radius arm. 

 

That certainly makes sense.  At the price point you can expect they had to cut corners somewhere, so the arms may be quite thin.  The flex joints at least look like they could be swapped out for any competing joint, such as a Johnny Joint.  The lift probably would be adequate for a lot of users, who are more on the street or the odd dirt road, but probably should be discounted for anyone looking to seriously wheel.

[Smokeyyank]

1 hour ago, DirtyComanche said:

The flex joints at least look like they could be swapped out for any competing joint, such as a Johnny Joint. 

 

And they can, obviously just starts to defeat the purpose of the entry price. Might as well get JJ or similar at the start. 

 

Yeah it's definitely more of the mall crawler crowd it's appealing to. 

[75sv1]

XJ ROCK-LINK (ironrockoffroad.com)

 

Iron Rock 'Upgrade' kit. Sort of the same as for components as the RC the OP posted. So, if you have the springs and shocks, it would be a good option.