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Control arm question regarding a 2.5" lift

mgroeger

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I put a Rough Country 2.5" budget lift on the Jeep the other day. It went well, the reality is the front is 2.5" and the rear is 2". This is to take the rake out of the front end, so all said and done I call it a 2" lift.

When doing the lift I loosened both ends of all 4 front control arms, as noted in the instructions and also from people who have done this before. After the entire lift was done and the Jeep was on the ground, then I re-tightened the control arm bolts. This is especially important on the JL's since they have "teeth" on the lower control arms and tightening them in the air will give "false lift".

Two questions:

1. Why don't they tell you to loosen the rear control arms as well (I didn't). Should I loosen them while the Jeep is on the ground now to see if they re-position and then re-tighten them or is that not necessary? I'm trying to understand why you should or don't need to do the same to the rear as the front.

2. This is a Sahara and I used the stock springs and shocks (obviously... it's a budget lift). I do however have a Rubicon suspension on hand (shocks, sway bar links, coils and lower control arms). I bought it from RubiTrux and they told me that when I put it on the Jeep to use the Rubi lower control arms with the Rubi spring and shocks. I haven't measured yet so I don't know if the lower control arms are longer but if they are (I'm guessing they are) should I go ahead and use them? I know taller lifts require longer lower control arms and shorter upper ones but I hear 2.5" and lower don't

Thanks in advance for any info.
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1quick1

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My lift came with the lower control arm relocation brackets as to keep the stock geometry. So it may be worth putting the Rubicon LCA's on if they are in fact longer.
 
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mgroeger

mgroeger

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Can you tell me exactly what lift you used? If you didn't use a spacer/budget lift and went with a spring and shock lift then they are actually higher and often times come with control arms.
After reading up a 2.5" spring lift will actually sit around 3" because they are designed to take on a load of steel bumpers, winches, etc... which will bring them down to 2.5"
 

1quick1

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Can you tell me exactly what lift you used? If you didn't use a spacer/budget lift and went with a spring and shock lift then they are actually higher and often times come with control arms.
After reading up a 2.5" spring lift will actually sit around 3" because they are designed to take on a load of steel bumpers, winches, etc... which will bring them down to 2.5"
Similar to the RC kit with LCA relocation brackets and shock extensions.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...-5in-overland-boost-stage-1-wshock-extensions
 

tgoss

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Similar to the RC kit with LCA relocation brackets and shock extensions.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...-5in-overland-boost-stage-1-wshock-extensions
I went this route to begin with but with 37" coopers I was eating the fender liners pretty good in the front as they didn't move the axle forward at all.

I switched out the drop brackets for Evo adjustable control arms and moved the axle forward about 0.5" and no more rubbing issues.

I wouldn't recommend those drop brackets at all to anyone, just get adjustable arms from the start.
 

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mgroeger

mgroeger

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I will measure the Rubi arms when I get home and if they are longer I will put them on.

Can you explain to me the question I ask about the rear arms?
 

WXman

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For what it's worth, I checked my caster with a digital angle finder and mine was somewhere between 4.5 and 5.5 degrees with the RC lift and stock control arms. So I don't think the lift screws the caster up all that bad. Longer control arms are not necessarily a must have item. I'd recommend getting yours checked on the rack to be certain where your caster is before spending the money.

However, if ride quality is what you're after, the control arm relocation brackets are the best option because they'll actually move the geometry back to stock which is the important thing.
 
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mgroeger

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I talked to RC just now and he said...

If you have two Rubi control arms laying around and they are a little longer than the Sahara ones on it now, go ahead and throw them on.
They don't loosen the rear control arms because they found it to be unnecessary, however if I want to and then re-tighten (to see if they slightly adjust themselves) there is nothing wrong with that. Initially they did loosen the rear control arms but later found it to be unneeded.
I've heard control arm relocation brackets are not a great idea and that going with longer arms is better.
 

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1. Why don't they tell you to loosen the rear control arms as well (I didn't). Should I loosen them while the Jeep is on the ground now to see if they re-position and then re-tighten them or is that not necessary? I'm trying to understand why you should or don't need to do the same to the rear as the front.

Thanks in advance for any info.
So i've been researching on my axle shift after mopar lift. I know its more or less expected since its a lift and just how it works but I did notice people asking this question before else where (and others don't have this issue). Now, i didn't loosen the control arms in the rear at all when I installed the lift, and its almost suggested by Teraflex that it may have something to do with the shift the way it is worded.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/mod...lift-adjustable-track-bar-252049/#post3265602

Reading elsewhere, it seems that its required to loosen and re-tighten for the simple fact that the bushings need to be reset for the lift, otherwise it could cause premature added stress from torquing and flexing incorrectly.
 
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mgroeger

mgroeger

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Logic dictates loosening them even if RC said it's not necessary. Next time I'm under it I am going to loosen them and let it re-sit then tighten them up.
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