Synergy High Clearance Long Arm

[1996cc]

Is anyone running this kit yet? I had the WFO long arms on my last jeep. It supposedly has the best geometry, but I hate how the rear LCA bracket hangs below the frame and I had terrible wheel hop on the front axle when spinning in sand or snow.

https://www.synergymfg.com/synergy-jeep-jl-jlu-jt-high-clearance-long-arm-kit

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[bjm00se]

I hear ya on dragging those WFO brackets

 

[1996cc]

Well, I guess I will be the guinea pig. I ordered this kit.

Some notes and things that helped make my final decision:

- Since it can be fully bolt on only, if I hate it, I can sell it later and go with another kit easily.
- no exhaust mods needed (saving me a decent chunk of extra change on the 392)
- Arms are fully adjustable on the vehicle. The WFO arms were a total PITA when I had to adjust castor.
- I’ve had my Synergy track bars on 2 different JLs, for somewhere north of 50,000 miles, through the Rubicon, 2 weeks worth of Moab trips, been airborne several times, etc. And they are just fine, no issues with bushings. On the durability note, I’ve seen multiple videos of Synergy beating the ever living crap out of their red JL company rig. They’ve beat it so much I’m surprised the frame is still in one piece. They tested this kit on that Jeep as well.
- Customer service. I asked a question about the kit on a Facebook page that Dave Schlossberg (owner of Synergy & Poly Performance) had commented on. He replied with his direct office line (publicly no less), spoke to me for about 15-20 minutes without making me feel rushed. Then he didn’t push me to their site to order (which would have been fine), he wanted to handle my order himself.

 

[702_Jeep]

Please keep us updated,im considering this kit as well.

 

[1996cc]

I’m finally in the process of installing this kit. There are definitely some things they need to fine tune. First thing I ran into is that the 392 has some internal frame bracing in the front frame rail that required buying 4 longer bolts. The front hole you drill in the bottom of the frame you can see here required 1/2” longer bolts than they included.

On the side you can see the hole in the main frame rail that had to be drilled through the inner reinforcement. That required 1/4” longer bolts.

I’m still tightening up the exhaust, I’m not 100% sure the driver side cat will clear the bracket. I sure hope it does. I don’t have a pic of the upper control arm bolt on the frame side, but it is 3” and needs to be 1/4 longer. As they ship it, it will only have 2 or so threads into the nut- it definitely doesn’t go all the way through the nut. We are up to 6 bolts now that I had to replace (and 2 other washers that were too big for the bolts)

Then moving to the rear, they have the inner metal sleeves on the lower control arms reversed. The ID of them need to be on opposite sides. Thankfully you can just swap them as the OD of the sleeves are the same.

And to end my day, and my progress, the rear upper control arm bushings don’t fit into axle mount brackets!! The bushings are just over 1/4” wider than the bracket!!!

Of course I discovered this about 7:00 on a Friday night. I emailed Dave, the owner of Synergy, on the off chance he’ll check his email on the weekend. But, it’s not like he could do anything until Monday anyway. I’m just SO ANNOYED.

 

[autotragic]

If I had a dollar for every time some aftermarket part didn't just bolt on when the manufacturers claimed it was a bolt-on part I could be retired already.

This is exactly the kind of shit that makes me not want to work on my vehicles anymore.

 

[DLW]

Keep us updated. I am interested in the same kit but for a 3.6.
The real selling point for me is they sit above the frame.
Otherwise, I really like the WFO as well, even though the brackets sit below the frame. I think their arms have better bushings as well.

 

[failsafe306]

I’m finally in the process of installing this kit. There are definitely some things they need to fine tune. First thing I ran into is that the 392 has some internal frame bracing in the front frame rail that required buying 4 longer bolts. The front hole you drill in the bottom of the frame you can see here required 1/2” longer bolts than they included.

On the side you can see the hole in the main frame rail that had to be drilled through the inner reinforcement. That required 1/4” longer bolts.

I’m still tightening up the exhaust, I’m not 100% sure the driver side cat will clear the bracket. I sure hope it does. I don’t have a pic of the upper control arm bolt on the frame side, but it is 3” and needs to be 1/4 longer. As they ship it, it will only have 2 or so threads into the nut- it definitely doesn’t go all the way through the nut. We are up to 6 bolts now that I had to replace (and 2 other washers that were too big for the bolts)

Then moving to the rear, they have the inner metal sleeves on the lower control arms reversed. The ID of them need to be on opposite sides. Thankfully you can just swap them as the OD of the sleeves are the same.

And to end my day, and my progress, the rear upper control arm bushings don’t fit into axle mount brackets!! The bushings are just over 1/4” wider than the bracket!!!

Of course I discovered this about 7:00 on a Friday night. I emailed Dave, the owner of Synergy, on the off chance he’ll check his email on the weekend. But, it’s not like he could do anything until Monday anyway. I’m just SO ANNOYED.

Any updates?

 

[1996cc]

Synergy replied to me on Saturday saying they would reach out Monday. I had to call, twice, but they are sending me the proper bushings to press into the control arm ends. They discovered that their BOM (Bill of Materials) was wrong. I’d imagine they’ll have this fixed before they ship any more kits. Those should arrive Wednesday, but then I’ll be out of town for Turkey weekend. They assured me I can press them in/out with my cheap 12 ton HF Press.

 

[1996cc]

Keep us updated. I am interested in the same kit but for a 3.6.
The real selling point for me is they sit above the frame.
Otherwise, I really like the WFO as well, even though the brackets sit below the frame. I think their arms have better bushings as well.

WFO uses the Metalcloak bushings, which seem to be the best all around option if you don’t wan the maintenance of Johnny Joints. However, you can’t adjust them on the vehicle without removing at least one end of each arm to adjust the length.

 

[DLW]

Any progress/updates on this?

 

[1996cc]

Not yet fully, too many life distractions in the way. I was able to get pinion angle set today though. I have the arms adjusted essentially as far rearward as I can to help the clearance for 40”s. The rear LCAs do limit the droop to 12” exactly (not really droop from ride height, but hopefully that makes sense). My shocks have 12.5”, so I’m losing 0.5” of droop. I plan to call Synergy next week (it seems most companies are short-staffed for the Holidays, and I’d like to talk to someone who actually knows something) and see what they have to say. I will say, adjusting arm length, castor, pinion angle, etc. was SO MUCH easier than with the WFO kit. So nice to just turn the adjuster!

Here you can see the arm hitting the axle tube and my shock Has another 1/2” of travel.

 

[failsafe306]

Not yet fully, too many life distractions in the way. I was able to get pinion angle set today though. I have the arms adjusted essentially as far rearward as I can to help the clearance for 40”s. The rear LCAs do limit the droop to 12” exactly (not really droop from ride height, but hopefully that makes sense). My shocks have 12.5”, so I’m losing 0.5” of droop. I plan to call Synergy next week (it seems most companies are short-staffed for the Holidays, and I’d like to talk to someone who actually knows something) and see what they have to say. I will say, adjusting arm length, castor, pinion angle, etc. was SO MUCH easier than with the WFO kit. So nice to just turn the adjuster!

Here you can see the arm hitting the axle tube and my shock Has another 1/2” of travel.

What’s your pinion angle at ride height?

 

[DLW]

Thanks for the update.
Yeah, if pinion angle is already optimal at ride height, then that is strange as I would expect the travel to be far more then 12" from a long arm.

 

[1996cc]

Like 9.5° and driveline is at 10.5°.

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