I think its time to take the TJ to the next level.I was wondering if there is any other suspensions out there to look at other then the RE long arm 5.5. I want about 6-8 inches.I know about the rockkrawler 7 and the rockreadys im not sure f there are any others worth getting. Anyways how about opinions on these and any I might not have listed.

A while back someone gave the web site of a guy who did a RE LA 5.5 and Did a rather extensive write up on it I would like to see that again.

I'd personally say just screw the kits and fab up your own Long arm set-up... probably be happier with the results in the end... I just have never been pleased with suspensions "kits" you always seem to have to modify everything anyways, so at least you'd get the most bang for your buck...

It is my understadning that Clayton Hardparts now has TJ LAs.

I have seen them on XJs and one ZJ and they work really well.

try http://www.rockcrawler.com

They have a huge write up on a RE Long Arm setup, some good information and before/after pictures.

I think the RE LA kit is the best kit out on the market. You could probably fab a better one, but a couple tweeks with RE's and its pretty much good to go. Only thing I would do is triangulate the rear, possibly using different arms. If you want to keep stock wheelbase get the RE Kit.

I'm going with the RE kit for my daily driver because it soon won't see much 'wheelin. Its a good kit, although kind of pricey.

My $.02. :D

wait a little longer and look for the new full-traction LA "system" for the TJ's.

just my opinion, i was going to get RE's untill this came alot! from what i have heard it is definataly worth the wait!

You know a friend of mine just put a 8.8 in his TJ with a RE LA kit. He pushed the UCA as far inward as possible (right up against the pumpkin) and then pushed the LCA's all the way to right up against the bearing plate. Dropped the trackbar.

Has been working just fine for the entire summer.......

Originally posted by got 4wd
wait a little longer and look for the new full-traction LA "system" for the TJ's.

just my opinion, i was going to get RE's untill this came alot! from what i have heard it is definataly worth the wait!

What he said......

Any info on this Full Traction Long Arm system? Who makes it and all that stuff??

boy, the technical information being tossed around on this thread showing how other kits are cheaper and/or better than the RE LA is making my head spin. I just don't think I can digest it all.

the amazing thing is that I looked at both Clayton's and Full Traction's site before I replied and neither made any mention of a LA kit.

What exactly are these dream kits doing better than RE?

Maybe I should go search on JU for more information and pics about these dream suspensions... :barf:

Originally posted by JohnnyJ
boy, the technical information being tossed around on this thread showing how other kits are cheaper and/or better than the RE LA is making my head spin. I just don't think I can digest it all.

the amazing thing is that I looked at both Clayton's and Full Traction's site before I replied and neither made any mention of a LA kit.

What exactly are these dream kits doing better than RE?

Maybe I should go search on JU for more information and pics about these dream suspensions... :barf:



I've seen pics of the clayton's it uses square tubing and JJs. But the main benefit over the RE is that it has triangulated uppers.

Build you own

" boy, the technical information being tossed around on this thread showing how other kits are cheaper and/or better than the RE LA is making my head spin. I just don't think I can digest it all.

the amazing thing is that I looked at both Clayton's and Full Traction's site before I replied and neither made any mention of a LA kit.

What exactly are these dream kits doing better than RE?

Maybe I should go search on JU for more information and pics about these dream suspensions..."

----------you'll just have to wait and see about the "dream kits"! anyways go buy the RE and check up on JU while your at it. ill wait for the Full traction.--------------

Originally posted by got 4wd
----------you'll just have to wait and see about the "dream kits"! anyways go buy the RE and check up on JU while your at it. ill wait for the Full traction.--------------

OK. I will. :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

...still waiting for some tech info on the FT so that I, too, can jump on the bandwagon.

how is the rear steer on claytons? what's the front setup like?

The full traction LA kit will debut at the sema show in early november. Word is that it will triangulate the UCA's on both front and rear, eliminating both track bars, and include a new steering system to elimate any bumpsteer and the death wobble that the stock steeering has.

thats the same thing i heard, just didnt know if that was secret or not. i cant wait till i see it at sema!

Originally posted by GOAT1
The full traction LA kit will debut at the sema show in early november. Word is that it will triangulate the UCA's on both front and rear, eliminating both track bars, and include a new steering system to elimate any bumpsteer and the death wobble that the stock steeering has.

I don't have bump steer or death wobble??? should I ask for a partial refund? ;)

and I've got a question for those holding out for next years lift kit:

are you gonna wait for the BFG Krawlers too?

are you gonna wait for superior alloy shafts with OX joints?

and the list goes on ...

its fun to talk about how cool next years stuff is gonna be and how great it will perform blah blah blah, but its more fun to actually go wheeling on last years stuff that exists, is available for sale now, and has been trail tested.

You must be one of those "I bought it because it was beside the counter" guys, how many tabloid magazines and chrismas tree air fresheners have you bought?

And yes, I am going wait for the superior axles and ox joints because if I am going to spend $900 on axles and u-joints, I would like to spend it once.

who says we cant go wheeling now? i already have a long arm kit (tera and RE combination) and it wheels fine for NOW, just would like better! and what i am saying is that i am stupid enough to just go out and be an impulse buyer, just because i believe that some kit will make "ME" a better wheeler! come awn!

now girls lets behave and stay on topic here:flipoff2:

Trailhawg:fj:

GPN F- checkout nasvik's writeup on www.jeepshots.com. or chad crowel's on www.rockcrawler.com. They were the first two I knew of that had the R/E kit and both writeups are decent. I'm sure there are many other writeups out there also.

btw, you say you want to go to "the next level" but you never really said where you are at now.

sheep1 - LOL, yeah you got it :rolleyes: every autozone and pep boys up here has R/E kits stacked like cordwood right next to the neon lights and fuzzy dice :flipoff2:

got4wd - I never said you can't go wheeling.. read what I wrote.

For the full traction Kit...

Triangulating the Front on anything but a trail-only rig is not a good idea (correct me if im wrong). Your axle will still push side to side in turns with a drag link setup (again, correct me if im wrong). Also, if the kit is a "bolt-on" kit, very scary with triangulated links.

That being said, I'm going to go with the RE LA setup. :D


Hopefully the new kit proves me wrong, but I wanna get wheeling. :eek:

Originally posted by Jason R
For the full traction Kit...

Triangulating the Front on anything but a trail-only rig is not a good idea (correct me if im wrong). Your axle will still push side to side in turns with a drag link setup (again, correct me if im wrong). Also, if the kit is a "bolt-on" kit, very scary with triangulated links.

That being said, I'm going to go with the RE LA setup. :D


Hopefully the new kit proves me wrong, but I wanna get wheeling. :eek:


the kit is supposed to include a new steering system to eliminate the draglink setup, your rigth a triangulated upper link with a draglink is stupid.

Why do you think a bolt on kit with triangulated link is scary.

Originally posted by GOAT1



the kit is supposed to include a new steering system to eliminate the draglink setup, your rigth a triangulated upper link with a draglink is stupid.

Why do you think a bolt on kit with triangulated link is scary.

How is the new steering system going to work? Interested in seeing that...

The only reason I think triangulated upper links are scary is that most kits out there (think rock krawler) drill and tap the housing for the upper links. That is just downright SCARY. :eek:

The full traction sounds like Rockkrawler's earlier attempts, the same ones that destroyed my friend's TJ.

there are many other, "better" ways to mount (referind to bolt-on, i know welding is in most cases the best) the upper single point on a three link unlike rockrawlers! how about swaybar mounts for bolting too....of course with other supports...but i am just saying it could be done....i hope FT did it.....and i am not waisting my time waiting! i am here with the rest of you...hopeing for a kit to eliminate my troublesome trackbars and still maintain a safe ride.

You should check out Tera's new kit, pretty trick, theres a link to it on JU :flipoff2:

Originally posted by Beast40
You should check out Tera's new kit, pretty trick, theres a link to it on JU :flipoff2: I'm to old for JU I could die of old age before I get through the first couple sigs:flipoff2:

at RCAA in JV tera was telling people about there "new" kit. what is this now 3 long arm kits (or at least 2, 1 with a revision w/ larger arms) in like a year or two.....seem like they need to real world test there kit before final production? i temp. have install there 2nd gen long arms and the rears hit the frame at half stuff!!!

gentlemen...
there are a lot of other things that make a suspension good. look at a drag car take off from the line... the ones that really hook up are the ones the squat when you hit the gas and put extra weight on the tires. with my RE LA kit my jeep actually does this. if I hit it hard in 4wd the entire jeep squats about 5 inches and I go up and over whatever is in front of me. it does loose traction if i left off the torque though..
I have seen many of the other kits, but i have not seen anything that even compares to the RE kit. I regularly outflex coilovers...even with limiting straps in the rear.
I built a lot of jeeps, and I had SOA, shackle reverals, even RE short arm kit (still on the wifes jeep). I'm here to say I'm a believer. this pic was last week at the dixie run in tellico....http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/912132-Chris%20Gurardrail.JPG

^^^ looks nice! what did you do in the rear with the shocks? did you move them in front of the axle, i am planning on movin mine here soon, just courious if thats what you did! anyhow i also believe RE's kit is very nice...

As far as I know Full Traction is a front for Calmini. I had some calmini stuff on my samurai and it was garbage. They have crappy customer service and I wouldn't buy crap from them again.

I would go with what is proven in other words RE 5.5 LA.:flipoff2:

Originally posted by elusiv
gentlemen...
there are a lot of other things that make a suspension good. look at a drag car take off from the line... the ones that really hook up are the ones the squat when you hit the gas and put extra weight on the tires. with my RE LA kit my jeep actually does this. if I hit it hard in 4wd the entire jeep squats about 5 inches and I go up and over whatever is in front of me. it does loose traction if i left off the torque though..
I have seen many of the other kits, but i have not seen anything that even compares to the RE kit. I regularly outflex coilovers...even with limiting straps in the rear.
I built a lot of jeeps, and I had SOA, shackle reverals, even RE short arm kit (still on the wifes jeep). I'm here to say I'm a believer. this pic was last week at the dixie run in tellico....http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/912132-Chris%20Gurardrail.JPG

Hey I squat in the rear also, but my TJ runs leafs out back

OH MY:eek: :eek: :eek:

Originally posted by elusiv
gentlemen...
there are a lot of other things that make a suspension good. look at a drag car take off from the line... the ones that really hook up are the ones the squat when you hit the gas and put extra weight on the tires. with my RE LA kit my jeep actually does this. if I hit it hard in 4wd the entire jeep squats about 5 inches and I go up and over whatever is in front of me. it does loose traction if i left off the torque though..
I have seen many of the other kits, but i have not seen anything that even compares to the RE kit. I regularly outflex coilovers...even with limiting straps in the rear.
I built a lot of jeeps, and I had SOA, shackle reverals, even RE short arm kit (still on the wifes jeep). I'm here to say I'm a believer. this pic was last week at the dixie run in tellico....http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/912132-Chris%20Gurardrail.JPG

I think you mean anti-suat.

Originally posted by Shawn_C
As far as I know Full Traction is a front for Calmini. I had some calmini stuff on my samurai and it was garbage. They have crappy customer service and I wouldn't buy crap from them again.

I would go with what is proven in other words RE 5.5 LA.:flipoff2:

Wow! get pissed about it.

It's one thing to talk shit about something that you have seen and used so you know it is a POS. It's great, all the shit talking about new products that you haven't even seen and know nothing about.
While were at it , F the new eaton e-locker and the new detroit electric locker, i'll stick with the old leaking air lockers.

hey now i like my air lockers.....there are alot of inproperly installed air lockers (housing wasnt spread, ect..) that give them a bad name..anyawys i get your point! people are too quick to jump to conclusions..even when they have never seen, used or the product hasnt even been RELEASED yet! pretty funny!

Who was that you said was the brains behind this new FT kit.........? Oh thats right...

Originally posted by GOAT1


Wow! get pissed about it.

It's one thing to talk shit about something that you have seen and used so you know it is a POS. It's great, all the shit talking about new products that you haven't even seen and know nothing about.
While were at it , F the new eaton e-locker and the new detroit electric locker, i'll stick with the old leaking air lockers.

Maybe I am being a little hard on the full traction but I had a very sour experience with calmini and if they own full traction which it appears they do......I wont buy their product no matter how good it is. I dont think its cool however to bag on a bunch of products you have never tried.

He just stated that if Calmini (spell?) was behind full traction that he would not buy from them. He wasn't getting pissed about it.

But yea, go w/ the LA and don't wait, it probably won't be anything too amazing. We'll see. :D

Originally posted by Jason R
He just stated that if Calmini (spell?) was behind full traction that he would not buy from them. He wasn't getting pissed about it.

But yea, go w/ the LA and don't wait, it probably won't be anything too amazing. We'll see. :D

No ifs (pun intended) about it. Calmini is the parent company of FT, or the other way around. You get the idea.