Rock Crawler lift

[chitown35]

Control arms are what determine flex and ride softness? Learn something new everyday. :crazyeyes:


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You're welcome, every day you learn something new is a good day. Control arms don't by themselves determine flex nor ride Softness. But everything contributes in varying degrees. I said they allow for enough flex without binding up. And you're not going to get additional harshness via metal on metal compared to a stock type joint.

Obviously tire rating, psi, control arm angle, shocks, and springs all play a part. But we're just talking about lifts here.

Anyway just offering what works for me, and that's all that matters, right?

Btw OP, this kind of ignorant comment from a select few is why you don't hear much from MC owners here.

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[WJCO]

Anyway just offering what works for me, and that's all that matters, right?

Btw OP, this kind of ignorant comment from a select few is why you don't hear much from MC owners here.

I don't know if I'd call overlander's comment 'ignorant' but if you're happy with the lift you bought, then that's all that matters.

 

[chitown35]

I don't know if I'd call overlander's comment 'ignorant' but if you're happy with the lift you bought, then that's all that matters.

Fair enough, maybe moreso just jumping to conclusions and reading more into my post than what it said.

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[Draconianwinter]

Metalcloak control arms are awesome. Soft ride and more than enough available flex. So are the track bars and rear track bar bracket for great diff clearance and roll center. I'd go with their lift 100 times over just for that stuff. Springs are great if you have them but the people that don't, don't seem to follow along with the thought process on them. Of course your spring/shock combo should be paired.

If you want a lift that does well for off camber stability (depending on which kit) as well as at speed, MC is a good way to go. But if you're ever thinking of going to 40s, coilovers for their adjustability, or long arms, MC may not be the best choice.

I plan on 37s max, have their 6pak shocks, and am willing to do the work it takes to line everything up just right. For my needs, it works great.

With a $1000 budget you just have your foot in the door. So I'd decide for sure where I wanted to go later on before spending a bunch of money.

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I appreciate the information you provided will be one more thing to think about.

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[Rottenbelly]

Control arms are what determine flex and ride softness? Learn something new everyday. :crazyeyes:


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Not exactly, but the bushing do help ride quality compared to a metal flex joint......

I personally would go Metalcloak over rock crawler or most other lift any day. I have run their control arms for about 4.5 years and never had a problem with them.
Have them on both my jeeps.
It works for me so I'm sticking with it.
Can't comment on evo but it seems to be a great product from all the positive feedback on here.

 

[Draconianwinter]

Not exactly, but the bushing do help ride quality compared to a metal flex joint......

I personally would go Metalcloak over rock crawler or most other lift any day. I have run their control arms for about 4.5 years and never had a problem with them.
Have them on both my jeeps.
It works for me so I'm sticking with it.
Can't comment on evo but it seems to be a great product from all the positive feedback on here.

The length of time you have had the set up says allot. I was wondering how will their control arm joints would hold up

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[OverlanderJK]

You're welcome, every day you learn something new is a good day. Control arms don't by themselves determine flex nor ride Softness. But everything contributes in varying degrees. I said they allow for enough flex without binding up. And you're not going to get additional harshness via metal on metal compared to a stock type joint.

Obviously tire rating, psi, control arm angle, shocks, and springs all play a part. But we're just talking about lifts here.

Anyway just offering what works for me, and that's all that matters, right?

Btw OP, this kind of ignorant comment from a select few is why you don't hear much from MC owners here.

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Well no, offer up what works for you is not all that matters when someone is asking about Rock Crawler lifts, not Metalcloak.

Fair enough, maybe moreso just jumping to conclusions and reading more into my post than what it said.

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I read what you wrote. Nothing more.

 

[chitown35]

when someone is asking about Rock Crawler lifts, not Metalcloak..

Conversation took a turn somewhere before my post.

Anyway to the OP, where are you at at this point with your decision? Any thoughts?

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[zimm]

$1000?

I'd start with an evo levelling kit and new shocks. You can piece the other stuff together later. I forget what year, but the late model JKU's already have extended brake lines. If you have a rubicon, you just need extended sway bar links, not disconnects.

I'm running Fox 2.0 IPF shocks- about $100 a corner. Levelling kit is a little over $200.

If you discover you can't handle your axles being off center- then deal with the trac bars (either new brackets or adj length)
If your steering if flighty and you need caster correction- you only need front lower arms.

Are you installing yourself? I'm assuming so with that low of a budget- the RK arms are a BITCH to get the ends aligned after slathering red locktite on the ball end threads and cranking to 250 ft/lbs hoping the joint is vertical when you're done. Evo arms can be adjusted while on the jeep.

You definitely don't need the expense and headache of 8 adj arms for 35's. It's not a TJ, the JK arms are already a good length for plenty of flex.

 

[wayoflife]

Not exactly, but the bushing do help ride quality compared to a metal flex joint......

Funny, I've run a whole host of control arms on the 4 JK's I've owned over the last 10 years and more on the TJ before that. I can't say I've ever run one that has metal joints on both ends. As far as ride quality goes, if you're referring to road noise, I haven't seen or felt that to be an issue ever since the JK came out being that it has true body mounts that are isolators instead of rubber pucks. But hey, you can keep on believing old information that you read on the internet. :yup:

I personally would go Metalcloak over rock crawler or most other lift any day. I have run their control arms for about 4.5 years and never had a problem with them.
Have them on both my jeeps.
It works for me so I'm sticking with it.
Can't comment on evo but it seems to be a great product from all the positive feedback on here.

Truth be told, I might go with Metalcloak over RK as well but only because they stay quite. As far as them providing a better ride and offering more flex, yeah, I read that on their website too.

 

[Rottenbelly]

Funny, I've run a whole host of control arms on the 4 JK's I've owned over the last 10 years and more on the TJ before that. I can't say I've ever run one that has metal joints on both ends. As far as ride quality goes, if you're referring to road noise, I haven't seen or felt that to be an issue ever since the JK came out being that it has true body mounts that are isolators instead of rubber pucks. But hey, you can keep on believing old information that you read on the internet. :yup:



Truth be told, I might go with Metalcloak over RK as well but only because they stay quite. As far as them providing a better ride and offering more flex, yeah, I read that on their website too.

Yeah, but have you ever run Metalcloak arms???
Then you wouldn't know..
So you keep believing what you read and I will give firsthand experience.
Lol. And I will keep being fanboy number 1!:thumb:

 

[wayoflife]

Yeah but have you ever run Metalcloak arms???
Then you wouldn't know..
So you keep believing what you read and I will give firsthand experience.
Lol. And I will keep being fanboy number 1!:thumb:

LOL!! Not on my Jeep personally but I didn't know I needed to in order to thoroughly test them out both on a Jeep and on a bench against other joints. But hey, what would I know..

I realize it's hard for you being the fanboy that you are but if you slow down for just a sec and re-read what I had said above, you just might see that I actually noted that "I might go with Metalcloak over RK"

 

[Rottenbelly]

LOL!! Not on my Jeep personally but I didn't know I needed to in order to thoroughly test them out both on a Jeep and on a bench against other joints. But hey, what would I know..
I realize it's hard for you being the fanboy that you are but if you slow down for just a sec and re-read what I had said above, you just might see that I actually noted that "I might go with Metalcloak over RK"

I just think it subjective for some to say how something works or doesn't if they don't have any firsthand experience with that product.


Yeah. Maybe I do have my guard up a little sometimes since I am the one and only Fanboy #1!
Carry on.

 

[wayoflife]

I just think it subjective for some to say how something works or doesn't if they don't have any firsthand experience with that product.

Yeah. Maybe I do have my guard up a little sometimes since I am the one and only Fanboy #1!
Carry on.

Ummm, as most on here know, I am ALWAYS the first to say that ride quality is 100% subjective. All I ever hope to do is share what I've seen and experienced first hand both on my own personal Jeep and on others. Of course, what would I know

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Not exactly, but the bushing do help ride quality compared to a metal flex joint......

Can you help explain this a little more? As I am a newb to all of this, I would like to understand how a bushing can help with ride quality. From my basic understanding, a joint is simply a flexing point for the suspension arm, right? So how could a bushing help with ride quality?

The Johnny Joints that came on my suspension don't seem to have really any play and the bushing themselves seem to only allow flex and articulation. Am I missing something? Should I look at metal flex joints instead of what I have on my rig now?

 

[Rottenbelly]

Ummm, as most on here know, I am ALWAYS the first to say that ride quality is 100% subjective. All I ever hope to do is share what I've seen and experienced first hand both on my own personal Jeep and on others. Of course, what would I know

Yes, I agree with you on that part. That's all I'm doing is sharing my experiences with what I know.
I worked at a shop that sold and installed various lifts back when I lived in the south. So I do have some experience with seeing the various stuff that came in needing repair.
Now that I have moved out west I get to wheel and test my stuff in a different environment. So if I have any failures I will be sure to post them up.
I never say anything about the evo stuff cause I have no experience with it. I would love to find someone with a evo equipped jeep around here so I could check it out and maybe go for a spin. But being in utah I am in Teraflex country. Everybody and there grandma runs it out here. Except me, l like to be a little different.

 

[zimm]

Bushings have an affect on NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) in most vehicles. Maybe that can be rolled into "ride quality". I have no personal experience on a JK with metals ends on both sides, but I didn't notice any more vibes going from stock to RK arms which are metal at one end and stiff poly at the other. Maybe in a Cadillac you could tell the difference.

 

[Rottenbelly]

Can you help explain this a little more? As I am a newb to all of this, I would like to understand how a bushing can help with ride quality. From my basic understanding, a joint is simply a flexing point for the suspension arm, right? So how could a bushing help with ride quality?

The Johnny Joints that came on my suspension don't seem to have really any play and the bushing themselves seem to only allow flex and articulation. Am I missing something? Should I look at metal flex joints instead of what I have on my rig now?

Lol, you're no Newby!
I don't know but my thinking is metal on metal isn't going to be as smooth as rubber surrounding metal.... the MC bushing has a little more give to it. They allow some play where a metal joint isn't going to. Hence the softer feel. Aren't Johnny Joints basically floating in a rubber cushion??
Although it's probably miniscule, I switched my control arms out and drove the same stretch across interstate 40 in Arkansas. I could tell a difference. However small it may have been. Or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. But it seemed better to me.
Maybe we should just get metal tires too.

 

[Beav068]

Well, I appreciate all of the responses.

Unfortunately life took another twist and I've run into an unexpected drainage repair. So it looks like I'll probably have to wait until the lawsuit from my motorcycle crash is settled before going nuts on the Jeep.

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[Draconianwinter]

Well, I appreciate all of the responses.

Unfortunately life took another twist and I've run into an unexpected drainage repair. So it looks like I'll probably have to wait until the lawsuit from my motorcycle crash is settled before going nuts on the Jeep.

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That sucks to be sure, but at the same time it will let you do more research so you will beable to make a better informed choice when you do start your build

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