Full Traction 4" Long Arm vs. 4" Short Arm

[Qubicon]

GO for the LA set up! I have it and love it. I run 35 MTR's and it drives/handles better than stock. You will not be disappointed.

[blkTJ]

I have been running the rear suspension by Nth for 2 seasons now. I think it really preforms better than the suspension I had before it. And it is a really nice system that requires very little special maintenence. Like it so much I bought the Jyro Joint system for the front, just witing for a warm weekend to install it.

I reall am not lifted enough to get into the long arm vs short arm arguement, I am at borderline. I do see a lot of long arm jeeps in the desert every year stuggling to do what a short arm could easily do. And I see a lot of short orm stuff in the rocks and trails that would be better served with a long arm. That said I see guys with short arm stuff just totally embarrass a lot of long arm guys, so which one? Got me. I like the stable platform of the short arm.

how contradictory, thanks for helping clear all that up. :yay:

[Britain]

And the winner is???

[kcruisin]

I've been running the F-T 4" flex SA for a year. It's every bit as good or better ride than stock. It didn't bother my exahaust.
If you're not going higher than 4", I wouldn't spend the extra money on a LA.
This would be a good time to junk the D-35 before you bought a driveshaft.

[blkTJ]

And the winner is???

4" and less + big rocks = short arm

4" or more + easy stuff = long arm

[Britain]

4" and less + big rocks = short arm

4" or more + easy stuff = long arm

Jeeze you prob right . but my LA will need to stay. Off to the bunny rabbit trails......(tail betwen the legs)

[scottjk]

Kcruisin - my wife is in Birmingham and you are running one of the kits I'm looking at...definitely in the lead. In the end, I run some rocks in the mines and up towards Big Bear and a whole lot of desert...and I need a daily driver that won't kill me or someone else. Sounds like the FT 4" SA meets its advertising...thanks...

[mrchips]

4" Full Traction

I was thinking about doing the same , and I am glad that I chose the latter.Iwent with the Full traction 4" Long Arm. Not a big difference in the ride, depends on the shocks that you install I think. As for getting high centererd, It has not happened to me, and have done Isham Canyon, and 4+ runs at the recent Superstition Mountain Run. Yes the L A is more expensive but I think you will like it better. and the flex is awesome

[Lead Dog]

Kcruisin - my wife is in Birmingham and you are running one of the kits I'm looking at...definitely in the lead. In the end, I run some rocks in the mines and up towards Big Bear and a whole lot of desert...and I need a daily driver that won't kill me or someone else. Sounds like the FT 4" SA meets its advertising...thanks...

Well if you’re like me you go a little fast in the dezert once in a while! If that's the case you really would like the LA better! You'll be soooo much happier with the ride over a short arm!

I agree you can make a SA work real well in the rocks but try and run fast in the dezert and you'll see the difference! >>>buckin bronco<<<<

The Long arm is much more versatile and forgiving!

[blkTJ]

yes, if you intend to drive your Jeep like a rally truck get the long arm. better yet, build a rally truck. :cactus:

[Dukes69]

better yet, build a rally truck. :cactus:

That would be sweet! :yay:

[mrblaine]

yes the guys at all j used to run the fabtech kit. Ran a prototype for two years before he went to the Nth and didn't have problems with it.
On the lj the ride os great on the road. Flexes out well in the rocks too. It is the coil conversion. but time will tell.
The lj has 44 rear with and ox locker and a 30 front for now. We'll see how long it holds up.
I got his old tera flex 4" with bilstiens rides good but wanders a bit.
A few guys from all j run the Nth and it seems to flex out better than a simalar rig with the re.
this is just my 2 cents of course, as I have not driven the Nth yet.

Anyone that says that the Tera with Bilsteins rides good should automatically be discounted as having a worthwhile opinion or any relevant input as to the viability of any lift kit.

As far as All J goes. He removed the FabTech kit because it sucked. If it didn't suck, it would still be on there.

[mrblaine]

i would go long arms and be done with it, seems like the only people who talk long arms down is the ones who dont have them, even at 4'' youl tell the difference on the streets, i went from r/e short arms all adj at 4.5 to 5.5 long arm on my zj and the difference was clear as day. just my opinion//good luck//Kevin

While it may seem that way to you, some of us have actually seen both in action enough times to form an opinion based on how many times we've seen long arms get hung up where a short arm rig never even touched metal on rock.

In general, if you play in the rocks, it's not worth it to swap to long arms if you have short arms already. If you have long arms, it's not worth it to switch to short arms.

They both have their pros and cons. For the OP and doing what he's doing, I'd most certainly consider what I do for the most part and build accordingly. Based on that, I'd go long arms if I could afford it and FT would be very near the top of the list.

[swbooking]

Anyone that says that the Tera with Bilsteins rides good should automatically be discounted as having a worthwhile opinion or any relevant input as to the viability of any lift kit.
As far as All J goes. He removed the FabTech kit because it sucked. If it didn't suck, it would still be on there.

Well while it might seem that way to you... All of us are entitiled to our own opinions and i will vouch for Rockrat33 and count his opinion to be viable as far as lift kits go. and everyone likes different things, just because All J took the fabtech kit off his Jeep doesnt mean it sucks, it means it wasent for him. And your right, some of us HAVE actually seen both in action and ive seen LAs do everything SAs have done with no prob.

[mrblaine]

Well while it might seem that way to you... All of us are entitiled to our own opinions and i will vouch for Rockrat33 and count his opinion to be viable as far as lift kits go. and everyone likes different things,

My apologies, let me rephrase. If you like a kit that makes you cringe and want to step on the brakes everytime you see an unavoidable anomally in the road surface that your tires might encounter, then the Tera with Bilsteins is most definitely for you. If that's the different thing you happen to enjoy, go for it and the Tera will absolutely fulfill your heart's desire.

just because All J took the fabtech kit off his Jeep doesnt mean it sucks, it means it wasent for him.

Knowing Quinn and having wheeled with him a few times and having worked with him a few more, I trust that his needs in a lift kit are very similar to anyone who desires performance, durability, good handling, good ride and backed by someone with good customer service.

If that's not what you're after, then by all means, buy the kit he removed.

And your right, some of us HAVE actually seen both in action and ive seen LAs do everything SAs have done with no prob.

Then you need to get out more. We've winched more long arms off the rocks than should be legal. Notice I didn't say rigs with long arms, but the arms themselves. In fact on our last run over New Years, I had to have a rig on the last big fall on AfterShock either winch or risk damage. Mind you this was a well set up rig on 35's and the only thing stuck was the arms.

Further, Brian (blkTJ) has been present during many of those instances. I'm not sure who's vouching for whom here, but we've both seen it and so have many other members of this board as well. All of us can't be making this up, can we?

Also notice that I"m not bashing long arms. I am just objective enough to offer up the differences without an emotional attachment borne out of some loyalty to a friend's incorrect remarks.

Before you get too wound up, you might check and see how long the arms on my rig are.