Swapping Short Arms - Tips or Advice?

3002 Views 34 Replies 12 Participants Last post by 3rivers, Nov 28, 2010

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · Nov 2, 2010

I've got a full set of Rokmen short arms I bought a long time ago and am just getting the urge to install. I know this is pretty straightforward, but give me some advice on how to do it before I spend a day cussing under the Jeep.

The main thing I'm worried about is that I've had some pretty serious neck surgery (like screws, rods, and plates) in the past and it's all but impossible to lay down and lift my head up for any amount of time, so I've kind of been dreading the swap. I know this is about the easiest thing to do on a Jeep, but is this something I can do in two hours or all weekend? Would having a lift help? Finally, since I'd rather pay money than have my neck hurt for a week what's a reasonable amount for a 4x4 shop to charge?

Also, will I need an alignment afterwards? Having never had anything with a linked suspension is the 17 year old kid at the tire shop going to know how to adjust links to align my front end?

Thanks

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

klaykrusher

· #2 · Nov 2, 2010

I had the Rokmen short arms (all 8 arms) installed on my '05 unlimited a couple months ago. Cost was right about 200. That included the alignment. What we didn't realize was that to get the correct rear driveshaft/axle angle, part of the rear lower spring mount had to be torched off so the rear shocks would not bind up against the mounts. He had a TJ in the shop the same time with the same issue.

This shop has been in business over 14 years, all offroad, and still took the better part of 4 hours to get everything dialed in. For me, it was way worth having them do the grunt work. I'd still be under my junk if I was doing it. I'm not sure I would trust the alignment shop unless they actually work on modified/lifted Jeeps, etc. Some shops will just align to factory specs and that may not work for your application.

Good luck. I'm really happy with the outcome, and no pain in my neck or arse for that matter...... :laugh:

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 2, 2010

klaykrusher said:
I had the Rokmen short arms (all 8 arms) installed on my '05 unlimited a couple months ago. Cost was right about 200. That included the alignment. What we didn't realize was that to get the correct rear driveshaft/axle angle, part of the rear lower spring mount had to be torched off so the rear shocks would not bind up against the mounts. He had a TJ in the shop the same time with the same issue.

Do you have a CV driveshaft on your rig?

rubitx

· #4 · Nov 2, 2010

Why not JKS? I've had great success with mine.

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 2, 2010

rubitx said:
Why not JKS? I've had great success with mine.

???

rubitx

· #6 · Nov 2, 2010

Look them up at jksmfg.com. Solid product. David at Northridge4x4 can probably hook you up with them. I can't remember if they're on his website or not. Either way I'd call him and ask.

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 2, 2010

cdogg44 said:
I've got a full set of Rokmen short arms I bought a long time ago and am just getting the urge to install.

I've already got the arms I'm just looking for tips on installing them.

klaykrusher

· #8 · Nov 3, 2010

cdogg44 said:
klaykrusher said:

I had the Rokmen short arms (all 8 arms) installed on my '05 unlimited a couple months ago. Cost was right about 200. That included the alignment. What we didn't realize was that to get the correct rear driveshaft/axle angle, part of the rear lower spring mount had to be torched off so the rear shocks would not bind up against the mounts. He had a TJ in the shop the same time with the same issue.

Click to expand...

Do you have a CV driveshaft on your rig?

Nope, still using the OE shaft. No problems at all.

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 3, 2010

klaykrusher said:
cdogg44 said:

klaykrusher said:

I had the Rokmen short arms (all 8 arms) installed on my '05 unlimited a couple months ago. Cost was right about 200. That included the alignment. What we didn't realize was that to get the correct rear driveshaft/axle angle, part of the rear lower spring mount had to be torched off so the rear shocks would not bind up against the mounts. He had a TJ in the shop the same time with the same issue.

Click to expand...

Do you have a CV driveshaft on your rig?

Click to expand...

Nope, still using the OE shaft. No problems at all.

What do you think was causing the problem? I wondered if maybe getting your pinion setup right because of a CV shaft was causing you issues. I don't see why just changing arms would cause any trouble.

Herk

· #10 · Nov 3, 2010

Odd you should have had to rotate the axle that far with a non-CV shaft. I run Rokmen arms with OME ZJ/LJ springs and had no issue. My pinion angle is not perfect, but I have no vibration. I think I'll be OK when I do a TT down the road, but time will tell. There are "shock relocator" brackets available which also solve this problem.

It took myself and a buddy about 4 hours to do all 8 arms, front track bar, springs, shocks, BL and MML. I have air tools, but their efficiency was probably offset by the amount of beer we were drinking. If you have mobility issues, get help. A couple 12 packs make a good recruiting tool.

SweetPee

· #11 · Nov 3, 2010

2

It is super easy. I don't know about your injury and what you can/can't do. So I can't comment there. If your doing it... What i would do and have done myself is leave the jeep on a flat level surface and take ONE arm off at a time! That's very important. This should keep your alignment and pinion angles close to where they need to be. Be sure before you remove the bolts at the front axle to mark their position well, this is assuming you have those alignment/cam bolts. This way you can put those back where they were. Rotating them after they are tight changes the pinion angle on the front end as well as caster. So you'll want to try and get it back to where it was before you removed them. If you don't have them, some don't, then no sweat.

In either case front or rear, when you get one arm on, measure it from the center of one bolt to the center of another. Then when you put the other side on you can do some measuring and try to get them as equal as possible so everything is square. And you will (obviously) compare the measurements from rear lower to rear lower, rear upper to rear upper, front lower to front lower, front upper to front upper. Cause each pair will have their own measurment.

Yes you will need a alignment unless your just super lucky. Doing as I have done though it shouldn't be off by much at all. If you have a degree finder measure the angle of your front and rear pinion at the axle before you start anything. This way you have a base line to see where things end up. Here is a couple pics the show some decent locations:

GREAT choice in CAs!!! Very solid product. JKS are good too. But Rokmens are total BEEF.

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Rockunlimited2

· #12 · Nov 4, 2010

The trick I used was to pull one front arm, chock the front wheels (I put a landscape block behind one of my front tires) and have a buddy creep it backward about an inch or so (In 2wd) to pull the front axle away from the jeep (While the front control arm is out) them you can line up the new (longer) arm with the mounting holes. Try to keep the wife from walking into the garage while you are under the jeep and your friend is backing it up, women have a inert lack of understanding of how the danger of bodily harm makes projects go better.

Jough

· #13 · Nov 5, 2010

Before I had a lift & CV, I installed all 8 Currie arms. The secret was to do one at a time, and adjust the new one to the same length as the old one by inserting the mounting bolts thru both. It is not hard to do.

Once you do a lift and are adjusting front & rear angles, it can get a bit more tricky and require more tools, but it can be done alone. You'll need another small jack to raise the front or rear of each pumpkin and a pointed pry bar.

CRJeepin

· #14 · Nov 5, 2010

Agree, replace one at a time with the jeep sitting on its own weight, and you should have no problem that using a jack to push a little here or there won't solve.

I'd allow about 4 hours to do it, but I'd get pulled into doing other odds and ends at the same time like I normally do!

Personally if I'd had neck surgery, I'd pony up a couple hundred and let a shop do it....it can require some contortionist moves!

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #15 · Nov 8, 2010

The more I look at this the more I think it's worth it to have a shop do it. Not that I couldn't do it myself, but because I figure I'm gonna hurt for a week afterwards!

I'll see if I can find a picture of my X-ray and let ya'll be the judge

f9k9

· #16 · Nov 9, 2010

Do you belong to any local off-road clubs? This is really is one situation where you want to have someone that wheels to perform the the job for you. It is a relatively easy job and some beer or taking them out for dinner would be a whole lot cheaper to have it done than at some shop that may or may not be worth their salt.

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #17 · Nov 9, 2010

f9k9 said:
Do you belong to any local off-road clubs? This is really is one situation where you want to have someone that wheels to perform the the job for you. It is a relatively easy job and some beer or taking them out for dinner would be a whole lot cheaper to have it done than at some shop that may or may not be worth their salt.

I don't. I've asked a few people about it but nobody is really interested. I'm not in a hurry so I may see what comes my way.

Here's my dilemma. Car wreck, don't ask, not my fault. What you can't see is the disc they removed and replaced with a cadaver bone to form a fusion. I got cut front and back, and having to slice through all the muscles that come together on the back of your neck means it never really went back to normal. Laying down and picking my head up is all but impossible after about 10 minutes. Oh well I'm just glad I'm alive

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bojang

· #18 · Nov 9, 2010

Ouch........

f9k9

· #19 · Nov 9, 2010

Quick, join a local club! At least you'll find out who does good work and who doesn't. Might even find a member who does work for cheap. If, beer is his/her currency then pay up when the job is done :laugh:

cdogg44

Discussion Starter · #20 · Nov 9, 2010

f9k9 said:
Quick, join a local club! At least you'll find out who does good work and who doesn't. Might even find a member who does work for cheap. If, beer is his/her currency then pay up when the job is done :laugh:

You had a great idea and I actually found a guy last night off the Arkansas Crawlers forum who lives within 10 minutes and told me $30 an hour with a 2-4 hour estimate. He builds a lot of custom bumpers and has a nice rig himself, so I figure swapping short arms won't be too hard!

Thank you for the idea!

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