Relocation Brackets vs Long Control Arms

[Lunentucker]

New preface to the preface - This is about road driving and handling, where most complaints of wander, wobble, bump steer, and wind drift are encountered, and where most JT's spend most of their time.

If you're hard core crawling and are more concerned about something getting hung up on a rock or a stump then you're not likely to care that much about road manners.

-------
I'll preface this by saying that these are my own findings, and it's been a slog to get here, to the point where my JT drives and rides nearly as good our Crosstrek. No lie.

Information from other members here has been invaluable and I thank each and every who has participated and helped out with sound advice and pointers.

All I am trying to do here is to consolidate what I have learned across numerous threads into one collection on the matter.


21 Mojave / 2" AEV / 35" BFG K02 on stock rims @32 PSI
Rancho Geometry Brackets (middle hole as suggested by manufacturer)(now moved to lowest hole)
Rock Jock Carrier Bearing Spacer
Rides and drives like a dream!

____________________________________________

Geometry Correction Brackets vs Longer (or adjustable) Control Arms to correct caster.

Let's delve into the relocation brackets vs control arms (extended or adjustable) issue a bit more.

Do they both correct caster impacts from lifting? Yes.
Do they both correct all suspension impacts from lifting? No.
Do relocation brackets hang down and create possible contact points for crawling and wheeling? Maybe.

While both solutions can certainly get your caster back into spec, or even slightly on the plus side of spec, which many believe to be ideal, only the relocation brackets level the control arms back to factory spec and insure that road and trail bumps are imparted directly UP and into the suspension.

Longer arms will still allow impacts to be transferred into the frame, which is not ideal and will result in a rougher feel on roads and trails.

As for the last question, here are some photos showing my Mojave's clearances in various locations, with the relocation brackets being the baseline at about 13.5" inches.

Do the brackets hang down? Yes.
Are they now the lowest snag point on the vehicle? No.

Here's a good video on what the brackets do and how it differs from what longer control arms do.

The video won't embed. Just follow the link



Rancho Relocation Brackets

Rock Jock Spacer

Clearance to Bracket (13.5")
The ruler remains locked at this position as a baseline.

Sponsored

 

[RodRecket]

This was a good read. Have you considered the Teraflex or rockjock rear upper control arm brackets as well?

 

[Lunentucker]

This was a good read. Have you considered the Teraflex or rockjock rear upper control arm brackets as well?

I haven't, but my truck drives and handles great at the moment.
Everything that led me to make changes so far has been in pursuit off that goal.
I have since dropped down to the lowest hole in the brackets, and added the Metalcloak sector shaft brace.
My caster is probably in the +7.5 neighborhood now.
I drove in 40 mph winds yesterday and barely felt them.
Bump steer is non-existent and the truck simply handles great.
Toe is about 0.5 degrees out.

 

[RodRecket]

I haven't, but my truck drives and handles great at the moment.
Everything that led me to make changes so far has been in pursuit off that goal.
I have since dropped down to the lowest hole in the brackets, and added the Metalcloak sector shaft brace.
My caster is probably in the +7.5 neighborhood now.
I drove in 40 mph winds yesterday and barely felt them.
Bump steer is non-existent and the truck simply handles great.
Toe is about 0.5 degrees out.

That's fair. On my last JT (a sport) I had a mopar lift and rancho geo brackets. I attempted the mopar extended LCAs and geo brackets but it gave me no real benefit from the seat of my pants and caster @ 7.5/7.6. I went back to stock with no discernable difference but within factory specs.

Now I have a '21 AEV JT370, so obviously AEV geo brackets with their springs/shocks and driveline spacer. The main reason I'm planning on the TF rear UCA brackets is because of how much of an improvement the front LCA brackets gave me. I have no complaints with my ride now, it's great, but could it be even better!? I'll report back. Was just curious about others experience since I haven't found a lot on them.

 

[Lunentucker]

That's fair. On my last JT (a sport) I had a mopar lift and rancho geo brackets. I attempted the mopar extended LCAs and geo brackets but it gave me no real benefit from the seat of my pants and caster @ 7.5/7.6. I went back to stock with no discernable difference but within factory specs.

Now I have a '21 AEV JT370, so obviously AEV geo brackets with their springs/shocks and driveline spacer. The main reason I'm planning on the TF rear UCA brackets is because of how much of an improvement the front LCA brackets gave me. I have no complaints with my ride now, it's great, but could it be even better!? I'll report back. Was just curious about others experience since I haven't found a lot on them.

Looking forward to hearing your results!

 

[Lunentucker]

@RodRecket , Now you've got me looking at them hard. LOL
Looks like a pretty simple installation, so I may go ahead and do them.
Make sense that they might do good things.

 

[chorky]

AEV JT370, so obviously AEV geo brackets with their springs/shocks and driveline spacer. The main reason I'm planning on the TF rear UCA brackets is because of how much of an improvement the front LCA brackets gave me. I have no complaints with my ride now, it's great, but could it be even better!? I'll report back. Was just curious about others experience since I haven't

@RodRecket , Now you've got me looking at them hard. LOL
Looks like a pretty simple installation, so I may go ahead and do them.
Make sense that they might do good things.

Funny this came up as I was just putting together a post to make when I order some products. I agree that the rear teraflex brackets won't hurt. Probably they would hurt if you only had maybe an inch of lift. But even at only 2", it's clear that at full droop the pinion angles are not great.... and the point of the brackets are to adjust pinion angles to reduce binding and NVH. I could imagine that if a person had super high capacity springs, and were relatively unloaded for whatever reason then the brackets for sure would help.

But...fyi just in case, the rock jock brackets do not require drilling. personally, I think the teraflex brackets are beefier for rotational and lateral forces compared to rock jock and the drilling that the teraflex brackets do require is not so much that it would prevent one from returning to stock if they ever chose to. Just my .02

Really looking forward to how this works for ya'll.

 

[RodRecket]

@RodRecket , Now you've got me looking at them hard. LOL
Looks like a pretty simple installation, so I may go ahead and do them.
Make sense that they might do good things.

Lol, thank the forum for spending a few more dollars for ya

 

[RodRecket]

Funny this came up as I was just putting together a post to make when I order some products. I agree that the rear teraflex brackets won't hurt. Probably they would hurt if you only had maybe an inch of lift. But even at only 2", it's clear that at full droop the pinion angles are not great.... and the point of the brackets are to adjust pinion angles to reduce binding and NVH. I could imagine that if a person had super high capacity springs, and were relatively unloaded for whatever reason then the brackets for sure would help.

But...fyi just in case, the rock jock brackets do not require drilling. personally, I think the teraflex brackets are beefier for rotational and lateral forces compared to rock jock and the drilling that the teraflex brackets do require is not so much that it would prevent one from returning to stock if they ever chose to. Just my .02

Really looking forward to how this works for ya'll.

After browsing both sites again and then again I chose the TF brackets. I pretty much came up with the same sentiment as you with the extra reinforcements the TF brackets provide.

I'm hoping I'll have them in and installed in the next week or two before moab.

 

[Lunentucker]

But...fyi just in case, the rock jock brackets do not require drilling. personally, I think the teraflex brackets are beefier for rotational and lateral forces compared to rock jock and the drilling that the teraflex brackets do require is not so much that it would prevent one from returning to stock if they ever chose to. Just my .02

I was just looking at the Rock Jock brackets and thought the same things. I still like the design on the Teraflex ones better. I don't think drilling would be too much trouble, but a little touchup paint wouldn't hurt.

 

[chorky]

After browsing both sites again and then again I chose the TF brackets. I pretty much came up with the same sentiment as you with the extra reinforcements the TF brackets provide.

I'm hoping I'll have them in and installed in the next week or two before moab.

Please do report back I would really like to hear about functionality differences

I was just looking at the Rock Jock brackets and thought the same things. I still like the design on the Teraflex ones better. I don't think drilling would be too much trouble, but a little touchup paint wouldn't hurt.

Yeah and some Amsoil HD metal protect also. I used to use rust converter, and then encapsulator, and a good quality paint on my OBS 350 - but it still needed routine touch up. With the JT I went the cavity wax route and HD metal protect. Theres a few nuts/bolts that are just raw steel poking through the bed (that I need to swap out for SS) but I coated them heavily before winter, and so far literally zero rust! So I'm pretty impressed. And the metal protect doesn't come off super easy even with a pressure washer. Well see after another year or two but so far I'm impressed and think it works quite well. Just to add to some touch up paint.

 

[Free2roam]

So what about the longer LCA's instead of the brackets? I was thinking about the AEV heavy duty springs and either Clayton or Metal Cloak LCA's. Does the rear end get brackets as well? It's not as necessary in the rear as the front. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[BringTheLightnin]

Are you using the Mopar lift front LCAs with it in the middle hole on the front bracket? I just installed the rancho brackets and haven't checked my caster yet. Definitely feels better but got a lot bouncier on the road.

Edit: nevermind. I didn't read very well

 

[chorky]

So what about the longer LCA's instead of the brackets? I was thinking about the AEV heavy duty springs and either Clayton or Metal Cloak LCA's. Does the rear end get brackets as well? It's not as necessary in the rear as the front. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The purpose for the brackets is to fully correct geometry. longer control arms move the control arms down and although they correct caster, with that angle, it transmits more of the shock into the fame and trust creates more NVH. Maybe it's enough to feel, maybe not thats debatable. So some choose the brackets instead because you keep the factory control arms and their bushings, and keep the control arms at the same angles

 

[Lunentucker]

Yeah and some Amsoil HD metal protect also. I used to use rust converter, and then encapsulator, and a good quality paint on my OBS 350 - but it still needed routine touch up. With the JT I went the cavity wax route and HD metal protect.

I'll look into that. I was looking at something called SharkHide the other day. We don't get a lot of salt and brine. No accumulating snow this season at all. But I still don't mind adding some protection.
It's interesting to see the different components under the vehicle begin to surface rust at different rates. I guess different suppliers do different things. Even some fasteners rust at different rates.

Sponsored