Long arms

[cherokee-at-16]

I know there is another thread on long arms but I have some different questions. Basically what I want to do is build my own Clayton long arms using the exact same stuff but just welding it all together myself or having my friend weld them. I figure that way I could have the same stuff, just for like $600 instead of the $935 it would cost me to just buy it.

My list right now is:
2- 2 1/2" FORGED JOHNNY JOINT® W/ 1 1/4" RH THREADED STUD $85
2-NARROW 2" FORGED JOHNNY JOINT® W/ 1" RH THREADED STUD $85
2-bushing housing $40
2-clevite bushing $24
4-square tube insurts (may change to round depending on the tube) $32
Total =360
Then I would need some 2x2 1/4wall square tube or some DOM and some other 1/4 plate and tube to make a cross member and brackets.

So if i can get the metal for the arms and cross member for under $570 I will have saved money. so depending on tube cost I'm gonna do this.

So heres the question, how much tube will I need for the lower arms and the y link part? How long are long arms?

[Zullock Holmes]

36" eye to eye for the lowers on the install instructions in most xj longarm kits. but this depends on where the arm mounts on the crossmember. To be honest, your best bet is to make a crossmember and then install that and measure your arm lengths from there.

You're deff gonna save money this way, but thats only if you can get good prices on steel. if you have to buy complete 24' lengths of tube its going to end up costing you way more.

you're also gonna need some .25" plate for the bracket pieces, unless you can find somewhere to buy them from (i saw them in andy and gobigorgohome's long arm builds, so ask those guys)

you can also buy just a crossmember and then make the arms to simplify the process alittle and still save some money.

and to be even more honest.... $300 more is worth a lifetime warranty, a powder coat and also the ease of not having to make them IMO.

[kracker]

36" eye to eye for the lowers on the install instructions in most xj longarm kits. but this depends on where the arm mounts on the crossmember. To be honest, your best bet is to make a crossmember and then install that and measure your arm lengths from there.

You're deff gonna save money this way, but thats only if you can get good prices on steel. if you have to buy complete 24' lengths of tube its going to end up costing you way more.

you're also gonna need some .25" plate for the bracket pieces, unless you can find somewhere to buy them from (i saw them in andy and gobigorgohome's long arm builds, so ask those guys)

you can also buy just a crossmember and then make the arms to simplify the process alittle and still save some money.

and to be even more honest.... $300 more is worth a lifetime warranty, a powder coat and also the ease of not having to make them IMO.

x2...its like the bringing in your car for an oil change vs. doing it yourself debate....

[cherokee-at-16]

Yea all that was depending on how much I would be getting the steel for. I would not like to buy a 24' length because I wouldn't even need half of it. I was just thinking of costs before I go to Logan anyway to get materials for sliders.

[justtorchit]

dont go to logan, there bargan barn is just as much if not more than getting fresh steel. the quarter inch plate you can find cheep at other places... MIDCITY steel is a good place to go if your from eastern CT (just saw ur from milford, call around for better prices from steel shops around you. logan likes to rape you with no lube.)


pretty much no place around here "stocks" 2"x.25 wall DOM and they r gonna want you to buy a full stick....

buy 6 feet of DOM from ruffstuff. i saw on they r selling DOM now which is sweeeeet.

[justtorchit]

I know there is another thread on long arms but I have some different questions. Basically what I want to do is build my own Clayton long arms using the exact same stuff but just welding it all together myself or having my friend weld them. I figure that way I could have the same stuff, just for like $600 instead of the $935 it would cost me to just buy it.

My list right now is:
2- 2 1/2" FORGED JOHNNY JOINT® W/ 1 1/4" RH THREADED STUD $85
2-NARROW 2" FORGED JOHNNY JOINT® W/ 1" RH THREADED STUD $85
2-bushing housing $40
2-clevite bushing $24
4-square tube insurts (may change to round depending on the tube) $32
Total =360
Then I would need some 2x2 1/4wall square tube or some DOM and some other 1/4 plate and tube to make a cross member and brackets.

So if i can get the metal for the arms and cross member for under $570 I will have saved money. so depending on tube cost I'm gonna do this.

So heres the question, how much tube will I need for the lower arms and the y link part? How long are long arms?

and go bigger than 2x2 for the crossmember, i like 2x6 or 2x4 so it gives a nice bit of protection and plenty enough space to mount arms and skidplates to... check out kristys black betty build for a nice and simple crossmeber setup.

[cherokee-at-16]

I wasn't planning on 2x2 for the cross member. and if i have to buy a whole stick then I would sell the other half to my friend so he can make his own long arms.

I saw that ruff stuff carries DOM now, but is that a good price? I have no idea how much anything should cost. Whats the cost of a full 24' length?

[justtorchit]

I wasn't planning on 2x2 for the cross member. and if i have to buy a whole stick then I would sell the other half to my friend so he can make his own long arms.

I saw that ruff stuff carries DOM now, but is that a good price? I have no idea how much anything should cost. Whats the cost of a full 24' length?

oh sry, read it wrong.

a length is gonna cost you more than you want to spend...

also if you order 2 3" foot lengths you might get a better shipping cost.
call dan at ruffstuff. i just read that he was selling it 25% cheaper than his "competition" (ballistic im assuming)

[clean4drxj]

when you put in the cost of material, time, electricity and other odds and you wont really save much and like zullo said you wont get the warranty. I would really think about it!

[justtorchit]

when you put in the cost of material, time, electricity and other odds and you wont really save much and like zullo said you wont get the warranty. I would really think about it!

but ya dont get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. anyone can put shit together, not so many can fab thier own.... if ya build it right, why do you need a warrenty.

[clean4drxj]

eh, I built mine as more of a mall crawler with the ocassional trail ride, so for me.. it doesn't matter much but the warranty goes a long way and with me getting older and the fact of I got a child on the way means less time to mess with stuff(but thats me).

[cherokee-at-16]

eh, I built mine as more of a mall crawler with the ocassional trail ride, so for me.. it doesn't matter much but the warranty goes a long way and with me getting older and the fact of I got a child on the way means less time to mess with stuff(but thats me).

I went on Clayton's cite, looked at all there pictures, and wrote down all the stuff that goes in. I would be using the exact same joints, and the same or just as strong DOM tube. They offer a warranty because they feel that their stuff is strong enough not to break. So if mine us the same parts they should be just as strong.

The only reason I want to do this is save some money. I can't spend $935, but I'm not going to settle for something cheaper like Rough country when I can make Clayton quality for the same cost.

[cherokee-at-16]

a length is gonna cost you more than you want to spend...

also if you order 2 3" foot lengths you might get a better shipping cost.
call dan at ruffstuff. i just read that he was selling it 25% cheaper than his "competition" (ballistic im assuming)

How much will I need for the y-link part?

Cause your right, I can order 3-3ft lengths of tubing for like $130 + shipping

I could get all the tube, bushings, joints, and adapters for $580 from ballistic (including shipping). Then my only added cost is some metal for my cross member and some tabs.

[LittleD]

i got a 7 foot section of dom from logan for less than $70, Got the the brackets and everything from ballistic fab which costed me $128.56 (two sets of universal mounting tabs, 2 sets of d brackets for xmember mounting, 2 weldable bushings, 2 weldable inserts and 2 jam nuts), got my joints from summit racing and those were around $80 total and got everything in about a week.

Im using 3x6 for my xmember but with the tcase drop it sits way to low below the unibody

[Zullock Holmes]

Shit bends, i've bent clayton arms. They are made pretty damn good, so i've heard.

If you are gonna won ton like a retard, buy them. lol.