Minute Mods: TJ and XJ Lower Control Arm Skids
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| http://www.JeepWire.com/tech/susp/tjxj_lca_skid |
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By: John Nutter - 5/2002
Photos by: John Nutter and Keith Thomas
Minute Mods: Quick and easy LCA skids for the TJ and XJ
The lower control arm mounts on the TJ Wranglers, XJ Cherokees and Grand Cherokees are mounted below the axle tube where they may encounter rocks. Here's a quick and easy way to make them slide over rocks better and protect them from damage.
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| The stock lower control arm mount on a TJ. If you look closely you can see some rock rash. |
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| This is all you need for raw materials. Two pieces of 3/16" thick mild steel cut into 3" by 3" squares. |
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| Weld the squares in place after trial fitting the lower control arms and then removing the arms again. |
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| Welding on the inside for extra strength is optional. |
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| There is welding involved with this modification, so drop the lower control arms to prevent damage to the bushings. |
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| Tack the sqares in place and then check to make sure that they don't interfere with the lower control arms. |
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| Grinding the beads down so they won't get snagged on a rock is a nice touch. |
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The basic premise of this modification is that welding a 3" by 3" by 3/16" thick plate of steel between the sides of the lower control arm mounts will increase their strength and resistance to bending, as well as increase the likelihood of their sliding over a rock without snagging. It's really just as simple as it sounds. This job should take well under an hour and cost almost nothing if you own a welder. If you don't own a welder, most welding shops and 4wd shops will perform this service for a reasonable fee.
There are really only two considerations to take into account when doing this modification. 1) Test fit the control arms after you have tacked the plates in place and make sure everything clears before welding. 2) You might want to straighten out the brackets if your Jeep has seen hard-core rock use. Beyond that, use normal safety precautions and have fun.
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