PART 1: Analyzing the why & how DIY LONG-ARM FRONT SUSPENSION
Four Wheeler|October 2021
A long-arm suspension is a great idea for most off-road linked suspension rigs. Many have been built and much time has been spent thinking about doing so. Using a Jeep as an example, many coil-sprung models have relatively short front arms.
Verne Simons
PART 1: Analyzing the why & how DIY LONG-ARM FRONT SUSPENSION

That’s fine until you add suspension lift. Then those short arms get to a point where they’d just as soon rotate backward instead of rotating up when you hit a big bump. Making the front control arms longer helps level them out and, as a result, helps smooth out the ride in a lifted Jeep.

In this story we’re going to outline a relatively easy way to build your own DIY front suspension. Much of this tech relates to coil-sprung Jeeps, but there is no reason you couldn’t do this on any number of solid-axled rigs or those that you would like to solid-axle swap. In this installment, we’re going to show you what we are working with. In a future installment, we will dive into the fabrication.

Let’s start with this: Our buddy Jeff likes to go fast off-road, and we agree that is fun. Still, it’s quite easy to run out of smoothish dirt trail and then hit a big bump going much faster than you should be. Stabbing the brakes often just makes things worse with all the weight transferring to the front to hit said bump even harder. However, sometimes that’s all you can do. You run out of smooth trail, run out of talent, and your rig gets damaged.

We are not exactly sure what happened to Jeff and his ’03 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, but we for sure know the end result. The driverside lower control arm crumpled, and the Dana 30 front axle bent … not a ton, but enough to cause several problems. We’ve already built up a replacement WJ Dana 30 axle for Jeff’s WJ and added new upper control arm bushings. Here is a tally of some of the parts we’ll use to create a long-arm front suspension for Jeff’s Jeep.

This story is from the October 2021 edition of Four Wheeler.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2021 edition of Four Wheeler.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FOUR WHEELERView All
2022 Summer Safari
Four Wheeler

2022 Summer Safari

NEK Overland led the way into parts of Vermont and a bit of New Hampshire most will never see

time-read
5 mins  |
February 2023
This fourdoor Ford foreshadowed late-model Broncos
Four Wheeler

This fourdoor Ford foreshadowed late-model Broncos

Ddecades ahead of the '20 four-door Bronco, and even preceding the Ford Explorer and Excursion, came an SUV that could have passed for OEM and was built to answer the call for a three-row people-haulin' off-roader.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2023
JEEP OR BLAZER BUILDING
Four Wheeler

JEEP OR BLAZER BUILDING

I was hoping to pick your brain as to a couple of different builds. I have a '19 Jeep Wrangler JL and a '74 Chevy Blazer. I'm a little baffled as to what to focus on. The '74 full convertible Blazer is my dream vehicle. She's been a long build and now I am thinking of focusing my energy on my wife's '19 Jeep JL. I recently joined a Jeep club and have been going off-road with a few guys. I'm shopping around for lift kits. Would you suggest that my time be spent and focused on the Blazer or enjoy the Jeep? I really can't do both.

time-read
6 mins  |
February 2023
JEEP BEACH 2022
Four Wheeler

JEEP BEACH 2022

10 days, 25,000-plus Jeeps, 225,000-plus spectators

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2023
TAULER JACK
Four Wheeler

TAULER JACK

A new alternative to the old off-road jack

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2023
OVERLAND ADVENTURE 2022:
Four Wheeler

OVERLAND ADVENTURE 2022:

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS 12 outstanding, Mojave-ready over landers

time-read
7 mins  |
February 2023
JEEP GRAND CAMPER
Four Wheeler

JEEP GRAND CAMPER

This custom 1994 Grand Cherokee and homebuilt trailer were made to go camping

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2023
ROCK JUNCTION 2022
Four Wheeler

ROCK JUNCTION 2022

4 days, 23 trails, 1 awesome event

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2023
DECKED OUT SILVERADO
Four Wheeler

DECKED OUT SILVERADO

Is this the ultimate overland accessory for pickups?

time-read
10 mins  |
February 2023
SANDTASTIC!
Four Wheeler

SANDTASTIC!

Dangle the opportunity to put the hammer down on more than a dozen square miles of the largest coastal dune complex in the world, add in partying with family and friends at sand camps, spice it up a bit with a variety of motorsport competition and nightly concerts, and it's easy to see why the five-day

time-read
6 mins  |
February 2023