12:11 am
May 4, 2004
Offline
It seems like I've always got worn out RE rubber bushings. I've replaced them but they just don't seem to last very long. With my Detroit locker in the rear end it makes for a squirrelly ride. Does anyone else have issues with RE rubber joints? Anyone heard anything good or bad about the Currie arms with Johnny Joints at both ends?
12:54 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline My original RE bushings lasted a long time. Since replacing them, they wear out really quick like yours are. Different compound maybe?
I've heard pros and cons for both having a rubber bushing and not having a rubber bushing. I'm thinking of ditching the rubber bushings when I get around to stretching. I really don't see the harm in trying it. I'll probably go with Johnny Joints because the weak part of the RE arms are having the adjustment threads so far twards the middle of the control arm.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
1:25 am
December 18, 2002
Offline From what I've read, no real experience here, is that the rubber bushing also works as an isolator keeping some of the suspension vibration out of the cab by absorbing some of the shock. I'm running Currie Johnny Joints on my links and stock equivalents on the other end. They're Clayton arms and I believe they're actually stock bushings that he uses (or used) in the application.
Out in the garage collecting parts....
1:52 am
May 4, 2004
Offline I didn't get all my RE control arms at the same time, so my upper rears are the older style and all the lowers are the newer hour-glass style. But they've all been switched to the hour-glass style bushings. The hour-glass bushings seem to be really soft and wear out quickly. The original factory style bushings in the upper rear lasted quite a while (3 years maybe) but the hour-glass replacements struggle to last a year of pretty infrequent use ( 
).
I've heard that about the bushings being isolators, but I'm kind of curious how bad it would be having Johnny Joints at both ends of the control arms. I might be willing to put up with a bit more vibration/harshness if I could get rid of the squirreliness. I know the Detroit locker contributes to it but . . .
The JKS control arms are attractive for on-road use since they use factory style bushings at both ends and I think they'd last longer, but the twisting in the middle of the arm may have the "Tera-Flex effect" and start stressing the control arm mounts.
2:15 am
February 5, 2003
Offline my rear axle side lowers wore out quickly.
I replaced them with OEM bushings I cut out of my factory control arms and these are holding up better.
Closed Mondays.
6:20 pm
May 4, 2004
Offline I sent RE a message asking if they had any harder rubber or polyurethane hour-glass bushings. The answer is no. Here's what they wrote.
"There is always going to be a place where something is going to wear and this is it.In our previous design we used a clevite bushing that required a 20 ton press to install. While these wear more quickly, WD40 and a hammer seem to work well to field service."
6:33 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline The only reason to have to change them in the field is because they FAIL! Nice logic 🙄
I used to wheel a lot. . .
9:05 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline Have you looked at these at all? Alot of people I know swear by rokmen
http://www.rokmen.com/products/suspensi ... _arms.html
❓
Um...what?
10:09 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline Oohhh...I like the double Johnny Joint 8)
I used to wheel a lot. . .
10:59 pm
May 4, 2004
Offline Yeah, I've started looking around for some alternatives to the RE arms/bushings. The Rokmen arms look pretty good. I know Currie makes short arms with Johnny Joints at both ends too. I thought I saw somewhere that Clayton makes short arms too, but I haven't been able to find it today. The Rokmen arms with the clevite bushing at one end may be a viable alternative too.
I've been trying to find any info I can about the ride on & off road with Johnny Joints at both ends of the arms. About the only thing I can find is "the Currie arms are the best thing since sliced bread" type comments.
The Rokmen arms with the clevite bushing at one end may be a viable alternative too. The clevite bushings should last longer than the RE hour-glass bushings. I could press out the hour-glass adapters in my RE rear uppers and install clevite bushings in them again. The RE front uppers already use the clevite bushings in the axle end. Unfortunately my RE lowers are the newer style built specifically for the hour-glass bushings.
11:58 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline From what I've heard, running some nice steel joings on both ends of an arm result in breaking a mounting bracket becuase the rubber (or poly) allows for give, while steel does not.
12:05 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline I am going to go to double Johnny Joints some day. I figure it will be a more harsh ride and may tear off a bracket but I'm tired of squeeky, sloppy bushings.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
1:56 am
May 4, 2004
Offline "BKGM Jeepers" wrote: From what I've heard, running some nice steel joings on both ends of an arm result in breaking a mounting bracket becuase the rubber (or poly) allows for give, while steel does not.
Yeah, it's kind of stuck in my head that it would be good to have a softer joint in one end. The clevite bushings should last longer than the RE hour-glass bushings. After we get through the holidays I may just give those Rokmen arms a try. Another thought I had on my way home tonight, driving the Jeep, is that maybe the Detroit locker with all it's quirks and characteristics is accelerating the wear in the RE bushings. Maybe I should replace the Detroit with an ARB, which I've been wanting to do, before going a different direction with control arms.
2:01 am
May 4, 2004
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: I am going to go to double Johnny Joints some day. I figure it will be a more harsh ride and may tear off a bracket but I'm tired of squeeky, sloppy bushings.
Despite my dislike of loose rubber bushings I think I'd be more upset about a torn off bracket.
2:17 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline "FAM" wrote: [quote="JohnDF"]I am going to go to double Johnny Joints some day. I figure it will be a more harsh ride and may tear off a bracket but I'm tired of squeeky, sloppy bushings.
Despite my dislike of loose rubber bushings I think I'd be more upset about a torn off bracket.
Zip it back on with a welder 😀
I used to wheel a lot. . .
3:03 am
February 5, 2003
Offline "FAM" wrote: The clevite bushings should last longer than the RE hour-glass bushings.
my experience is this is true.
Also, I dug some old notes up
clevite 61313 domestic control arm bushing.
I found a cross reference sheet that shows its also a moog BR234.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... erence.pdf
Someone was able to order these via Napa, in two packs for not very much $$$
Closed Mondays.
3:28 am
May 4, 2004
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: Zip it back on with a welder 😀
You mean I might have to actually use the welder rather than just carry it around?
3:29 am
May 4, 2004
Offline "Dan-H" wrote: Also, I dug some old notes up
clevite 61313 domestic control arm bushing.
I found a cross reference sheet that shows its also a moog BR234.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... erence.pdf
Good info. Thanks Dan
3:01 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline "FAM" wrote: [quote="BKGM Jeepers"]From what I've heard, running some nice steel joings on both ends of an arm result in breaking a mounting bracket becuase the rubber (or poly) allows for give, while steel does not.
Yeah, it's kind of stuck in my head that it would be good to have a softer joint in one end. The clevite bushings should last longer than the RE hour-glass bushings. After we get through the holidays I may just give those Rokmen arms a try. Another thought I had on my way home tonight, driving the Jeep, is that maybe the Detroit locker with all it's quirks and characteristics is accelerating the wear in the RE bushings. Maybe I should replace the Detroit with an ARB, which I've been wanting to do, before going a different direction with control arms.
I replaced my all my suspension joints at 6 years. It made a small difference in how the driving felt, but a big difference in the noise. The biggest improvement I made in my jeeps handling was changing the steering.
3:54 pm
"BKGM Jeepers" wrote: I replaced my all my suspension joints at 6 years.
That's got to be at least 6 wheeling trips and dozens of trips to the mall right? 😀
Come on, someone had to say it. At least I was nice about it.
3:56 pm
May 4, 2004
Offline "BKGM Jeepers" wrote: I replaced my all my suspension joints at 6 years. It made a small difference in how the driving felt, but a big difference in the noise. The biggest improvement I made in my jeeps handling was changing the steering.
On mine it definitely feels like the rear end is pushing the Jeep around. The steering is nice and tight with no play. When the shifting around occurs the steering stays straight. It kind of feels like the rear suspension is made out of rubber bands.
4:24 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline "FAM" wrote: [quote="BKGM Jeepers"]I replaced my all my suspension joints at 6 years. It made a small difference in how the driving felt, but a big difference in the noise. The biggest improvement I made in my jeeps handling was changing the steering.
On mine it definitely feels like the rear end is pushing the Jeep around. The steering is nice and tight with no play. When the shifting around occurs the steering stays straight. It kind of feels like the rear suspension is made out of rubber bands.
Same here Fred...bad shocks and bad bushings 😐
I used to wheel a lot. . .
6:02 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: [quote="FAM"][quote="BKGM Jeepers"]I replaced my all my suspension joints at 6 years. It made a small difference in how the driving felt, but a big difference in the noise. The biggest improvement I made in my jeeps handling was changing the steering.
On mine it definitely feels like the rear end is pushing the Jeep around. The steering is nice and tight with no play. When the shifting around occurs the steering stays straight. It kind of feels like the rear suspension is made out of rubber bands.
Same here Fred...bad shocks and bad bushings 😐
I had a loose feeling on the back of the jeep and noticed I have a failed Shock. The shock is a 6 month old Rancho RS9000 Adjustable. Fairly expensive shock to fail so quickly.. 😡
6:46 pm
May 4, 2004
Offline This feels like a dumb question to ask, but with the RE arms with rubber on one end and spherical joint on the other, does the rubber bushing go at the axle end or at the frame end? I've got mine at the frame end. I notice Rokmen says for their arms with the clevite bushing, the bushing goes at the axle end. I wonder if the way I've got my arms installed could be accelerating the wear on my RE bushings?
Edit) Never mind. I found on RE's support page they say to install the rubber bushing at the frame end. Guess that's not my problem.
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