Rebuilding Rough Country Control Arms

FultonD33

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Tuscaloosa AL

• Apr 4, 2022

• #1

I have the RC 2.5" complete lift with adjustable control arms on my LJ. I didn't put it on there, PO did, and I will be upgrading it in the next year. However, my control arm bushings are trashed. They make a ton of noise and I get some wandering on the highway. Rough country sells all the replacement joint rebuild kits as well as the bushings for about $110-150 I think they said. Has anyone ever done this? I don't want to buy the parts and end up not being able to even do it. I just need these to last another year before I can buy a Currie kit. $1200+ for control arms is definitely not in the budget right now.

 

Jerry Bransford

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #2

Personally Fulton, if you can do it financially, I'd replace those with Currie's control arms whose Johnny Joint flex joints won't need repeated rebuilding as your current RC arms do.

 

T

TRE3TOP

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #3

Rough country bushings and joints are garbage. Don’t waste your time or money.

 

Brianj5600

Make America Follow the Constitution Again

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #4

I would rebuild them and a year later you will be able to sell them.

 

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TheBoogieman

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Charlottesville, VA

• Apr 4, 2022

• #5

FultonD33 said:

I have the RC 2.5" complete lift with adjustable control arms on my LJ. I didn't put it on there, PO did

Click to expand...

Your profile says you have a 4" lift. If you only have a 2.5" lift, I'd put stock arms on it before I would rebuild those.
p.s. I had those arms for my old 4" lift.

 

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FultonD33

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Tuscaloosa AL

• Apr 4, 2022

• #6

TheBoogieman said:

Your profile says you have a 4" lift. If you only have a 2.5" lift, I'd put stock arms on it before I would rebuild those.
p.s. I had those arms for my old 4" lift.

Click to expand...

I am honestly not sure why it says I have a 4" lift. It is a 2.5". Just changed it.

 

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FultonD33

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Tuscaloosa AL

• Apr 4, 2022

• #7

Jerry Bransford said:

Personally Fulton, if you can do it financially, I'd replace those with Currie's control arms whose Johnny Joint flex joints won't need repeated rebuilding as your current RC arms do.

Click to expand...

That's the issue. Obviously Currie's are in the future, just need these to last me until then (within the next year).

 

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Mike_H

autos are better - WRWD508

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Grand Rapids, MI, United States

• Apr 4, 2022

• #8

FultonD33 said:

That's the issue. Obviously Currie's are in the future, just need these to last me until then (within the next year).

Click to expand...

I'd follow the @TheBoogieman's advice and use Moog replacement stock arms. Sell the RC ones, as is, for a couple hundred bucks and put that money toward new arms. Then, when you have the cash, spring for a set of Savvy (not Currie) double adjustable control arms.

 

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zackcj7

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Atlanta, GA

• Apr 4, 2022

• #9

You can always order and replace the control arms with Currie a pair at a time. For most people finding an extra ~$325 is easier than ~$1200 all at once.

 

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freedom_in_4low

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #10

if the rubber bushings are fine, you can replace the flex joints with Johnny Joints as I did.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/inside-out-build—2006-lj.42840/#post-744047

 

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srimes

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #11

freedom_in_4low said:

if the rubber bushings are fine, you can replace the flex joints with Johnny Joints as I did.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/inside-out-build—2006-lj.42840/#post-744047

Click to expand...

Any reasons to not go this route? Is a single JJ not enough mobility? This would be a heck of a lot cheaper than new arms!

 

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freedom_in_4low

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• Apr 4, 2022

• #12

srimes said:

Any reasons to not go this route? Is a single JJ not enough mobility? This would be a heck of a lot cheaper than new arms!

Click to expand...

I wouldn't tell somebody to buy RC arms just to install JJs, but if it's what you already have I see no good reason not to do this. One JJ seems to be perfectly adequate for shortarms, 11" shocks and a disconnected swaybar. I do give some credit to RC for using factory style bonded rubber in the other end. If they'd had split cylindrical polyurethane like many others I would have rehomed them and got something else.

 

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