Rear Suspension Advise

[T4Jumper]

Hey Guys,

Normally I don't create threads, but after searching I only found some info on 3rd gens so here's my question.

I'm looking into new rear trailing arms (aka rear lower control arms) to replace my stock ones which I recently bent, and I'm not sure if I should get adjustable or not. I have a Toytec Boss suspension so roughly 2-3 inches. It doesn't seem like my rear axle is mis aligned, but at what point do you need to adjust the rear? 3 inches plus?

I was looking into the SPC and Rokmen non adjustable arms because they look stout and are low maintenance. Rokmen also has adjustable arms that are about 100 bucks more, and they are offset for more articulation.

Has anyone replaced theirs, or have any knowledge on the subject to help me make this decision. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I think it comes down to how much the rear wheel/axle gets moved forward/backwards as you lift it.

I remember a very nice diagram that showed how the articulation of the rear 5-link suspension looks as it compressed and relaxed; but I can't find it right now (if I do find it I'll post it).

But the long and short of it is that as the suspension is lifted/uncompressed the axle/wheel will get a little closer towards the rear door/front of the vehicle because of how it swings (it isn't perfectly straight up and down in travel but a little curved) . This can be compensated by adjustable links to dial in the swing as well we center the axle/wheel in the wheel opening; you can then add an adjustable pan-hard to better center the axle left to right.

I would say it depends on what your needs are and what you're doing with the vehicle honestly? I have seen a lot of lifted 4th and 5th gens and they don't usually have any rubbing issues or clearance issues towards the back door area at 3" of lift for normal driving. I'll also suggest an affordable option if you decide you don't want to do an adjustable set-up for whatever reason; I took an extra set of rear lower links and stitch welded 1/8" angle bar to the bottom edge to strengthen it. Worked great as a cheap reinforcement for the factory links; just be slow and patient as you weld them up so you don't warp them or weaken the steel.

 

[T4Jumper]

Thanks for the quick response,

I guess I'm just looking for stronger links that flex well.

I live in the new england area, and once the snow melts, I do quite a bit of wheeling on moderate rated trails. Up in the north east, trails tend to have slippery leaf covered rocks so skid plates and undercarriage components are hit quite often, especially in the fall months. My rear trailing arms have frequently been victims of these rocks, so I was looking for something a bit beefier.

After watching a few videos from my last trip to Moab, it doesn't look like my rear wheels shift forward at all and seems to be aligned right. Maybe I should just go with the non - adjustable and call it a day.