[FlyingJeep]

What are the Pros & Cons of the RE 4.5 Long Arm vs. the RE 4.5 Long Arm Tri-Link suspension systems?

• Off-road handling?
• On-road handling?
• Off-road capability?
• Hill climb capability/stability?
• Articulation/flex?
• Body roll on/off-road?
• Left front wheel lift under hard acceleration?
• Anything else...?

[pmccoy9876]

Was going to start a post on this, but then found this one-- Answer please?

[wrangler2007]

interested in this also...good post

[GMC7000]

I have heard the following about the trilink from both RE and a builder:

trilink slightly better offroad and on hill climbs (one guy told me that it "cheats" the CG)

on road not quite as stable feeling

[Tom Hartz]

I love my long arm. I drive about 22000 miles a year both on and off road. It also scored 1011 on the RTI Ramp.

Tom

[pmccoy9876]

Tom-
which LA kit do you have? the tri-link or the Extreme Duty?

[Tom Hartz]

Originally Posted by pmccoy9876

Tom-
which LA kit do you have? the tri-link or the Extreme Duty?

Extreme Duty, RE Mono Tube Shocks and a Currie Antiroc Sway Bar.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Tom Hartz

Extreme Duty, RE Mono Tube Shocks and a Currie Antiroc Sway Bar.

Same exact thing and so far, I haven't seen the need to spend the $$$ to install RE's trilink conversion kit. It works well enough as is that I haven't been all that interested in doing the tri-link conversion.

[Tom Hartz]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Same exact thing and so far, I haven't seen the need to spend the $$$ to install RE's trilink conversion kit. It works well enough as is that I haven't been all that interested in doing the tri-link conversion.

This is the same way I have been thinking.

Tom

[GMC7000]

Jerry would you encourage a swap from a RE SA arm kit to a long arm?

[GMC7000]

TazzJeep did you find a magazine article/review on the RE trilink?

I remember the writer made the comment that he would not turn a 16 daughter loose on the road with the trilink suspension, but that it performed well offroad.....I took that to mean that it is a little wild on the road?

RE told me that if you do a lot of on road driving the tri link may not be the answer, but that it did perform a "little" better off road.

[imbezol]

I have the 5.5 RE LA trilink and I don't have any issues with it on road. I drive fairly aggressive and take corners like I'm in a sports car, same as I did stock. This weekend me and a buddy with a 4" ProComp SA lift did baha racing down some pretty wild coal roads and I was drifting around corners and whatnot while aired down and disconnected. It's a very stable lift on the road. Off road it takes a little getting used to how much side to side up and down you can do as the back tires go over an obstacle but once you're used to it it's great. I did some insane hill climbs this weekend as well and the antisquat is excellent. I was as stable or more stable than another guy with a 4.5 RE SA going up those hills. I think my front tires stayed on the hill more as I ascended than his did.

[CCJ]

Originally Posted by imbezol

I have the 5.5 RE LA trilink and I don't have any issues with it on road. I drive fairly aggressive and take corners like I'm in a sports car, same as I did stock. This weekend me and a buddy with a 4" ProComp SA lift did baha racing down some pretty wild coal roads and I was drifting around corners and whatnot while aired down and disconnected. It's a very stable lift on the road. Off road it takes a little getting used to how much side to side up and down you can do as the back tires go over an obstacle but once you're used to it it's great. I did some insane hill climbs this weekend as well and the antisquat is excellent. I was as stable or more stable than another guy with a 4.5 RE SA going up those hills. I think my front tires stayed on the hill more as I ascended than his did.

Imbezol, can you go into more detail about the on-road characteristics? I DD 95% of the time and 4x4groupbuy has the 4.5" RE LA kit w/ tri-link at only $285 more then the non-tri-link kit. I want to make sure that the tri-link will not decrease on road capability. I also PM-ed you.

[imbezol]

I can't really attest to the tri-link's on-road handling vs a standard long arm because I haven't ridden in a 4 link rear setup RE Jeep. I will tell you that the tri-link setup I have rides very nicely and takes bumps well on the road compared to a short arm though. The short arm kits are jarring when you hit a bump and the long arms are more like a full size truck. My back alley is paved but has water drains and heaves and curbs going onto the street and back into the next stretch of alley. I can just fly down the alley and the suspension takes it all in with confidence. In friend's Jeeps with the ProComp 4" or the RE 4.5" SA that alley is darn hard on the butt and the back. The suspension is still firm enough though that I don't have any trouble cornering quickly like I did with the Jeep stock. It doesn't feel the least bit tippy. Then you take it on a bumpy trail aired down and disconnected and you can really push the speed if you want to because it doesn't have a problem handling it at all. Over all I have to say that the kit rides excellent for a daily driver and it's a tonne of fun offroad. Offroad you get all kinds of articulation and a flat belly pan that's indestructible.

[jonwood]

One of my friends has run both and loves the 3 link. He got better articulation, runs great on the street and he got to get rid of the track bar and moved his rear axle back a couple inches.