Rear upper control arms?

[Milan]

I know this is a JU-like question but I want to know for a fact what your experiences with the different control arms are/were.

In my eternal search for a thud in the back of my TJ I have found out it was a combination of the diff, LCA bushings and UCA bushings and threads. I addressed the diff and the bushings on the LCAs but now am left with some play in the UCA bushings and threads. I can now whole hartedly agree that Tera arms are crap and I don't want to replace them with the same, so I'm looking for alternatives. I need something that has good (preferably rubber) bushings on the frame end and whatever on the axle end.

My requirements are that the rear upper arms do not stress the frame or axle brackets more than the stock arms (i.e. no stiffies), that they don't start clunking for at least 2 years (preferably never of course), that when they do start clunking they're easily and inexpensively rebuildable and finally that they are 1" longer than stock arms (or can be adjusted to such length).

Am I dreaming or will some of the other arms do this for me? RE? Currie? Brand x?

Thanks a bunch!

[Robert J. Yates]

My RE uppers (F&R) have been on for a year and a half with no problems but then, they haven't seen any mud and very little water - mostly just rocks .

Don't blame you on the Tera stuff. I still run the lowers for now but then I am always having to play with the mounts and its getting old.. Heim joint or Johnny Jointlowers are not to far in my future.

[Milan]

Ha. Heims don't last very long here. I avoid mud like the plague but still end up doing quite a bit of mudding. It's just impossible to avoid here. I don't know about teflon lined ones but I would like to avoid heims if possible. I know that this limits my options but I'll go with whatever, as long as I get some longevity with little to no maintenance. I'm not keen on greasing the tera arms all the time even though I do it. Yet they still fail. On the same note I'd hate to spend my time adjusting/preloading clunky RE spherical ends instead. I'm toying with the idea of lengthening the stock arms but while flexy, I think they're flimsy and any cutting and welding would actually make them worse. On the other hand, I did not have to touch them for 3 years. I only replaced them to get my wheelbase back and to be able to adjust pinion angle. I'd hate to pop the stock one back in and then have to shorten the already short stock lowers.

[mrblaine]

Milan, it sounds as if you may be a good candidate for some Currie arms.

The JJ's are easily rebuildable, are pretty well sealed to keep mud out, and in the event that they get caked the bolts have grease fittings on them to keep the urethane races lubricated.

You cannot set the pre-load on them like the RE's by tightening a pre-load washer, but John has a set of thicker end washers that will take up any play in the races so that you get one use and a rebuild out of a set of races.

A simple sleeve and a small press are all that is needed to rebuild the joints. Another advantage is they are urethane so they have some "give" in them.

The arms are available fixed length, adjustable, and in a J configuration.

I enjoy the greaseable bolts. They inject grease between the two urethane halves from a center point and if your bolts are loose, the grease will come out around the bolt head. Lets you know when your bolts are loose. About a half pump on a grease gun is all you can usually get in and it doesn't have to be done that frequently.

Given your requirements, and the problems people have been having with poor quality aftermarket bushings, you have almost ruled out RE.