This Jeep Wrangler JKU got a serious build — a MetalCloak 6-inch front long-arm kit, a Clayton Offroad 6-inch rear long-arm, and a full Rubicon front and rear axle swap, with the long-arm mounts welded straight to the frame. On FOX shocks and Toyo M/Ts, it went from a Sahara to a genuine rock crawler.
This JKU came through Juggernaut USA in Wheat Ridge (Denver), CO for a heavy build — the kind that goes well past bolt-on. A 6-inch long-arm lift, swapped-in Rubicon axles for strength and lockers, and frame-welded mounts is real fabrication and driveline work, not a weekend in the driveway. It is exactly the kind of build our in-house welding and shop time are for.
| System | Parts |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Jeep Wrangler JKU (Sahara) |
| Front suspension | MetalCloak 6-inch front long-arm kit |
| Rear suspension | Clayton Offroad 6-inch rear long-arm kit |
| Shocks | FOX shocks |
| Axles | Rubicon front & rear axle swap |
| Fabrication | Long-arm mounts welded to the frame, in-house |
| Tires | Toyo Open Country M/T |
The 6-inch long-arm suspension
A long-arm kit is a different animal than a short-arm budget-boost. Longer control arms flatten the suspension's arc, which means the axles stay located and the ride stays composed even at 6 inches of lift. We ran a MetalCloak long-arm up front and a Clayton Offroad long-arm in the rear, on FOX shocks — the setup that lets a JKU articulate hard off-road without driving like a truck on stilts on the way there.
Rubicon axle swap and welded mounts
Height is nothing without strength underneath it. We swapped in Rubicon front and rear axles — heavier axle tubes, stronger shafts, and factory lockers and 4.10 gearing — so the drivetrain can survive the abuse that a 6-inch, big-tire Jeep goes looking for. And rather than trust bolt-on brackets at this height, we welded the long-arm mounts directly to the frame. That is the strongest, most permanent way to do it, and it is the part you cannot fake.
Why long-arm plus an axle swap
At 6 inches of lift with heavy tires, two things break Jeeps: bad geometry and weak axles. The long-arm kits fix the geometry so it drives and flexes right; the Rubicon axle swap fixes the strength so nothing snaps on the trail. Doing both — and welding the mounts — is what separates a Jeep that looks built from one that actually is.
Common questions on this build
What is the difference between a short-arm and long-arm lift?
Long arms use longer control arms and relocated frame mounts to flatten the suspension's travel arc. That keeps the axles located and the ride civil at big lift heights, where a short-arm kit would ride harsh and steer poorly.
Why swap to Rubicon axles?
Rubicon axles bring stronger tubes and shafts plus factory front and rear lockers and lower gearing — the strength and capability a non-Rubicon JK needs once it is on a big lift and heavy tires.
Can you do heavy Jeep builds like this?
Yes. Long-arm lifts, axle swaps, gearing, and the welding to back it up — we do full Jeep builds in-house, not just bolt-ons.
Book the same work
We do full Jeep builds in-house at our Wheat Ridge shop north of Denver — long-arm lifts, axle swaps, gearing, and welded fabrication. We serve Denver, Wheat Ridge, Golden, Arvada, Lakewood, and the Front Range. Call (970) 341-4221 to talk through your build, or see our install services and custom fabrication. More from the bay: our JLU Rubicon 37s build and Jeep Gladiator JT build.
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