I'll apologize up front Nathan because anything I type here will come off as pissy due to the fact of who I am and what I sell -
What is your REAL issue here? Oversized tires? The air suspension system, in general? The rods are a means to an end - larger, more aggressive tires and increased ground clearance. .....
I just don't understand your statement Nathan. Again, I apologize for putting you on the spot. Many people put a high value on your statements. With fame comes responsibility. I'm just trying to see which well of experience you're drawing from to make this statement.
Fame? Hmmm... how about notoriety, as I suspect that is closer to the mark
As for your own credibility, I have nothing but the highest respect for your actions and demeanor on all the forums with which we frequent, as well as numerous second hand campfire sessions and so forth. You've got solid friendship on my end.
On with my response:
I now know of half a dozen or so CV failures in LR3's. They are always in the front end, and on all the accounts I have seen, it occurs at full steering input, when the suspension is flexed out at full droop (usually with wheel in the air, or just lightly touching terra firma). ALL of the failures have been in standard off road, extended, or super extended mode. NONE of the failed rigs were running Rod Mod's...but that's my primary concern. If you can max out the CV angles without the rod mod, I think a rig with the mod is more susceptible to CV failure. That is my primary concern.
My secondary concern is that the principle reason for the rod mod is either:
1. Higher clearance at speeds above 30mph, or
2. Fitment of larger tires
Both of these factors exponentially increase the force applied to the drivetrain/suspension. I don't think the risk vs reward pencils out, but then, I was always just barely able to afford LR3 ownership. If I had any kind of cash reserve, perhaps I would not be quite so concerned about replacing something that is likely to be pricey.
The third reason is that I think the optimal operating parameters of the LR3 can be effectively accomplished without the lift. Underbody protection is essential, as these really are low hanging beasts, but raising them so radically changes their operating parameters such that you are likely to exceed what can safely be accomplished in them, finding yourself affected by Concern #2 above.
Scott ran the Rubicon with 32" tires and no rod mod. He had relatively fresh bushings, and STILL started rubbing on his airbag housings. How much more exacerbated would this have been with a Rod Mod changing the suspension geometry just that much more? And I will point out, the Rod Mod was not essential to accomplishing the Rubicon, or at least the 75% of it that his time schedule allowed.
In the hundreds of LR3's I have driven, spotted, trained, or run with over the years, in a wide variety of terrain, I have never found it necessary to exceed the stock air system's performance. It pushes things just that much farther towards the failure point on a vehicle that starts out more capable than it is durable.
I have never preached against it, never expounded on it, never overtly published my thoughts on it until now. But at the same time, I have never included info on the Rod Mod on my website. Now you know why. That's my honest thinking on the subject.
