West Monroe, LA - Originally introduced in 1996, Black Diamond’s eXtreme Coil Link (XCL) suspension system helped popularize hardcore rockcrawling to 4x4 enthusiasts. Its innovative coil-over engineering even opened the aftermarket industry’s eyes to wheel travel and axle articulation far beyond anything previously available for leaf-sprung YJ Wranglers and CJ-7s/CJ-8s. The Black Diamond XCL kit quickly became the gold standard for aftermarket hardcore rockcrawling kits.

When Warn Industries decided to get out of the suspension business, its Black Diamond line went dormant. Superlift Suspension Systems, a leading aftermarket manufacturer dating back to 1975, recently stepped in to resurrect Black Diamond in general–and the XCL system in particular.

This kit single-handedly stood the suspension industry on its ears. Never before had an aftermarket system started from scratch and replaced all of the factory suspension components. This approach was necessary in order for YJ Wranglers and wide-track CJs to take full advantage of the longer travel offered by a coil-over shock/trailing link design. Suspension performance was literally engineered from the ground up.

The XCL’s cornerstone is its skidpan, which replaces the factory transmission mount and serves as the center anchor point for the front and rear axle links. Up front, the radius-arm-style trailing links mount to the axle with weld-on brackets. A new track bar locates the axle left-to-right. The OE shock mounts are removed and new coil-over shock towers added; lower shock mounts are welded to the axle. Mounting components at their most beneficial locations maximizes suspension movement to take full advantage of the coil-over shocks.

In the rear, the XCL system emulates the TJ Wrangler somewhat. It uses two pairs of trailing links; the uppers are triangulated for strength and mount to an axle truss, beefing up the axle housing in the process. A special crossmember attaches to the factory frame and provides upper mounting locations for the rear coil-over shocks.

Speaking of shocks, Black Diamond uses Fox adjustable dampers that can be tuned by tweaking the nitrogen gas charging. The 3" coils springs are also adjustable using machined aluminum spanners. The three available spring rates are light, standard/heavy and extra-heavy.

The XCL system can even be adapted to popular aftermarket axles. This way, many leaf-sprung Jeeps can be updated to extreme coil-over articulation at a fraction of the cost of buying a coil-sprung TJ and outfitting it with a long-travel suspension system. (Professional installation is required since welding and precision measurements are required and exhaust modifications are necessary.)

For more information on the XCL or the Black Diamond extreme line of 1.5"-6" lift systems for Jeeps and a 3" kit for Toyota Land Cruisers, please contact Black Diamond at 866/680-6666 or visit www.blackdiamondoffroad.com. Black Diamond will also offer a wide range of hardcore parts and accessories soon.

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