4 link advice

StretchASU

StretchASU

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Location
Creedmoor, NC/Claudville, VA
About to start assembling parts for a 4 link in the back of my 85 Xtra Cab. What kind of set ups are you guys running on trucks like this? Parallel lowers, double triangulated? Length of your links and separation at the axle end? Any advice would be appreciated.
 
The trail gear kit is a good way to go. It makes the installation quick. Check pirate. They have a thread with "rules of thumb" that helps out a ton. Don't get stuck on numbers. Remember, most big $$ buggy chassis' are designed around the suspension. On a truck, it's a lot different. There is a trail gear cross member for sale on here.
 
my rear links are about 36" long plus whatever the distance is from the linnk to the center of the joint bolt hole. Say 38" at most.

I have double triangulated, mostly because I wanted room for a rear steer axle some day and I could make all the links the same length, etc.

On the frame side, I have about 6" of seperation and on the axle end I have about a foot, maybe 10". Mine seems to work ok for my first shot at it and def. better than a lot I've seen. I haven't been in enough other different rigs to know if its the setup of my links or just the rig and shocks.

I have a mix of johnny joints and ballistic joints that seem to be OK but I think they are near the point of needing rebuild. I'm upgrading to 1.25" heim joints during the rebuild and won't change anything on the suspension as it seems to work as I expected
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Keep it coming. Im more looking at piecing my own stuff together since I'm taking a different approach on link material and joints than what is "Pirate cool". I am going to be using 2" 1/4 wall square tube and TJ Bushings for the links. Saves a pile of cash and works just fine from what I've seen.
 
StretchASU said:
Thanks for the advice guys. Keep it coming. Im more looking at piecing my own stuff together since I'm taking a different approach on link material and joints than what is "Pirate cool". I am going to be using 2" 1/4 wall square tube and TJ Bushings for the links. Saves a pile of cash and works just fine from what I've seen.
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hmmm...very interested. Please post some damn pics when you do this. :beer:
 
GONOVRIT said:
OMG! You can't do that, it will be ugly!
:flipoff2: Way to keep it simple! Run the lowers parallel, beat the shit out of them and be happy:beer:
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I know god forbid any flatbiller racecar drivers see it. I will be shunned. Going to run parallel lowers for sure. Simple builds for simple stupid 4 cylinder bouncers. :beer:

72Rockcruiser said:
hmmm...very interested. Please post some damn pics when you do this. :beer:
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Will try to do Kyle. Maybe I can get one of my roommates or the guys from the Hwy105 Battered Toyota Shelter to snap pictures for me while its being built.
 
I'm just curious, why parallel lowers? That will have your lower links fairly far from the end of the axle tube assuming they are under the frame or even possibly slightly inboard of the frame. I always figured that the lower links should extend out as far on the axle housing (close to the wheel) as possible. That way if you are climbing something with the nose of the rig way up in the air, and the rig 'falls' down hard on one rear wheel, you won't be inducing a large bending moment on the axle tube.
 
drkelly said:
I'm just curious, why parallel lowers? That will have your lower links fairly far from the end of the axle tube assuming they are under the frame or even possibly slightly inboard of the frame. I always figured that the lower links should extend out as far on the axle housing (close to the wheel) as possible. That way if you are climbing something with the nose of the rig way up in the air, and the rig 'falls' down hard on one rear wheel, you won't be inducing a large bending moment on the axle tube.
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I'm hoping that with a truss behind and on top of the axle spanning it's width I shouldn't have this issue. It's my first shot at a 4 link so it's a learning experience. Its a Toyota IFS rear axle so there isn't much tubing outside the frame rails.
 
Having the links mounted further out on the axle end not only lessens bending moment on the axle tube like DRKelly mentioned, but it also transmits less force into the link itself.
 
Very interesting thread. I've been too chicken :poop: to fawk it up on mine and too stubborn to have someone do it.

I always figured if I did it I would use similar material for the links and use coils. I'm a big fan of making what you have easy access to work. :fuck-you:

For what it's worth, I have in my mind that lowers need to be 75 percent longer than the uppers and as wide as possible. I may be way off, but it works well during a wheeling dream.
 
Make sure you tack everything before you weld it up tight. Check clearances, cycle the suspension, and make sure you are are happy. Everyone else doesn't have to be! Lol.

Watch the behavior of the pinion while cycling the suspension. Short enough upper links can make the pinion nose dive toward the ground. Have fun with it.
 
EODMike said:
Any new developments on how this is going? Im interested in 4 linking my truck and am following along.
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Put it on hold to finish my cage. But now that it is done I am back on the task of getting everything together. Just lacking my lower link material, brackets and heims. Passed on coilovers just due to cost and am awating some 16" travel Sway A Way air shocks.
 
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