4 link bars....what size tubing should i use?

pgaloustian

Active Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2009
Location
Mooresville,NC
Hey guys we are slowly working on a CJ5 project and we dont really know what size tubing to use for the 4 link bars. IDK if it matter but the jeep will be on tons with a small block LS1 rough weight should be around 4k lbs
 
he wants to make a streetable crawler out of it..... not something to use as a DD but if needed could be driven on the street. we dont have measurments yet, still cleaning up the body/collectiong parts. Just trying to get some of the "homework" done now so we can continue to order parts
 
i used 2 x .250 wall for uppers and lowers on my old buggy and never bent one. there are guys that do though.... mine were pretty short.

Some guys use some REALLY thick stuff, some guys use really thin heat treated stuff. Some guys use aluminum.

For cheapest and most "general" I would say 2 x .250 for lowers....you can use alot smaller for the uppers. no need for the thick wall up there.
 
Standard lower control thickness is 2" .250, we use this the majority of the time for trail rigs. If budget allows we sometime use 2" solid 7075 in place of that. If it gets beat on 2" .250 heat treated 4130, 2.25 solid 7075 or 2.25 .375 DOM are all solid options but decent money.
Upper control arms I generally use 1.75 .120 or 1.875 .188 depending on the use. If its getting 3/4 or 7/8 shank joints ill sometimes use 1.5 .250 wall.
If I was linking it and it was going to be a general trail rig you would probably be fine with 2" .250 lowers with 1.75 .120 uppers in the rear. Front I would use 2" .250 for lower and a 1.875 .188 single upper arm.
Alex
 
To add to what Alex and Lee said, I like to use 2" .250 wall for lower links 36" or shorter from bolt to bolt and 2.25 .375 for anything longer.

Its pretty rare to end up with links longer than 36", especially in a CJ5
 
I have 2" .250 wall DOM for my 34.75" long lowers and 1.5" .250 wall uppers. Never had a issue with the tubing, though I did bent the threaded bolt on the joint. But i just bent it back with my press and its been fine since.

Sent from my sprint GS3, which is amazing because that means I actually have signal.
 
I appreciate all the help guys! Guess its time to get to work for us!
 
MarsFab said:
To add to what Alex and Lee said, I like to use 2" .250 wall for lower links 36" or shorter from bolt to bolt and 2.25 .375 for anything longer.

Its pretty rare to end up with links longer than 36", especially in a CJ5
Click to expand...

I like .375 that's what I set mine at and I still bend them from time to time. however mine are slightly longer than 36"
 
Both my uppers and lowers range from 30"-36" and I run 2" .250 uppers and 2.25" .375 lowers and I've been happy with those
 
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