Barnes 4wd links, will this work

marty79

marty79

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2013
Location
Newton, NC
Ok here's a link to my cart.
I have 4lower frame side 3.5" bushings.
I have 4 1.25" heim kits
I have 2 7/8" heims (uppers)
I have 2 upper 2.5" bushing
This would be 3 link setup front and rear.
Will it work
 
Just buy they're 3 link kit. You'll basically need everything in it. But here's an easy list:

2 frame side lower control arm mounts
2 axle side lower control arm mounts
1 frame side upper link mount
1 axle side upper link mount (depending on which side you may need atruss to weld it to)
4 (2 left hand thread and 2 right) 1.25 heims or Enduro joints with weld in tube inserts and jam nuts
4 (2 left and 2 right thread) 7/8 heims with weld in inserts and jam nuts (2 for upper link and 2 for track bar)
~6 ft of 2" 1/4 wall dom for lowers
~5-6 ft of 1.5 or 1.75 dom for the upper link and track bar
1 Axle side track bar mount
1 frame side truck bar mount (easiest to use a Rubicon express or iron man 4x4 mount

You may need coil buckets and shock mounts if you can't use the factory axle ones.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
@Noel used Barnes 3 link kit front and rear on his YJ. The kit comes with everything. It flexes like crazy and does very well. Barnes stuff is very beefy, and ships fast.
 
That's pretty much what I have in the card minus track bar stuff.
What size bushing for track bars is recommended.
 
Another vote for the Barnes 3 link front. Used it on my 1 ton XJ. Everything included and flexed like crazy but I had enduro joints on all the control arms and heims on both ends of the TB.
 
No one can see your cart but you. Your link doesn't work.
 
If you ain’t driving it on the road just use Heims on both ends.

Why would you not just get the whole kit that includes everything?
 
On my cab truck I ran a large bushing style joint on the frame, and a 3/4" rod end on the axle. I never had a problem.
 
77GreenMachine said:
If you ain’t driving it on the road just use Heims on both ends.

Why would you not just get the whole kit that includes everything?
Click to expand...
Cause it's more money and I have the tubing and coil buckets made and am trying to do front and rear 3 link on my budget with heims on axle side, bushings frame side and 368 gets me enough for all that
 
drkelly said:
On my cab truck I ran a large bushing style joint on the frame, and a 3/4" rod end on the axle. I never had a problem.
Click to expand...
For being cheap I normally would but I'm gonna take advise I guess on the 1ton axles needing the bigger joints to last.
 
marty79 said:
For being cheap I normally would but I'm gonna take advise I guess on the 1ton axles needing the bigger joints to last.
Click to expand...

My cab truck had ton axles, 42" tires, V8 etc. The joints for the lower links is where the beef needs to be because the whole weight of the rig can come down on them.

You could use large bushings on the frame ends of your lower links.
 
drkelly said:
You could use large bushings on the frame ends of your lower links.
Click to expand...
That's the route I'm taking.
1.25heims on axle ends front and rear
3.5bushings on frame front and rear
7/8 heims axle end uppers f&r
2.6"bushing frame side uppers f&r
All this∆ =$365ish so that will work
Lowers 1.75 or 2" Dom .25wall
Uppers 2” hrew probably

Still figuring out what size bushings for trackbar ..I guess 2.5
 
marty79 said:
That's the route I'm taking.
1.25heims on axle ends front and rear
3.5bushings on frame front and rear
7/8 heims axle end uppers f&r
2.6"bushing frame side uppers f&r
All this∆ =$365ish so that will work
Lowers 1.75 or 2" Dom .25wall
Uppers 2” hrew probably

Still figuring out what size bushings for trackbar ..I guess 2.5
Click to expand...

Use heims on the trackbar. And what you have described is 4 link front and rear. 4 link the rear 3 link the front

And your pricing is only reflecting the cost of joints. I’m sure you can make the mounts but 4 link frame mounts that Barnes have cost some coin but are worth it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
marty79 said:
That's the route I'm taking.
1.25heims on axle ends front and rear
3.5bushings on frame front and rear
7/8 heims axle end uppers f&r
2.6"bushing frame side uppers f&r
All this∆ =$365ish so that will work
Lowers 1.75 or 2" Dom .25wall
Uppers 2” hrew probably

Still figuring out what size bushings for trackbar ..I guess 2.5
Click to expand...

Do not use 1.75" OD tubing for the lowers.
 
marty79 said:
Ok here's a link to my cart.
I have 4lower frame side 3.5" bushings.
I have 4 1.25" heim kits
I have 2 7/8" heims (uppers)
I have 2 upper 2.5" bushing
This would be 3 link setup front and rear.
Will it work
Click to expand...

Don't do a 3-link rear. Do a 4-link. The only reason to do a 3-link in the rear would be some weird packaging problem with fitting two upper links.
 
drkelly said:
Don't do a 3-link rear. Do a 4-link. The only reason to do a 3-link in the rear would be some weird packaging problem with fitting two upper links.
Click to expand...

Plus he'll still need a 4th link, a track bar.
3 link rears are great for nimble rockcrawler type buggies but really unnecessary in the back of an XJ.
 
Jody Treadway said:
@marty79, is your frame plated front to back, inside and out?
It'll need to be in order to securely mount your control arm mounts.
Just something else to consider
Click to expand...
That's in the plan for the rear once I get there and if I feel up to getting into that after front is all done. Time will tell.
Been wanting rear coil setup forever but never wanted to tackle it so I'm shooting for it but don't know if this will be the time yet.

I really want the 115-117" wheelbase so that was main reason for rear 4link so I'll worry about it after front is all complete.
 
I priced out all heims for a 4 link or 3 link for $310.


Don't try and replicate a factory setup. It's over constrained.

Build a 3 link with 2 lowers, an upper on the driver side, and track bar. Or build a triangulated 4 link with 2 lowers and 2 uppers.

Last option would be radius arm with 2 lowers, track bar, a short upper from lower to axle on driver side.
20b41c19cb1941839addf5ca58a147b1.jpg
 
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