Four Link Questions,Question, Questions

[DozerII]

[S [S [S

The 65 Fargo is going to get the leaf springs from the 90 Chevy 1500 replaced with bags and a four link. I went pages and pages back in the forum section and found a few threads on four links but none that really answered my questions, in fact they added to my question.

Parallel ? Triangulated? Equal length? Unequal length? Yikes I'm leaning towards Triangulated, but don't know why [S
I'm not real comfortable with welding to the center section on the Chevy diff, but maybe the upper arms can be mounted just outboard of it?
How mush above and below the axle do the mounting brackets have to extend for proper leverage, my brain hurts Help

 

[lowbudget50]

I've always done triangulated. The more triangulation on the top links the better. When I was doing off road stuff we always ran the top links at 70% the length of the bottom links. It helps keep the pinion from pitching when it travels up and down, also keep the link parallel with each other. I know these rides we build here don't always have the most room. Hope this helps alittle

 

[DozerII]

I've always done triangulated. The more triangulation on the top links the better. When I was doing off road stuff we always ran the top links at 70% the length of the bottom links. It helps keep the pinion from pitching when it travels up and down, also keep the link parallel with each other. I know these rides we build here don't always have the most room. Hope this helps alittle

Thanks LB50 is that a Speedway kit?

 

[Old Iron]

LB and Mine are very similar.

 

[lowbudget50]

Yes it is the speed way kit. Second one I have used.

 

[Bamamav]

Supposedly with a triangulated 4 bar, you don't have to have a panhard or watts linkage to keep the rear centered.

 

[lowbudget50]

Supposedly with a triangulated 4 bar, you don't have to have a panhard or watts linkage to keep the rear centered.

If you have enough triangulation you don't have to.

 

[lowbudget50]

Here is a double triangulated setup i did on my v8 samurai i built.
Also the longer the links the less are you get out of the axle when the suspension travels

 

[Sam_Fear]

Since you are doing bags, go triangulated or watts link. A panhard will move the body sideways when dropped and cause one tire to rub the body. Triangulated needs fewer parts over a watts.

 

[lowbudget50]

I have ran panhards on my last 2 sedan because of space. I set them up so at ride height and laying on the ground the axle is as close to the same location. I make the panhards cross it's center point of the ark half way between up and down. If that makes sense

 

[DozerII]

Thanks for all the great info and ideas everyone, triangulated it is.[[

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I'm not real comfortable with welding to the center section on the Chevy diff, but maybe the upper arms can be mounted just outboard of it?

Don't be afraid to weld on the center section. It's cast steel and should weld like a common mild steel. I have two recommendations, however...

- The cast piece is heavy and quite thick, depending where the brackets fall. A little preheat would help penetration. 150-200° F will suffice and a common temp-stick will tell you when to quit.

- If you plan to leave the bearings and axles in the housing during the procedure, place your ground clamp where the current and arc cannot pass through the bearings. (Don't clip your ground clamp to a wheel stud or axle flange.)

Dump the fluid, of course.

.

 

[BillM]

Twice now I've used WelderSeries Triangulated kit - inexpensive, well made and Canadian to boot. (should make shipping a little easier)

I've used many of their products - and always been impressed with their stuff and support.

 

[DozerII]

Don't be afraid to weld on the center section. It's cast steel and should weld like a common mild steel. I have two recommendations, however...

- The cast piece is heavy and quite thick, depending where the brackets fall. A little preheat would help penetration. 150-200° F will suffice and a common temp-stick will tell you when to quit.

- If you plan to leave the bearings and axles in the housing during the procedure, place your ground clamp where the current and arc cannot pass through the bearings. (Don't clip your ground clamp to a wheel stud or axle flange.)

Dump the fluid, of course.

.

Thanks Doc, once I get the kit and frame shortened I can figure out where the brackets will have to be welded.

Twice now I've used WelderSeries Triangulated kit - inexpensive, well made and Canadian to boot. (should make shipping a little easier)

I've used many of their products - and always been impressed with their stuff and support.

Thanks Bill I will check them out.

 

[23crate]

ooh good thread.. how this rear setup like a parallel 4 bar tube axle front... any binding braking conflicts??

 

[kenny c]

The longer the panhard bar the better. The axle will have less left to right travel as it moves up and down. I was under the impression that the panhard should be parallel to the ground at ride hieght and that would be near the middle off the travel during the normal opperation.

 

[Old Iron]

The longer the panhard bar the better. The axle will have less left to right travel as it moves up and down. I was under the impression that the panhard should be parallel to the ground at ride hieght and that would be near the middle off the travel during the normal opperation.

That is correct.

 

[lowbudget50]

The longer the panhard bar the better. The axle will have less left to right travel as it moves up and down. I was under the impression that the panhard should be parallel to the ground at ride hieght and that would be near the middle off the travel during the normal opperation.

I ran my last sedan build with the panhard parallel to the ground at ride height. I felt like it darted left to right as the panhard passed up and down passed the center point. My first sedan didn't do that at all and it wasn't parallel. Could have been nothing, the car was way lighter than the first.

 

[Old Iron]

This is off line 8 from Competition Engineering pdf

"8) Position the chassis bracket assembly on the frame
rail. The brackets should be mounted so that the
tube is parallel to the ground and as long as
space will permit with the housing at ride height."

And here's the link to the pdf

http://www.moroso.com/sites/default/files/instructions/C2037_inst.pdf

 

[lowbudget50]

This is off line 8 from Competition Engineering pdf

"8) Position the chassis bracket assembly on the frame
rail. The brackets should be mounted so that the
tube is parallel to the ground and as long as
space will permit with the housing at ride height."

And here's the link to the pdf

http://www.moroso.com/sites/default/files/instructions/C2037_inst.pdf

No argument here. Just sharing my experience