Link Suspension Set-ups

[85mudblazin]

hey..hes just saying that you dont always need links..and that leafs can be sufficient. There are very few people who need a link setup. dont just think that just because sherly jones has them across the strret that you need them too. i'm sure we'd all like to be linked.

and dont say that that guy hasnt progressed. maybe he wheels with what he's got. i think progression in off road has a lot to do with when to know to stop. to put it more simply.. to progress doesnt mean to put the best stuff on your rig.

i see where your coming from just be easy on others.

Jeez go away if you have nothing to add to this thread

 

[PeteH]

Jeez go away if you have nothing to add to this thread

dude..i'm totally agreeing with you and sled dog. i'm just saying, you shouldnt bust some guys nuts just cuz hes got some leafs. I'd love to go linked, and when i get the time in the not so distant future then i will.

and against K10A'sBROinSLO...yes if you can tune a linked system then you can tune a leaf system, but if you can do that then you might as well just go linked because it can be more easily adjusted(sleddog basically said it all)

we've seen people win desert races and crawling events with leafs, but the majority of all offroad events have people win with a link setup.

dont do radius arms.
if you want it done right the first time then link it.
mmmm4 link.
i'd say trangulated 4 link with disconnecting swaybars for rear and front.. that way you(paxx) can tune your coilovers for the terrain you plan to wheel. fast stuff and slow stuff. take a look at race-dezert.com too they have a lot of information and so does pirate. mix two ideas together. things will probably wont work out the best for each type of wheeling but the out come will be an awsome rig.

edit:i'm really not attacking anyone by the way(sorry just read trustyk5's thereads)

 

[85mudblazin]

Then what was the guy doing by coming in a LINK thread and talking about LEAFS? Do you think that he hasnt ever thought of leafs and or had leafs before?
You obviously dont understand the benefits of a link suspension and how it works, so dont come in here saying "ow just throw some leafs under it"

 

[Paxx]

This whole thread is a shot in the dark right now. It doesnt sound like you have talked to anyone else but the person that is singing the praises of the crappiest link design ever. Call around and talk to other people. Then again, it also almost sounds as if you have your mind made up and we're all wasting precious time in our lives trying to educate someone that doesnt want to learn.

Where is this coming from? If you read my first post I spoke with ORD, NWF, as well as Evolution. I don't have my mind made up at all which is why I started a discussion about it. And I appoligize if you feel that I am wasting your time. I do want to learn which is why I am here asking questions.

I understand that you may have already come to the conclusion that radius arm suspensions are second rate. I'm also assuming that you did not come to this conclusion by someone telling you that they are junk. You probably did your research which is what I am doing now. For the record I have already decided against using this system due to the detailed explanations recieved not from posts such as "they suck, don't use them."

Greg thank you for the help. I appreciate the explanations.

If anyone has any other useful information to add please post up. I am quite interested in a basic pros and cons post or a 3 link vs 4 link. I realize this is all very broad but that is what I'm after, a broad understanding. If I need more detailed info on a specific then I will ask it.

There has been a lot of good info on this thread, lets try not to clutter it up with flaming.

Thnx
~Max

 

[DavidB]

Visualize away

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=4-link

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=3+link+suspension

 

[Greg72]

Paxx,

This stuff is really fun....having the knowledge will help you decide if you want to tackle something like this at all (it's a big commitment) but the more you understand it, the easier it will be to understand the tradeoffs you're making....

BTW -> I completely forgot to mention that I have a bunch of pics in my gallery (see my .sig link) for some link designs I was playing with....I work better in 3D, so I had to build mock-ups to really understand some of the concepts. It was time well spent from an "education" perspective.

Working in scale would be pretty good too. I've got a 1/4 scale model going now (about 30" long and 16" wide) and I'm applying some new suspension ideas on that. I don't have the shop space to build everything full size anymore, so I brought the project into my dining room!!!!

 

[PeteH]

.. I've got a 1/4 scale model going now...

i think we need to see that!

things i've heard
theres a lot of pressure is applied to the upper joint (on the axle) when 3 linked. so some opt for 4 links that spreads out pressure.

i dont know if i like the idea of the panhard bar on 4 link.. i think for crawling they're good but for speedy stuff it just seems like the axle would shift to the one side when both tires are drooping(in a parellel 4). so maybe the 4 link with uppers attatched to the top of axle and lowers below axle on each end. and a sway bar.

i forget what sled dog did to his s10 but i like that too.

 

[Greg72]

i think we need to see that!

things i've heard
theres a lot of pressure is applied to the upper joint (on the axle) when 3 linked. so some opt for 4 links that spreads out pressure.

You're referring to vertical link separation. It's a consideration on any link suspension....the closer the upper and lower links are to each other (vertically) the more stress is applied to the links and the larger the rod ends need to be.

BTW -> This is measured in ExcelCAD in the "Design Summary" area and in the Material Selection tab.....you can view the FS (factor of safety) for the rod ends to get clues about how "stressed" they are based on link separation.....