My rear 4 link plans, tell me what you think.

[yunit]

Ok, since I am unemployed and will be working for myself very soon fabricating new parts and making vinyl stickers , I will be on a tight budget for...maybe forever. So this means I will not be buying the link ends and DOM tube that I so desire for the 4 link on my truggy.

At first I thought about just using spring bushings on either end of a 2"x.25" square tube, the thought was good...but I knew they would bind like crazy. Then it hit me! How about spring bushings (cheap, got a bucket load of them.) at the axle and a radius style setup up by the frame? The radius bushings are dirt cheap too and I can use a 1" trailer axle spindle that has a square 1.5" mounting point so I can slide into the 2"x.25" square tube, weld them up and away I go.

I figure as long as I keep the bushings greesed up they should last a decent amount of time.

What does everyone think? I am going to try it no matter what, so I will do my best to document my experience.

Peace homies!

 

[sled_dog]

how about a one link? use a single trailer hitch ball. Talk to Brook about how he likes the bushings at all ends. With rubber bushings you may even be better off. Little more give = less bind.

 

[Triaged]

I think it is a very good idea. In fact that is how I plan on doing mine...with one small difference. I am going to use the radius arm bushings at the axle end. The reason for this is that the axle end has less change in angle because of the way the pinion wants to stay pointing at the t-case. You will be able to adjust the length of the links by just using a couple of jam-nuts.

Points of intrest:
I would use rubber bushings insted of poly at least for the radius arm bushings.

Because you will be using bushings you want to keep your vertical seperation very high to keep the link forces down.

You might have to go above or below the axle tube with the lower links to make it package right. Below might be the better route to keep the vertical seperation high as long as you can get the rest of the geometry you want. The diff bridge should be cake.

 

[yunit]

Now I just need to start plugging numbers in ExcelCAD and collecting parts. Thanks.

 

[CyberSniper]

When I get ready to do it I'm going to give 67-70 1/2 ton front spring bushings a try. They have a lot of side to them and are large in diameter. Hopefully they'll flex a lot.