CK5
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Need 4-link calculator help ,

Do all the math you want. Will end up building what fits. 3 link with panhard bar is the easiest to make work.

Soap box moment.......

Bugs me it is called a 3 link when there are 4 links. Parrallel 4 links are really 5 links. Crossover 4 link is a 4 link. My rear upper A link makes the rear a real 3 link.
 
Do all the math you want. Will end up building what fits. 3 link with panhard bar is the easiest to make work.

Soap box moment.......

Bugs me it is called a 3 link when there are 4 links. Parrallel 4 links are really 5 links. Crossover 4 link is a 4 link. My rear upper A link makes the rear a real 3 link.


PHBs get no respect. :haha:

-G
 
Thanks @ktmoutfront glad someone chimed in there..
@Greg72 has good insight as well!

One thing I'll toss out there in regards to roll axis, or more specifically roll center, the axis is the front and rear centers together, if you look at the truck from the side and pencil in a link tower on he rear axle which typically is around 19-21 inches and the front phb is somewhere around 34-37 inches, this creates a reward slope which will make the truck oversteer, period, there's not a ton of ways around that. Most guys don't really care or actually like that because it's fun. Roll steer being another consideration, this is one of those reasons for the flatter lowers. Again like wade said, your stuck with what fits.. which is why more guys don't do this. Not nearly as much space as you would like. Which means compromise on the design.
 
I just need some baselines to work with , this will be my first "all by myself " link project .

11.25" of vertical seperation up at the axle
5.625" of vertical seperation at the frame
45" tire (actual loaded height may be closer to 42"- 43" )

Thanks guys this is all good info ,
 
The good news is I'm not constrained by pesky sheet metal, I can cut out as much as needed and push the axle forward as far as needed as well with full hydro
 
I just need some baselines to work with , this will be my first "all by myself " link project .

11.25" of vertical seperation up at the axle
5.625" of vertical seperation at the frame .... Make sure the upper link frame mounts have adjust ability built into them ( Three holes instead of one )
45" tire (actual loaded height may be closer to 42"- 43" )... Don't forget to factor in lower tire air pressure too

Thanks guys this is all good info ,
 
You can screw quite a bit up and it'll do OK offroad. Driving at speed is where you'll know if you got it right. Minimize roll oversteer or get it a little roll understeer if you can and it'll handle better at speed. A swaybar or bars can fix a lot of evil handling too.
We tend to run a fairly long upper link since that tends to tip the pinion up and keep the front driveshaft alive. Not great for castor control but the front driveshaft is a pretty important part to keep happy.
 
It's never going to be on paved roads, but I still want it to handle the way it should . So I will approach this like I am going to street drive it , and compromise if needed
 
You can screw quite a bit up and it'll do OK offroad. Driving at speed is where you'll know if you got it right. Minimize roll oversteer or get it a little roll understeer if you can and it'll handle better at speed. A swaybar or bars can fix a lot of evil handling too.
We tend to run a fairly long upper link since that tends to tip the pinion up and keep the front driveshaft alive. Not great for castor control but the front driveshaft is a pretty important part to keep happy.

What kinda castor degree are we talking? I've heard steering gets weird if you run zero castor......Or is a pinion up going to make the castor more positive?
 
we've run static castor as low as 4 degrees on a linked front but when we build an axle on purpose we've built them to 8 degrees. In general we lose castor on droop which isn't ideal but we usually have to keep the pinion up a little to keep the driveshaft happy. Always think of castor like a bicycle or motorcycle. The reason you can ride a bike with no hands is the castor angle holds it straight. Imagine if the forks were straight up and down, they'd be all over the place and you would have to hold onto them all the time.
I've also developed the saying that full hydro steering tends to take your suspension's worst characteristics and make them worse. A steering box is a lot easier to drive and you can get away with more roll steer and feel OK.
 
I don't think I can get away with keeping the crossover/hydro assist I currently have with links it's an older AGR setup that works very well with 38" rubber but the 45" ags are a whole lot heavy-and-wide tire on a 14" wide wheel with 3.5" back spacing .


So as I understand it my Ackerman angles are basically jacked, and having a bunch of castor would aggregate that even more correct?
 
I don't think I can get away with keeping the crossover/hydro assist I currently have with links it's an older AGR setup that works very well with 38" rubber but the 45" ags are a whole lot heavy-and-wide tire on a 14" wide wheel with 3.5" back spacing .

I run 44" boggers on 14" wide rims and I could never get a hydro assist set up that would do the job the way I thought it should.....The money I spent trying could have just about bought the full hydro set up I run now.
 
Just about everyone runs full hydro up here, there are a few holdouts . My current burb is on rocks with full hydro and I really like it
 
So I have decided on a 3-link with panhard . I have ordered an assortment of of brackets from ruffstuff , and I will be picking up some DOM tube this week .

I still need to get hardware kits and springs for my 16" Sway-Aways and then decide if I'm going to buy or build shock towers .

Airbumps are also on my list but those may have to wait , as I am quickly running out of budget for this project.
 
Link projects have tendency to do that.....


New sled isn't helping haha , it's usually 200.00 a day to go ride once you get Diesel , avgas , food , propane for the heater in the enclosed , injection oil , beer , whiskey it adds up quick !

I sold my Diesel 94 blazer to fund this project , the Hydro steering parts ate up a large chunk of the budget , I should have enough to get everything else except the air bumps and the cans , I have a DIY4x adjustable bumpstop kit I will use if the money drys up

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