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Rear 4-Link Questions

R

rusty_82

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I have a 82 Blazer and want to put a 4 link set up in the rear. I have a couple questions on how to do this.
- What should the distance be between the upper and lower links?
-What should the minimum length of the links be?
-how much are Coilovers and airshocks?
-If i choose to do coil springs what springs should I use?
Thanks in advance for the responses and i hope I am putting this in the right place.
-Stew
 
i would also like to hear some answers on these question as well. Especcailly about the air shocks been really thinking about linking the rear on my pickup and havnt heard much from anyone running them except on buggys on pirate4x4.
 
Search the thread "ExcelCAD" and download the program.
 
Airshocks won't work on anything other than a buggy. They can only handle about 1700 pounds per corner.

Search pirate and here for 4 link stuff.
 
The airshocks are great for a comp. rig but I would not want them on a daily driver or regular trail rig.
They have a progressive spring rate, the spring is an air cusion, and they don't hold up that much weight. I thought that they were only good for 1000# per cornner? Jason knows this stuff a little better than I so it must be higher.
If you are really thinking about coils in the rear, Call ORD and talk to Stephen in about a month. They are real busy with the race truck and SEMA show right now but they are moving towards a bolt on/weld on coilover kit for the rear of these trucks.
 
to run higher weights on Air shocks requires a high pressure nitrogen charge which requires an expensive regulator that in the end adds to the cost and made me lean towards Coilovers, of course I did abandon that project at this point.
 
Progressive spring rates aren't bad, they're good. The problems with air springs in general is that your spring rate varies with temperature and that the rising spring rate is too fast. The first you can only cure so much of by using Nitrogen. The second makes getting the damping rates really difficult.
I'd vote for coils. Design for coil-over coils even if you don't run coil-overs. They're cheap and come in a huge range of lengths and spring rates.
 
I still like the thought Dan Dubose gave me when I was considering airshox. If you blow a seal on the air shock, that corner drops, no sping, no shock. If you blow a seal on a coilover shock, you still have spring to limp off the trail and repair.
 
so coil overs or coil springs. How much am i looking at price wise for a pair of coil-overs and where do i get them?
Thanks
-Stew
 
As a sample, here is pricing on a 14" Bilstein Coil-Over and the 17" travel is the same price. For comparison, here is a 16" Sway-A-Way coil over. Note that you still need to buy one or two springs (depending on stroke length) for each damper.

Sway-A-Way Coil-over Springs Usually if you buy a c/o spring and find that it isn't the right rate the dez racing vendors will exchange them for a different rate so long as they aren't marked or used.
 
Since this is concerning blazers... it would be nice to see where others have mounted links, and lengths and what not. Pirate is all speciality stuff, custom one offs. I am sure its not only me that would like to know the ideal spots to mounts links on Blazers. There should be spots better than others and ideas gone wrong, gone right, etc?

Bolt on ORD coilovers?
 
[ QUOTE ]
The problems with air springs in general is that your spring rate varies with temperature and that the rising spring rate is too fast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a lot closer to what the voice in my head was saying. My fingers just don't listen well.

[ QUOTE ]
Bolt on ORD coilovers?

[/ QUOTE ]

My understanding is a partial bolt on, partial weld on kit. It is something that has been in the works for a while and might be close to being a reality. I don't know what kind of time frame they are looking at but Stephen would be able to tell more. The problem is that they have the SEMA show this week, Baja 1000 in a couple of weeks, then it's the holiday season that is always hard.
 
Thats alright... just tell him to keep us updated. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I dotn care if its all weld on. That part doesnt matter to me at all. /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif

Thanks.
 
ok if i cant use air shocks I am going to use coilovers. Anyone have a prefrence on brands(price and quailty I noticed stephen from ord is running kings and so is the white knight). I found these 17 inch travel bilsteins http://www.jackit.com/Shocks/Bilstein_9100RCS.htm
would these be good and if so what valving should i run. And anyone got a good way to tell what kinda of spring rate would be good. like i said this is going on the rear on a pickup weight wise not much has change except i have a full cell in the bed and a heavy rear bumper. I got my pops to make a deal with me if i pay for one he'll get the other for xmas. /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
i also run the kings.
They have THE BEST customer service. Jeez I went to Truckin' Nationals and the king rep told me to bring them to him and he would re-valve them FOR FREE. He saved me over 160 bucks in shipping and revalving charges. He even charged them with nitrogen.
 
I used King Shocks because they were highly recommended. I am very pleased.


REAR SUSPENSION
fabricator: www.randyellisdesign.com
Materials:
14ft 1.5x120 round
2ft 3/4 x 120 DOM
1 driveshaft lengthen
2 2.5 kings with 300# and 350# spring rate 161.50# ($1300)
8 m02153BK bushings
4 3/4 rod ends
8 High misalignment bushings
4 3/4 jam nuts
12 1/2 grde8 bolts w/stover
8 3/8 grde 8 bolts w/ stover
4ft 3/16 plate
1 ft 1/8 inch plate
1 ft 1/4 inch plate
32 ft 1 3/4 .120 round
8 ft 2 x.120 round

axle moved back 7 inches

FRONT SUSPENSION
fabricator: Randy Ellis ( www.randyellisdesign.com )
labor hours: 58
parts:
8 m02153bk bushings
2 king coilovers w/ res. and dual rate springs
5 left handed 3/4 rod ends
1 right hand 3/4 rod end
6 high misalignment bushing kits
5 left handed 3/4 - 16 jam nuts
1 right handed 3/4 jam jut
40ft of 1- 1/4 .281 DOM
10 ft of 1 -1/2 .120 chromo
8 ft of 1-3/4 .120 chromo
4 ft of 2" .120 round
4 ft of 1/8 plate
3 ft of 3/16 plate
2 ft of 1/4 plate
18 1/2" grade 8 bolts
4 res. standoffs
4 hose clamps
5 ft. 1 -1/2 .120 round
2 ft. 3/4 .120 dom
axle moved forward 2-3 inches
 
[ QUOTE ]
Call ORD and talk to Stephen in about a month.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, he will be busy then also. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
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