TCI 4 link

[vht]

Started putting the rear end in today on my 51. According to TCI's website the bars are all set at 24 1/4 center to center but that leaves 1/2 in of threads in the tubes. Not to comfortable with that. Of course if you screw them in anymore you shorten the wheelbase. I mocked them up and the bottom bar angle is up in the front to much in my opinion. I guess I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say. This thing just seems very light duty to me. Wondering how it will work with some decent hp and some miles on it.

[spartakus]

Good luck.

The bars need to be .75" longer to work w/ even thread spacing(s) on the adjusters. They were going to send me "special length" longer bars but, sent bars that were way too long. I ended up just moving the front brackets back about .75", so as to leave the axle centered correctly (which btw works out w/ the rear fender placement and their "rear frame to axle tube measurements". Moving the brackets back is a pain due to the increasing taper in the frame.

Between the front and rear kit - I had several issues beyond this also. Bottom line is (at least for me), this was a case of "you gotta figure out a lot of this on your own" vs not exactly plug and play.

Let me know if I can help w/ anything else.

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by spartakus

Good luck.

The bars need to be .75" longer to work w/ even thread spacing(s) on the adjusters. They were going to send me "special length" longer bars but, sent bars that were way too long. I ended up just moving the front brackets back about .75", so as to leave the axle centered correctly (which btw works out w/ the rear fender placement and their "rear frame to axle tube measurements". Moving the brackets back is a pain due to the increasing taper in the frame.

Between the front and rear kit - I had several issues beyond this also. Bottom line is (at least for me), this was a case of "you gotta figure out a lot of this on your own" vs not exactly plug and play.

Let me know if I can help w/ anything else.

Did you find some better instructions or good guide lines to follow?

[vht]

My kit was purchased a few yrs ago by the guy that I bought my trk from. Apparantly there was a bracket change and they went in different places. I'm told I'm going to have to have longer, custom, bars made. My frame is boxed in so just popping them off is out of the question. My brackets appear to be cocked in at the bottom to me, but they are up against the frame like they are suppose to be. This thing to is a pain if you ask me. Bars, bushings and brackets are very weak looking to me.

[Kim57]

Why don't you make your own bars?
All you need is some DOM and weld in bungs and you can make them longer and larger as needed.
If you have a good industrial supply house they should have what you need at a reasonable price.
Kim

[vht]

Thought of that Kim, I'd have to order everything. Wonder how heim joints would work out on the street? My chevelle has adjustable uppers and I don't hear them.

[spartakus]

VHT, I replied to your PM. Hopefully, you got it. Something is wrong w/ the server tonight and I just replied to this thread and watched it disappear.

So, briefly...

Bottom line here again; don't use the instructions or look at them or even reference them! It will just make you stupid. I had at least three sets for front and rear that I had. That should answer Solidaxle.

Front 4-link brackets need to be cocked inward at the rear to make the parallel bars be perpendicular to each other at the rear axle housing bracket. The lower bars should level out w/ weight on them(?). The measurements are useless and the use of the bolt holes is almost ridiculous as measuring points. I had to mock-up the body to make certain where everything needed to be.

I never heard a bad word about this particular company or this particular product but, I am here to tell you that they are either having some problems or they are... (?) I am being polite.

I would be glad to help out w/ anything I can? Like I said, I have had numerous issues w/ everything that I bought but, finally got it all together and will not really know how it pans out until I align and drive it.

[solidaxel]

Front 4-link brackets need to be cocked inward at the rear to make the parallel bars be perpendicular to each other at the rear axle housing bracket. The lower bars should level out w/ weight on them(?). The measurements are useless and the use of the bolt holes is almost ridiculous as measuring points. I had to mock-up the body to make certain where everything needed to be.

So does this hold true for all 4 bar set ups, or......
Are you mocking up to locate the wheel opening Vs. tire size centered in opening?

[parkwood]

VHT do your 4 bars and brackets look like these?? These are for air bags but should be the same… look at last picture and you can see the brackets is out at the rear more than the front… i did like one of the other guys have said, didn't read a lot but set it up where it needed to go…. axle dead on in the center and put front brackets where they ended up… worked great for me.. I've been using TCI since the '70s and they change things so much that you just have to work it out on your own sometimes… don't be afraid to get them on the phone and talk about it… i've done it many a times.. not all frames are made the same….

[vht]

Right now my bars are to short. Mocking it up, the diag link is to long. According to tci, I have the wrong bars. My brackets were done on the truck, they are bolted where they are suppose to be, then welded. Brackets looking from rear, appear to tilt or kick inward at the bottom. Both look like they are in the same. Wondering wether to get new brackets and set it up with my bars, or get new bars. Are you all setting them up on a 116 WB? will that center the tire in the bed? Right now, I don't have a bed.

[vht]

Forgot, Parkwood that is the set up I have.

[Speedbumpauto]

From my perspective, I absolutely would not do anything more permanent than you already have before you fit a bed on that frame. IMO, the wheelbase dimension is worthless when you get to the level of modification you're at. What matters is the wheel centered in the wheel well. Another thing to consider is the 1" DOM tubing is readilly available and easily cut and tapped. The TCI guys will possibly trade you for the length you need IF you end up needing it longer. The last thing is to remember those bars/brackets are only in compression and tension which makes them stronger than they might look. One thing you could do at this stage is fabricate a crossmember in front of your forward brackets. This will decrease frame movement which could induce torsional or lateral forces on the bars which is where they are not strong. I did a crossmember and even triangulated a couple of brackets up to the frame(boxed) in front of the crossmember to spread out the load.(have to look closely at the pic because it's all black) I also used a Morrison kit because they use larger diameter tubing, etc., but I'm running a 500 inch big block so some of this might be overkill for your application. I know how hard it is to not be "doing something" when you have the stuff but please get the bed you will use and mount it with the correct cross sills, etc to establish your rear end location. There's nothing worse than having to re-do because it just doesn't look right. Ask me how I know.