opinions suggestions

[Ronm909]

so I been workin on this for a year, was not sure what I wanted to do with it than I came across this site and man I went a little off the deep end, maybe.... started with a static drop. converted it to trailing arm but it was just not low enough next thing I knew I tore it down and now I have this, been taking ideas from everyone. Never done anything like this but I know how to weld, or at least I think I do. but not sure what to do as far as bag location. this is it so far.. it was a 67 GMC 3/4 ton long bed but not no more...any comments or suggestions on this 4 link. what did I do wrong or right???

[Ronm909]

here a couple more

[Ronm909]

dropmember

[Ronm909]

these did not load!!!

[72hotrodder]

the uppers dont look triangultaed enuff to me, and this will cause a little of rear shimmy if it is'nt. i know the gerneral rule of thumb (or atleast what i always do and works) is 35 degree worth of triangulation. but on the fab work, it looks really good. i'm sure your goin to but i would brace up the crossmember to that the upper 4 link bolts too, that crossmember will see alot of stress. and from what i've learned is a few extra bucks of tube is better than buyn a new bed or be'n stranded on the side of the road

[Ronm909]

I am considering a 6 link for the bags, not sure if that is what its called but I dont like how he fame is not supported in the rear and I do not like bags over axles.. this is what I am thinking I already bought these brackets from SD, what are the pros and ons for something like this...

[Ronm909]

Originally Posted by 72hotrodder

the uppers dont look triangultaed enuff to me, and this will cause a little of rear shimmy if it is'nt. i know the gerneral rule of thumb (or atleast what i always do and works) is 35 degree worth of triangulation. but on the fab work, it looks really good. i'm sure your goin to but i would brace up the crossmember to that the upper 4 link bolts too, that crossmember will see alot of stress. and from what i've learned is a few extra bucks of tube is better than buyn a new bed or be'n stranded on the side of the road

most definetly will have braceing on that crossmember from the front and rear. just finished this this past weekend, ran out of tube, as for the triangulation... thats as mush as you can get on this set up.. NO?? I seen it done just like this, dont even know what I ended up with..

[72hotrodder]

just put the bags on the lower bars. thats what i have done on just about all of the trucks i have built. give great ride and lift. and it looks like you have enuff room to center them on the bars and not touch your frame. and the triangulation part could be fine i just have built several race car suspentions and alot of customs suspentions and that is just what i have always been told to strive for (45degree is perfect but impractical) if it does shimmy when done you could alwasy turn the upper 2 links into a wishbone. were it is actually a v shape. the ends stay the same on the axle but you connect the bags were it mounts to the frame creating a v shave. the wishbone does nock down on roll steer affect and articulation but unless you plan to do serious road racing or rock crawling it will work just fine

[Ronm909]

""the ends stay the same on the axle but you connect the BARS were it mounts to the frame creating a v shave. the wishbone does nock down on roll steer affect """

you mean like this..what is the differene?? and can you explain roll steer in lay mans term, I never understood that..

[72hotrodder]

exactly. i ran this on my s10 i had in highschool and a little after. drove it for 3 years daily and never had a prob with it and the bushings looked as good the day i took it apart as the day i but them on

[72hotrodder]

also a great pic of bags on lower bars. but since you seem to have pretty good fab skills you can make something alot cheaper. i'm not try'n to sound like a no it all its just that i have screwed up alot befor and learned i did'nt k now near as much as i thought and asked questions

[Ronm909]

what is the differene in wishbone and this?? and can you explain roll steer in laymens terms, I never fully understood that...can roll steer be solved with a sway bar? I was gonna go with pivot bushings but I was told they caused roll steer. thats why I stuck with regular poly bushings.. thanks for the input..I aint afraid to ask, thats why I posted this.. learning as I go..

[72hotrodder]

roll steer. well when the truck/car take a turn load is applied to one side or the other and when this is done the suspention will load and frame will sag. when this does the link bars will either pull or push on the axle. the pull and push all depends on when the link bar mounts are. haveing 4 pivot points cuts down on the amount of over/under steer. but for a regularly driven street vehicle if you keep the link bars leval at ride height it will neither have over/under steer and you will love it. a great little book that covers all the basics on this is, chasiss engineering by herb adams http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cha.../9781557880550 makes really good bathroom reading and gives you a really good grasp of suspention without getting into to many numbers and fine details. can find it at your local books a million for about 20 bucks

[Ronm909]

this is the best explination I have read..so if i dont plan on doing any crazy racing or 80mph turning am I ok??

Roll Steer:
This characteristic is the result of body roll at the rear suspension. Because the mounts (forward and rearward) are typically not at the same level above the road, as the wheels move up and down they also move forward and rearward. As the body rolls one wheel advances in front of the other, steering the car from the rear.

[72hotrodder]

hard bushings can compinsate for a not so good suspention design sinse it does lemit the movement of the bars a little. with this said i do use solid poly bushings on 90% of what i build simply because they work great cut down on vibrations last forever and are just easy to work with. to get more and better information try signing up at streetsourcemag.com and posting your pic and question in the ask max forum. max fish of bio kustoms is in my eyes (and alot more) the dahlia lama and know all of adjustable suspentions and builds some of the most impressive stuff i have ever seen

[72hotrodder]

Originally Posted by Ronm909

this is the best explination I have read..so if i dont plan on doing any crazy racing or 80mph turning am I ok??

Roll Steer:
This characteristic is the result of body roll at the rear suspension. Because the mounts (forward and rearward) are typically not at the same level above the road, as the wheels move up and down they also move forward and rearward. As the body rolls one wheel advances in front of the other, steering the car from the rear.

yea this is great to go by. but i would advise getting that book. it really is good

[smashingchuck]

The upper 4 bar bracket on the axle looks dangerously close to the frame rail, but it looks like you are on the right track.

[Ronm909]

there is 1/2" on each side with the bolt it in it, plus at ride height it clears the frame so it "should" not matter.. has anyone bent the upper bars in a way that they go out of the frame and under. so the upper axle brackets can go on the outside of the frame kinda like this to get more traingulation????

[bedsled71]

i like your set up.. i have been thinking about maybe setting mine up to a 4 link from a 2link... you said something about not liking how the back of the frame is not being supported, where you talking about your frame.. if so you could do something like mine.

[Ronm909]

bedsled71...WOW thats pretty close to what I shotting for.. I like the way your lower lower arms are set with that third bar, that might save me from changing the set up I have and compenste for not having 35 degree triangulation,, might jack that idea!!

[bedsled71]

well mine is a 2link and set up different. the mounting points to the axle are similar to leaf springs which sets the pinion angle in a fixed location to what your ride height is and doesnt get the articulation like a 4link

[mycool72]

I like your setup but I would def move the upper tabs in some on the axle. 1/2 an inch clearance to the frame isn't much! I would also second the idea of bags on the bars for a good ride. Everything else looks great to me, I am planning on doing the same thing to mine soon.

[Ronm909]

so how much clerance should I have?? AND if at ride height it clears the frame does that matter, it will only be close when aired out???

[Ronm909]

what about connecting the uppers like this sorta

[smashingchuck]

I don't see what you have to gain up tying the upper bars together.

I would want at least 2" clearance on those upper brackets, but if your confident it's not goin to be a problem because it's only that close when aired out, I can understand that, too.