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.

[vht]

Speedbump, that looks more like it. I like that set up. I'll ck with Morrison. Mine will have a ls motor, it'll be pretty healthy so I may go your route. I like it because you don/t have to raise the bed floor alot.

[Speedbumpauto]

Raised my bed floor 2". Be aware, this is more of a universal kit with tubes, brackets and rod ends. Great quality but I made my own crossmember(s). I think the TCI is more for the stock guys although mounting inside the frame rail practically begs for a big tire.....and you know what happens after that.

[vht]

Maybe, I can find a bed around close and get a measurement from the front bed mounting hole to the center of the wheel well or fender. That way I could measure and scribe a mark where the center of the axle tube needs to be. I'd like to get this rolling if I could. You done a nice job on that trk, Speedbump.

[spartakus]

Yes, like spdbmpato said... - no matter what the situation I would use a bed or a bed side w/ fender to mock-up and center your wheel. This would hold true w/ any type of major suspension changes. These are the little details that can kill the look and stance of a vehicle.

However, w/ respect to solidaxle; the point here from me is that the instructions from this particular parts manufacturer and the supplied measurements and the parts given (in this case bar lengths) are just not going to add up and work out - at all. The way you find out that it does not add up or work out, is by doing the mock-up for wheel center w/ relation to fender/bedside.

Im no expert but, I had experience w/ this exact deal so, thats my 2 cents and parkwoods pic is pretty much right on.

vht; I should think the parts you have should be fine structurally. You have the front brackets welded in already so you are just going to need longer bars to center the axle. .75" longer is what I would have needed but, you should probably do a mock-up to be sure. .75" isnt that much but, in the fender can appear huge and you only have so much thread on the adjuster ends to work with.

Hopefully, if you have the same brand of front crossmember and its already welded in, its centered well also. I positioned my front crossmember based on centering the wheel w/ sheetmental mock-up. This did not correspond to the instructions "again". I stupidly did not mock-up the steering rack and went off of the instructions for measurements and ended up re-notching the frame. Like spdbumpatuo suggested... theres nothing wrong w/ a redo(?) I kinda like that.

Good luck!

[vht]

Art Morrison sent me info on their's, also the included their instructions. They have measurements for everything. Point at the frt to the center of axle tube, you name it. Pretty pricey too.

[spartakus]

Yeah, they got great stuff. Its different stuff than tci though and probably wont spec out the same.

Incidentally, I have a frame diagram from them that they used on their "farm truck" and it was awesome but not apples to apples as they used a custom frame on that one. Love that truck and the wheels though.

[vht]

Done a little research. S+W has a nice 4 link at a reasonable price. Plus they have a panhard bar you can purchase. I don't like the diagonal link, it will bind where the panhard will move more free. I'd make the bars but I'd still have these cheap brackets, plus TCI was suppose to call me back and after another call I still haven't heard nothing. I even told them I was going to purchase the parts, wasn't expecting anything for free. More help needed also, if anyone has a bed that is off, I'd like a measurement from the front bed mounting hole to the center of the wheel well or fender. Just like to compare that to my wheelbase measurement and see how it comes out. My 116 measurement is right where the bump stops are, so I would think I'd be close. Using the bed measurement I would think I'd be dead on. Opinions?