This is my first shot at four link so bear with me. I purchased the Welders Series Triangular 4-link setup like in the first picture. I got my Ford 8.8 cleaned up, removed all the factory brackets and have it tack welded in place with the pinion angle set at ride height, centered in the frame, and suspension travel set to 4 inches. I then tacked the lower control arm brackets to the rear with back of them perpendicular. That is when I noticed I might have a problem. Please see descriptions at each photo.

This is the Welders series setup (pic from their web site)

This is where it gets interesting. This is an F4 frame that was shortened to fit the F1 body parts. Frame splice is wrapped in 1/4 inch x 7 inch U-channel (my opinion is whoever did it, did it well. Straight and true) You can the difference in the F4 and what a F1 looks like. The F1 has a bit of a hump over the axle. You can tell by the picture that rear frame runs up a bit in the back. Since the rear end mounts up higher under the frame than normal it lowers the stance a bit.

So here you can see the rear end tacked with braces to hold everything where it should be. I put in a Full Tilt Street Rods IFS which lowered the front end about 3 inches which was good.

They recommend the lower controls arms to be close to parallel to the ground or flat. You can see in this picture I would have to build a big old hanging down front control arm bracket to do that. lol

Now, I can C-notch the frame but that affects my ride height by setting the frame down lower which I would rather not do. Don't want it slammed. I can gain about an inch on the suspension travel clearance between axle and frame and I can cheat the angle of the lower control arm up in the front a bit but still makes for a big ole hanging down bracket there. I am wondering how much I can cheat on the up swing of the lower control arm and not lose functionality? The lower control is actually level in the picture but the picture makes it look like I have it sitting up in the front already.

Suggestions and or comments appreciated.

 

You can move the lower bars up, but you will need to adjust the angle of the upper bars as well to compensate. Read up on anti squat geometry as it pertains to 4 link suspension and you will see what I mean. Basically you will need to have the upper bars angle down as the travel from back to front. If you dont, you will have high anti squat in the rear, which basically means that the back of the truck will actually raise up under acceleration rather than squatting down. This might be okay depending on what your plans are with the truck.

 

This is of interest because I am going to do something similar. I think that you are between a rock and a hard place though (in trouble).
Your need to not want to lower the car and notch the frame so as to raise the axle is going to make it difficult I think.
Look at the clearance between the axle and the frame in welder picture (next to none) and yours (mega).
As you can see from this stolen picture the frame / body notch for the 8.8 in a original fox body is extremely high.

 

Thanks Nick. I had looked into that and I was thinking I could run my upper bars down some and the lowers up some so that the instant center intersection would be more where I want it. I just needed some positive reinforcement before I started down that path. lol I think if I can come up on the lower and down on the upper I can shave a lot of hang down on the front brackets and get the anti squat I need at the same time.

 

You are correct OldF1. In the welders series photo like many others I have seen, some people tack weld the rear end to the frame for centering and such. They also know they are going back and C-notching the frame for suspension travel. I don't mind C-notching but I lose my ride height in an effort to get my control arms where they need to be. See my response to Gicknordon. Thanks for the input!

 

Because it is to my advantage I searched for some more info, ... feast your eyes on this. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-question.html
My search on google was for; " 8.8 differential with control arms into"

 

That’s my setup, lots of photos if they can be of any help.

john

 

John did those swivel rod ends come with your kit? Do you have them on the front of the lowers also? Mine just came with bushings at both ends. Yeah, you posted that for me on another thread.

 

I have not done this ( and don't need to ) but I like to understand how things work and this whole thing has me confused ( sometimes not that difficult ) . I assume you have the frame more or less at final ride height , 4"s of travel seems respectable , your lower diff brackets are virtually on the ground and you need 11" or so drop on the front mount . This seems like an unworkable scenario without a huge notch which will affect ride height or front drop brackets that will also just clear the ground . At first glance shortening the lower axle brackets would gain some inches but this will affect how the axle turns as it moves and a certain amount of leverage on axle twist . I will be following and hope see the solution . Good luck

 

I think you are on to something ... (that I know nothing about), ... but are the brackets too long?
Apples and oranges, ... but this is the OEM fox body diff and the control arms (not a great setup). The lower mounts are right on the rear end ?

 

I bought the rod ends and fitted to the front f bth upper and lower bars. I also had to have the spacers made to allow the rod ends to rotate correctly.

 

 

So, what is the verdict ? (just FYI, ... see the note about the frame and box !!!)

 

Thanks for the input Ebear. The pic is a little confusing. The lower diff control arm brackets are about 3/8 inch below the center section of the rear end. Then again they will go up and down with the whole housing. My initial thought was to shorten those rear brackets (which I might still do to some extent). My original estimate of having to drop the front bracket down 11 inches was with no other mods. After some input from the guys here and doing some research on triangular 4-link geometry, I decided I can swing the lower control arms up some and the top control arms down some and still keep my anti squat X where I think I need it. The lower control arm is up 5 degrees from parallel to the ground which I see in many install pictures. I have estimated I will need 4 to 5 degree down on the top bars for my anti squat X. I am in the process of making taller brackets for the top links to obtain this.

I put my bed back on make sure I have to ride height where I want it. Now I will have to remove it to work on the upper control arm geometry. I may still need to cut an inch off of the lower diff brackets depending on how things work out on the uppers. Everything is just tacked for now till I can be sure I have all the clearances correct. Look below for pics in another response.

 

Thanks for the input OldF1. I understand what you are saying but my problem is my frame shape being an F4 instead of 1/2 ton. The rear of my frame was designed for a dually. So I don't have that factory hump over the rear end.. Mine is straight BUT rises up from about the cab back in a linear fashion.

The verdict? Well, I am moving on (I hope). What I have decided to try after putting my bed back on the double checking ride height is to raise the lower control arms up to 5 degrees and he upper control arms down by the same amount (to be determined yet). I had thought about shortening the rear diff brackets but then I will lose some of the fulcrum advantages of the control arm keeping the axle twist out.

So, with the 5 degree up on the lower control arm and lowering my suspension clearance by 1/2 inch I was able to reduce the front bracket drop from about 11 inches down to 6 inches. I think I can live with that. I may still shorten the rear brackets a tiny bit once I see where the upper control arms are ending up.

Lower control arm is only up 5 degrees.

2x4 heavy wall tubing will be welded under the frame.