i have two good friends that are really in to four wheelin just like me they build all kinds of stuff and have built a 4 link supensiion for a samauri with 40's on it now and a toyota with 38's both of these trucks get 68 inchs of travel with sway bars on its only a few inches more with them off but anyways he is tryin to get me to put the suspension on my 82 i think it would be awesome i don't have the money right now to do it but possibly someday just wondering if you guys have any thoughts on this

justin

 

Justin,

Your post would be easier to read if you use punctuation

4-link suspension looks pretty easy, but setting it up right takes a lot of calculations (and some trial and error). Lots of guys out there have their own ideas on how to set it up, and most of them think everyone else is wrong. Go read some of the stuff on pirate and you'll see what I mean.

I would love to have it on my 78 trail rig, but I don't have the time to work it out. I don't have the money to have it built, either.

Kevin K.

 

I, as well cant do it, but mostly because I have no idea what the heck is going on with them. I have 50% of an article that Petersons' wrote a while back about putting a 4 link on, and it was as stated previously: Trial and error, and LOTS of calculations.

It seemed, from the article, that that should be one of the last things you plan in your build up, as all of the measurements change with your tire size.

SO, I guess if you build it with 33" tires, you're SOL if you want to upgrade to 35"'s.

Can anyone confirm/deny this?

 

sorry i will use some punctuations form now on. well the guy who builds the suspension had the samuri on 36's when he built it he then put 39.5 irok's on it, he did lose some articulation, but those tires gave him plenty of clearance to do pretty anything, i see what your saying tho, that should probably be the last thing to go on or the first, so you could setup everything else to go along with the suspension, just an idea i thought would be cool to do in the future

 

I think it would be the ultimate suspension setup.

If memory serves, there was a post here a while back where someone named a book or two on the dynamics of 4 link suspension. I'll see if I can find it.

K.

 

I know I posted the title/author of a good one, I'd dig it up but its buried in my clutter somewhere.

'82, the guys hit the nail on the head that 4-links aren't that tough to build, but getting the math right and dialing them in is. If you are talking about doing this on an off-road rig I say go for it, it would be a good learning experience. If you are talking about doing on your dd I'd recomend against it.

 

yea this is my trail rig right now, i would never even think of putting it on a daily driver, both the rigs i metioned can lift the two inside tires off the ground if they turn sharp enough, i would love to do it i will most likely do this in the coming up spring if i do, can't lose out on the winter wheeling comin up

 

A little limiting strap can go a long way.

Psychclo, the change in tire size should not affect your angles as long as you don't have to change your amount of lift. If you lift the truck more to clear the bigger tires (as far as fenders go) then you change all your angles and have to worry about more anti-squat and all that mess.

 

I call B.S. on the 68 inches of travel.

 

I would agree Jess, it's most likely a crock but never say never.

 

im so sorry i said 68 it's 58 but still very impressive, i was there when it was measured he has some pics of it flexed out with a fork lift ill try to get a hold of them some time this weekend, i couldn't believe when i first heard it, i had to see it to belive it

 

well that picture there is probably more than 68 in. , im sure that guy there is more than 5 ft tall so that there is 60in its a few over his head, im 6'1 and the bottom of the tire came to about my chin so looking at that picture you have there it doesn't seem so far fetched

 

That's about 68-70" to the bottom of his tire. This is a full tube chassis truck with a very advanced 4 link, not a Sami or Toyota frame with 4 link added. 58" would be hella impressive, ESPECIALLY with that short a wheel base but I still don't see how 58" would be possible with a sway bar attached. If the sway bar is in place they should be picking up the other tire before they ever get close to maxed out. Even with the advanced long arm designs like the monster trucks are using you don't get very extreme articulation.

 

well the toyota is really not much of toyota anymore, really the only toyota parts on it are probably the axles and motor is has no body except a hood and the whole thing is pretty much a jungle gym, the sami has toyota axles under it and the wheel bases can't be an extreme difference from the one you pictured there, also the four link on these rigs is not just something that was thrown together the, both of these rigs are setup in the same fashion as the one pictured, i guess i should of been more clear when i said a toyota and a sami, i would of also assumed they are not capable of this the way i put it, im happy some people are actually interested in this topic

justin

 

Sometimes I take stuff on this site seriously . . . not too often though. I'd love to see pics of them.

Have you had a chance to drive either of these rigs? I'm curious what you thought of their handling. The tipsy tendancy is something I'd be a little worried about but then this can be adjusted somewhat by the kind of springs and shocks being used. Quick release swaybars will make a big difference too. I guess it's like anything though, once you're used to it driving would not be a problem even on the street. You just have to know how the rig is going to handle.