front suspension help
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: southern oregon
front suspension help
im wanting to do away with my half ton radius arm suspension and go with a more modern link type setup for better articulation on trails. im ready for extensive modifacation and lots of work. what would be the best way to go. i was thinking a triangulated 4 link with hydro steer but it seems like the links would hit my oil pan or exhaust no matter how i set it up. any tips?
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A proper designed 4-link can be great performance wise. An improper setup will hurt more than anything. I would suggest alot of research and when you think you know all there is to know then research some more. I have built 3 to date, and to be honest the first 2 didn't turn out that well performance wise. Now the one I currently run out performs anything I have ever driven. If you run a tri 4-link ( regular, satchel, double triangulated) in the front full hydro is necessary. All link suspensions that require the use of a panhard can use a drag link ( 3-link, parallel 4-link). I wouldn't consider a wishbone style on the front. If you run a regular 4-link, you can have your angled bars converge at a crossmember. That should take care of the oil pan problem. Work your exhaust around the system after it is built or buy/make some fenderwell headers. A double tri 4-link will give you the best articulation. Also make sure you have some adjustments built into the system. If you don't you will not be able to fine tune the setup without rebuilding some parts
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From: southern oregon
are there any good websites you can recomend for good info on this. and i did very much consider running the stock radius arms with a dana 60, however my only issue with that is i dont want to be doing an extreme manuver and have the axle shift from side to side, i already have rubbing issues with the tires hitting the radius arms. one thing i did however think of was doing a type of ladder bar with the same concept of the stock arms but built way beefier and longer with a panhard bar. then theres no need for a 3 link. but i would still have the side to side movement.
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I don't know of any sites that have good info but I'm sure google will come up with something. There is a 4-link calculator online. Lots of guys using that and having sucess. I can't say how good though, as I have not used it yet for a build. But there are terms that need to be well understood before you can expect decent results.
Any link type setup that doesn't utilize triangulated bars will move side to side without a panhard. Adding that panhard will greatly limit the side-side but there is still some. The longer the bar is the less movement you will have and visa versa ( shorter=more ). That
applies to all links in the system.
Cage makes radius arms that will work with a D60. Alot stronger than factory and are clearanced for larger tires. But once you weld the bracket on it's set. so that needs to be dead on. If you build your own Radius type arms you can build with adjustments and dail in your castor/pinion angle to a certain degree. Allows for more error to.
Any link type setup that doesn't utilize triangulated bars will move side to side without a panhard. Adding that panhard will greatly limit the side-side but there is still some. The longer the bar is the less movement you will have and visa versa ( shorter=more ). That
applies to all links in the system.
Cage makes radius arms that will work with a D60. Alot stronger than factory and are clearanced for larger tires. But once you weld the bracket on it's set. so that needs to be dead on. If you build your own Radius type arms you can build with adjustments and dail in your castor/pinion angle to a certain degree. Allows for more error to.
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Junior User
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From: southern oregon
well if i were to do a style front suspension with a panhard what is a good angle for it to be at while the truck is sitting at its normal ride height. i know the panhard and drag link need to be at the same angle, im planning on doing high steer to raise up the drag link but when i drop the panhard bar is there a limit to that or is it one of those things where if you build your brackets beefy enough theres nothing to worry about.
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You want to build it as close as possible to the drag link. Length and angles need to mimic each other. They also need to be about the same location on the frame so that they will follow the same arc. The flatter it can be the less things will change. High steer like you plan and unless your going for lotts of lift everything will stay relatively flat.
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From: southern oregon
great thanks for all the help. my only remaining question is on a rig with leaf springs and cross over steering, why is there a need for a panhard bar? you would think that with the leaf springs the axle is only going to be able to go up and down with no side to side movement. so why wouldnt you be able to do a triangulated front suspension with a regular cross over steering with no bumpsteer?
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You can do anything you want to. But understand that by installing a traingulated 4-link, you are locking that axle into up and down movement. When you install the drag link on this system it interferes with the movement of the axle. What will happen is during compression your wheels will turn right and extension will be the opposite. If you were to go thru the trouble of a triangulated 4-link why not go full hydraulic steering?
Leaf springs provide enough lateral support to not need a trac-bar. Ford has a swing shackle in the front, which allows the axle to move side to side. Perform a shackle reversal and the need for the trac-bar is gone ( no swing )
What kind of truck is this for?
Leaf springs provide enough lateral support to not need a trac-bar. Ford has a swing shackle in the front, which allows the axle to move side to side. Perform a shackle reversal and the need for the trac-bar is gone ( no swing )
What kind of truck is this for?
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Junior User
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From: southern oregon
this is all going under a 66 f250 long bed. its a truck that i converted to 4x4 with half ton running gear because it was a bit cheaper and i have never been a fan of front leaf springs.
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