Advantages going 4 link

[Farmer]

What are the advantages in going with a four link setup in the back?

Larry

[Sinnful]

cause its cool, and leaf springs are stupid

[1lo620]

Well if your air bagging your truck, 4 linking gives you the ablitity to slam it all the way down. Leaf springs will only flex so much and only allow so much drop.....

[Laecaon]

Stops axle wrap, if you have too much power...

 

Also no more unloaded springs in the back giving a harsh ride all the time. My wagon gets air on speed bumps in the back.

[Farmer]

cause its cool, and leaf springs are stupid

I like this response.lol

 

Well, I'm not looking for "how low can you go" more looking for performance. And coolness factor

[Rustina 510]

But in a wagon. Every 4 link or independent rear suspension upgrade to the 510 removes the rear wagon part of the cars Totall space.

 

It takes the benefit of have a wagon away.

 

Please show a picture to prove me wrong, I would love to have independent rear suspension again but I'm not willing to sacrifice the storage space or flat floor in the the back

[Rustina 510]

I'm actually looking into air ride rear and front suspension. And a tube tank compressor so I can hide it and be able to adjust the ride with the push of a button.

 

But that's a little tax refund project months away

[Sinnful]

yeah but I think he is talking about linking a truck. I prefer the tradional 4 link style more than the 3 link with panhard bar. but almost all of my experience comes from 4 wheeling rigs not really street trucks. but I'm sure its all the same principals, and one cool thing is on the street trucks you can get away with more lightweight parts than what I'm used to. For example the heim joints I use is 1 1/4" thread with a 1" bore for my lower links and solid 7075 alum. links. for my uppers is 3/4" x 3/4" heims with 1.5"x1/4" DOM tubing. and some of my lower links are bent and I need to replace them this winter but yeah a mini truck shouldn't be that hard to link out, I think but thats my opinion

[Lee R]

I like this response.lol

 

Well, I'm not looking for "how low can you go" more looking for performance. And coolness factor

 

There is a huge difference in performance and ride quality, which I think you are looking for. You off roading or something?

 

Keep the leafs.

[Laecaon]

But in a wagon. Every 4 link or independent rear suspension upgrade to the 510 removes the rear wagon part of the cars Totall space.

 

It takes the benefit of have a wagon away.

 

Please show a picture to prove me wrong, I would love to have independent rear suspension again but I'm not willing to sacrifice the storage space or flat floor in the the back

 

Firstly this thread is about trucks...

 

Secondly, http://www.the510realm.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8375

 

And have you forgotten Jesusno2 wagon with 4-Link. No sacrifice there...

[Farmer]

It's for a 620. All street use. I'm just running through ideas that I have for my 620 build. Rather have a game plan before taking the next step.

[hacked521]

When setup correctly there is a huge advantage to traction, handling, and ride. A correctly made 4 link will almost always hook up better than leaf springs through corners and on the drag strip. However, when setup incorrectly a 4 link can give you less traction than any type of suspension. :blink:

[jesusno2]

amen brotha! a 4 link not setup right will turn a decent driving truck into a real ill handling bucket of mud, or any link suspension for that matter. I kinda prefer a 3 link system so you dont need to relocate the gas tank. but the top link can be tricky. I like panhard bars, due to the fact that they work, and work well.

In a truck with not much suspension travel a panhard bar is not big deal. and pretty simple to dial in. I'm not a link suspension master but Ive done a few.

[Farmer]

So I guess, I need to find some one that will do it right then.

Thanks guys

[Sinnful]

Also, a few people brought up some good points. before you find some one I think you should narrow down on what you want. for example you keeping the gas tank in stock area? and how much of the bed do you wan to cut?

[Farmer]

good points, thanks

 

Larry

[jesusno2]

Also depending on your ride height you will need to notch the frame if ya wanna find someone to do it right they will be able to give you a drawing and hard numbers on paper with some simple measurments from your truck. oversteer, understeer, anti squat percentage what your roll center is center of gravity is etc etc. Its a ton of crap to wrap your brain around when ya really get into it. theirs a reason chassis guys get paid to do what they do.

[Dudeman]

I'm leaning toward a Ladder bar setup. Keep most of your stock suspension and help keep the axle from getting wrapped up. 4 link is pretty ideal though

[jesusno2]

When setup correctly there is a huge advantage to traction, handling, and ride. A correctly made 4 link will almost always hook up better than leaf springs through corners and on the drag strip. However, when setup incorrectly a 4 link can give you less traction than any type of suspension. :blink:

 

 

I'm leaning toward a Ladder bar setup. Keep most of your stock suspension and help keep the axle from getting wrapped up. 4 link is pretty ideal though

 

their is alot that goes into that setup also

[]2eDeYe]

I would think the cheapest option to get the rear to perform better would be a sway bar and a traction bar back there. Probably would only need a small traction bar in your truck, plenty of room on the drivers side. Much less $ and fabrication involved.

 

Of course, nothing beats the performance of a well designed triangulated 4-link, but you will still want a sway bar.

 

Sway bar

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ACO-228

 

 

Traction bar (you can probably have one built a lot cheaper)

 

http://www.sams4x4store.com/index.html

 

[jesusno2]

Traction bars are kinda wortless with a open diff. Maybe not totally worthless but you would make full use of it with a lsd or lockin diff of somesort jusy depends on what your trying to do with the truck

[Master-O-Turbonics]

On a street driven truck, I'd find some poly bushings for your leafs and figure out how to stiffen the spring rate a little.

Sway bar is a good idea. there are several datsun simple sway bars that would be easy to mount... from off a 720 pickup, B310 front sway bar, etc.. pretty much a straight bar with one bend on either side. Get new shocks. Good ones. This along with a sway bar will handle better and easier to set up/less work than going to a 3 or 4 link unless you are an engineer lol.

If you do not understand and know how to calculate the dynamics of anti-squat, roll steer/understeer, roll center, etc, then you should not mess with links.