I could build and install a Triangulated 4-Link for cheaper than buying all the aftermarket stock style suspension.

Will a tri-4 link out perform the stock style suspension in strait line and road course performance?

I do not want to do a parallel 4 link because i believe they are really only best suited for the straitline screamers, and my car is street duty.

So any one have an opinion??

 

Man, that's going to take a TON of work, and you'll probably have to sacrifice the rear seats, in order to give the upper arms a place to reside...

 

have you seen a triangulated 4-link? it should not be all that big of a deal... I need to decide on the side bar lengths, then the mounting location of the middle bars (then i can figure heir length..)

And I dont see how the rear seast would have to go... but either way they are already gone.

I bet i could do it in a week... but im not sure if it will be a good setup for what im doing... it works grreat on bagged trucks though!!


here is a triangulated 4 link for a s10....

 

You shouldve posted this in the handeling section. There are some REALLY knowledgeable guys in there like Foxtron etc.

 

i did.. the one reply i got here was more than i got htere...

 

i feel you on thi . i have a 88 s10 blazer with a 4 link like the 1 you showed . i want to change my formula over to 4 link and it does'nt seem that hard . keep us up to date if you try it .

 

welll.. basicly like the guy said above... take a look at it and you wont have a back seat anymore (if so.. not much of one).

You could almsot use the 2 stock control arm mounting spots for the outside bars. But ideal would be to have the bars a little longer. So im going to try and figure out how to do that. Then I will have the two triangulated bars come from the middle of the rear end out into the car bascily. They will attach to a roll cage for a ridge mounting location. THen i will sheet metal around them to keep them isolated "under" the car instead of inside..

 

If u do it and it works out, I would be more than glad to pay for a set.

 

i'm glad someone has the same idea as me , i thought it was a dumb idea so i never said anything . i'm going to take some meaurements tonight and see if i can make it work .

 

well i have to order and install a roll cage before anyhting.. but as soon as i get measurments and get it finished... i have a professional build the bars and what not and will offer them to people

but some fabrication for the middle bars WILL be needed.. lol... of course, this is a fairly extreme mod.

 

if it turns out good and works how it should... I can probly have them built fully adjustable with hiem joints.. the entire fourlink for a little more than most companys 2-control arms (and probly stronger).

THe only downside is the two upper bars with require what some may consider "extensive" modification. Though I think any decent welder will be able to handle this with ease. The lowers will probly be bolt on.

 

Because the upper bars have to have a place to reside. The floor pan on an F-Bod is a fairly tight fit around the axle, so there's very little, if any, room to put upper bars. Therefore, the floor pan has to be cut away to provide room. What's there?? The rear seats.

This isn't that new a situation. In '65, when Shelby had to add upper links to control rear axle tramp on the GT350 Mustangs, the rear seats had to go, as the links went in that space.

In reality, the LCA, torque arm set up isn't all that bad. It's been used quite successfully on a lot of oval track cars (NASCAR modifieds) for many years.



Update: I was thinking about this for a few more minutes. If you go to the UMI website, their "installation pictures" for their torque arm/relocation kit has a couple of excellent pictures of the underside of the F-Bod. These pix clearly show how little room there is around a stock rear axle and suspension assembly.

The picture of the "S-Truck" 4 link you posted, shows what appear to be upper links going to the rear, coming off a mounting plate for a Ford 9" center section. On an "F-Bod", if you're on the street, your exhaust system is there. Also, unless you've converted to a Ford rear, you'll either have to fab a pair of mounting tabs and weld them to the axle tubes (not a good idea), or use a GM rear, and the ears that are part of the diferential casting. There's a potential for geometry problems here, plus the ears are sized for the large OE rubber bushings.

Also, keep in mind that the OE gas tank is directly above the rear axle. If tou put your upper links above the axle (OE GM style), they would probably hit the tank in full suspension compression. Plus, either way, going to the front or rear, you'll have to do some serious cutting of thr floor pan. Not trying to rain on your parade, but it's a VERY ambitious project. Of course, if you're talking strictly a race car, it's a totally different story. Did you mention whether you're talking street or track?

 

if you read the esr of the thread through.. you would see that shortly after that post i agreed that hte rear seat are going bye bye... and you would also see that i explained how i would do it if i proceed...

but parallel fourl ink is looking to be a better option... but im not sure yet... gunna keep readin...