Post your info on a homemade 4=link

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C

chuckwagon2004

71 dartswinger
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
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Location
Palestine Texas
Looking to build my own 4 link set up for the 71 swinger! I would like to here about pro's and con's from some of you guys that have done this job. I'm pretty good with metal work and measuring twice before hammering something down with a weld. I want to set up my own 4-link something to the street-lynx set up. I was thinking about using rectangular tubing for the cross bar shock mount etc.. This would be my first 4-link set up/ Just curious from people who have experience doing this would it be better to mock it up and tack before tearing the old junk out? If this set up is going to be a major pain I might go ahead and fork the money over... I would really like to do this and save the extra money for motor/paint etc... Any suggestions are welcome!!!!

Chuck
 
Chuck,
right now I may be the only one wacked enough to attempt this.
I have already had to redo some of the work, but its only metal.
Do a search for posts on this forum started by me, and read through them. The installation instructions for the street lynx have some of the critical dimensions in them. The one thing I have done is to temporarily keep the main leaf spring on each side with the indexing pin in place to locate the axle.
I have found all the link parts on line from a couple of sources and had a talk with the folks at QA1 about the coilovers yesterday.
I am trying to wrap this part of the build up quickly so I can get the car back down on the ground to develop a plan to deal with some of the other ground clearance issues.
Andrew
 
Lots of math involved in getting a homemade suspension setup right. Have you done all the number work?
 
I'm working it out in my head right now guys and throwing somenumbers around. Right now I'm about 6000 miles from the car and cant even get under it to check it out. I'm thinking the more adjustable the easier or more forgiving the system will be. It seems like the more info I read on this set up the more confused I get LOL. I'm still thinking about trying it out. After looking at cost of springs, shocks and other material I might be able to save 800 bucks... Just curious from some of the guys running the lynx set up now is it worth it? How is the ride quality? Im still rolling this around guys!!! Blue missle let me know how your set up does man... Im ready to get home and work on mine. I have another 2 weeks at least :(
 
I feel your pain Chuchwagon I too spend months at a time away from my project, I spend alot of armchair time mechanicing. Or else I would have attempted a 4 Link on my own. In order to excellerate time constraints I opted for the RMS unit.

As Blue Missile stated "it's only metal", with time to spare (home daily) it can be done cheaper.

As the old addage goes ......Time is money........... If you have the time and means, self performance beats out throwing $$$$ at a product.
 
I'm going to have to buy leafs any way if I stay somewhat stock and relocate the springs at the least for the tire clearance and the look I want. The ol' shocks are wore slam out. I need new shackles in the back as well. I'm figuring if its worth it go ahead and get the old junk out and get something I want with about the same amount of work and just a little more money... When I get in I plan on going ahead and installing subframe connectors and jumping on this project. I'm ready... I have been busy as a cat covering up $*(t for a while now... Bought a new house had a brand new baby, moving and all that crap. My car is currently in my dads shop stripped and ready for some much needed attention. It hasn't been touched in 3-4 months. I got the fever again so its time to knock some work out. I need to put some pics up to....
 
Here it is hit the wrong button

001.jpg
 
65BCODA said:
I feel your pain Chuchwagon I too spend months at a time away from my project, I spend alot of armchair time mechanicing. Or else I would have attempted a 4 Link on my own. In order to excellerate time constraints I opted for the RMS unit.

As Blue Missile stated "it's only metal", with time to spare (home daily) it can be done cheaper.

As the old addage goes ......Time is money........... If you have the time and means, self performance beats out throwing $$$$ at a product.
Click to expand...

65BCODA.. I cant wait to see your car come together. Man that is a sweet color and the install looks good on the lynx. That is going to be one fun car I can tell.
 
Here is what I did on my dart and I am very happy. I like the 4-links because there is a ton of adjustment and you can change springs in about 30 minutes. You can have a good firm ride without the back end of your car sticking up 5 ft in the air. LOL

I started with a Chris Alston street parallel 4-link setup with track bar. I made a custom crossmember that welds between the frame rails and ties into my subframe connectors. Ordered the everything else from Competition Engineering and I had a 9" in the corner of my garage and narrrowed it myself. I had custom axles made by Dutchman Motorsports. Actually everthing fits really nice and I incorperated a drive shaft loop in the cross member. I also welded in a crossmember to mount the coilovers and have also installed disc brakes from a 8.8 explorer rear. I also threw in a Detroit Locker and Auburn 3.89 gears.

It has been a ton of work, but so worth it. Since the last picture I have lowered the car about 2".

4link1.jpg


4link.jpg


Rear1.jpg


Rear2.jpg


Rear discs.jpg


New dart2.jpg
 
Badart said:
Here is what I did on my dart and I am very happy. I like the 4-links because there is a ton of adjustment and you can change springs in about 30 minutes. You can have a good firm ride without the back end of your car sticking up 5 ft in the air. LOL

I started with a Chris Alston street parallel 4-link setup with track bar. I made a custom crossmember that welds between the frame rails and ties into my subframe connectors. Ordered the everything else from Competition Engineering and I had a 9" in the corner of my garage and narrrowed it myself. I had custom axles made by Dutchman Motorsports. Actually everthing fits really nice and I incorperated a drive shaft loop in the cross member. I also welded in a crossmember to mount the coilovers and have also installed disc brakes from a 8.8 explorer rear. I also threw in a Detroit Locker and Auburn 3.89 gears.

It has been a ton of work, but so worth it. Since the last picture I have lowered the car about 2".
Click to expand...

That is solid looking right there.. How does it drive on the street and how good does the car hook up now?? If possible I wouldn't mind seeing how you tied your connectors into it... Cool set up=P~
 
chuckwagon2004 said:
That is solid looking right there.. How does it drive on the street and how good does the car hook up now?? If possible I wouldn't mind seeing how you tied your connectors into it... Cool set up=P~
Click to expand...

Drives great and hooks up good. It is a little stiff, because of the 200 lb springs that I switched to. As far as the connectors being tied into it. They tie into the bottom link bar bracket and run up to where they normally tie into the front. Should be plenty strong without going through the expense of doing a back half car. I don't have a picture of it and I am watching kids today, but I will try and get some the next few days.
 
Badart said:
Drives great and hooks up good. It is a little stiff, because of the 200 lb springs that I switched to. As far as the connectors being tied into it. They tie into the bottom link bar bracket and run up to where they normally tie into the front. Should be plenty strong without going through the expense of doing a back half car. I don't have a picture of it and I am watching kids today, but I will try and get some the next few days.
Click to expand...

Cool man I'm in no rush... LOL Work is killing me with paper work and when I get frustrated with it I just get my FABO fix for a while and get back to work till I've had enough and start the whole process over... :read2:
 
I am running a 3 link but these sites should help and there are a ton of books out there to help with the setup. I will have spent less then $500 on mine when its done.The first book i would read is Chassis engineering by Herb adams.

http://www.racetec.cc/shope/
you can download a 3link and 4 link calculator here in the first post
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204893
Here is a pic of mine but the panhard bar and coilovers are not in yet. May not help your design to much the floor on my car was junk so i started over. You probably dont want to cut yours up this much if it is in good shape.
i2voch.jpg
 
black betty said:
I am running a 3 link but these sites should help and there are a ton of books out there to help with the setup. I will have spent less then $500 on mine when its done.The first book i would read is Chassis engineering by Herb adams.

http://www.racetec.cc/shope/
you can download a 3link and 4 link calculator here in the first post
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204893
Here is a pic of mine but the panhard bar and coilovers are not in yet. May not help your design to much the floor on my car was junk so i started over. You probably dont want to cut yours up this much if it is in good shape.
Click to expand...

Is there a reason you are running a panhard bar instead of a Watts link? I'm having thoughts of a 3 link in my Scamp, but was figuring on going with a Watts link.
 
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