3 Link vs. Superflex?

[Douglas S]

If you really need a three link, and not just for poser pics, then you need tires larger than 37 which beg for one ton axles. All one needs is the money and the desire to do major body alterations.

I can see the appeal of wanting to build the most capable truck possible on 35" tires and I think a 3-link is part of that equation. If done properly you aren't losing anything over radius arms.

 

[Ronny Grady]

I bypassed little sluice and soup bowl. I had to pull out the winch 3 times to get unstuck. My dad was my spotter - he’d never been wheeling before. It was a blast for us all, and would be smoother with an experienced spotter.

 

[maxamillion2345]

Point is you can wheel your 80 through the con for fun on 35s. You dont have to hit all the hard lines... so what if he bypassed? He should hike? What?

Do a small lift and go wheel, 80s are really capable out of the box. Its more about experience than anything so get out there and have fun.

 

[baldilocks]

I bypassed little sluice and soup bowl. I had to pull out the winch 3 times to get unstuck. My dad was my spotter - he’d never been wheeling before. It was a blast for us all, and would be smoother with an experienced spotter.

Most people bypass Old Sluice and soup bowl was never even considered until people started mortgaging their homes to build a recreational vehicle. You pulled winch line? Sounds like you were wheeling!

 

[nukegoat]

Old Sluice isn’t about huge travel, it’s about how much body carnage you can stomach. We all need to remember that rocks can be placed strategically if necessary, pride willing.

Before doing a 3 link, if I wanted to do all the huge stuff, I would amor up, have lockers and 40’s or bigger on 5” of lift max and cut the body for tire clearance/up travel, then wheel it to see what is really necessary. But then again, if you want to do the big stuff and you are sure of this, before you take one trip, install tons to handle those big tires and then do your three link with the money that was made from selling the old axles and suspension.

Seriously, if your gonna go big, inmo, messing with the 80 stock axles is asking for trouble down the road.

If you really need a three link, and not just for poser pics, then you need tires larger than 37 which beg for one ton axles. All one needs is the money and the desire to do major body alterations.

I don't agree with this at all. You can get a lot more out of the 80 axle in a rock crawling context if you aren't constraining it like a giant swaybar.

Think of it this way - if a 3-linked cruiser on 37s was as capable as a radius arm botch job on 40s, then wouldn't you prefer the option that doesn't require enormous tires?

I ran probably half the trails at the Hammers on 36s. It took a bit longer than it does now, but it would have been a disaster to run Jackhammer with radius arms.

 

[nukegoat]

Old Sluice isn’t about huge travel, it’s about how much body carnage you can stomach. We all need to remember that rocks can be placed strategically if necessary, pride willing.

Before doing a 3 link, if I wanted to do all the huge stuff, I would amor up, have lockers and 40’s or bigger on 5” of lift max and cut the body for tire clearance/up travel, then wheel it to see what is really necessary. But then again, if you want to do the big stuff and you are sure of this, before you take one trip, install tons to handle those big tires and then do your three link with the money that was made from selling the old axles and suspension.

Seriously, if your gonna go big, inmo, messing with the 80 stock axles is asking for trouble down the road.

If you really need a three link, and not just for poser pics, then you need tires larger than 37 which beg for one ton axles. All one needs is the money and the desire to do major body alterations.

Also disagree - Old Sluice is just very technical and for experienced folks only. Or morons on big tires and tons (me). In either case, there's only one spot that risks body damage, so I'm assuming you haven't spent much time on it.

 

[nukegoat]

Point is you can wheel your 80 through the con for fun on 35s. You dont have to hit all the hard lines... so what if he bypassed? He should hike? What?

Do a small lift and go wheel, 80s are really capable out of the box. Its more about experience than anything so get out there and have fun.

No, but the point is whether or not someone should want a more capable suspension setup. If people respond and say "you can run the rubicon without it" well then... yeah, you sort of can, but you're skipping significant parts of it too. So inasmuch as someone wants to know if there's a benefit to upgrading their suspension, I would argue that the Rubicon isn't just a box to be checked, but rather an area with multiple "difficulty" options and the upgraded suspension would enable one to take the more difficult version.

 

[baldilocks]

Also disagree - Old Sluice is just very technical and for experienced folks only. Or morons on big tires and tons (me). In either case, there's only one spot that risks body damage, so I'm assuming you haven't spent much time on it.

I ran it twice in my old ramcharger. First time headed toward Buck on 37’s, a cheap 4” lift, granny 4spd, welded rear dif. I got a little jammed up making that tight left turn that heads into the toughest part. That truck was very wide so.......

Second time was after installed the tons, better leafs, Atlas 4spd, 39.5, hydro assist ...... and traveled in the opposite direction. This trip was less drama but that big bitch still got pinched a little at that same area.

I’m reluctant to run my 80 through it, at least until I put some rear quarter armor on it and push my sliders farther outboard.

I guess I’m past the age where I am motivated so that I will spend the money and time on suspension mods to run a Jack Hammeresque trail without major problems, I’m ok just skipping it. But, who knows what I might build once I get my shop built behind the house.

 

[ExpoMax]

I don't agree with this at all. You can get a lot more out of the 80 axle in a rock crawling context if you aren't constraining it like a giant swaybar.

Agreed<———-

 

[ExpoMax]

Think of it this way - if a 3-linked cruiser on 37s was as capable as a radius arm botch job on 40s, then wouldn't you prefer the option that doesn't require enormous tires?

Big tires look cool.

I ran probably half the trails at the Hammers on 36s. It took a bit longer than it does now, but it would have been a disaster to run Jackhammer with radius arms.

Well I’m everyone’s defense most don’t want their trucks looking like a crushed can. So running half the trails at the hammers is probably out. Radius arms or 3link

 

[TonyP]

Similar to your second link (includes most of those parts), don’t forget about this one: F(Z)J80 DVS+ICON "Full kit"

A 3” ICON kit with all the Delta parts to get your geometry correct.

That's a pretty solid kit.
OT: Just curious; are they dropshipped or carried in-house so Ian and I can swing by for one if I decide to go this route?

 

[Delta VS]

That's a pretty solid kit.
OT: Just curious; are they dropshipped or carried in-house so Ian and I can swing by for one if I decide to go this route?

Drop ship. Can be checked out in the Cummins rig for the next bit, after that we should have a shop truck running a full kit for demo purposes. It would be nice to stock stuff from other companies, but that’s a whole lotta capital and we have enough on our plate keeping our products and associated OEM parts on the shelf.

 

[Broski]

Old Sluice isn’t about huge travel, it’s about how much body carnage you can stomach. We all need to remember that rocks can be placed strategically if necessary, pride willing.

Totally Agree, Noah hear on mud went through the Old Sluice 3" lift & 35s there was Carnage but he got through. Unfortunately I had trans issues so I do not make the trip.

And he drove it home to socal after

 

[TonyP]

Drop ship. Can be checked out in the Cummins rig for the next bit, after that we should have a shop truck running a full kit for demo purposes. It would be nice to stock stuff from other companies, but that’s a whole lotta capital and we have enough on our plate keeping our products and associated OEM parts on the shelf.

Right on. We'll swing by when I get back stateside. Let Ian know if you need anything else from the 80 body before we junk it.

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[Calidevildoc]

@Calidevildoc ... Come up to Rausch Creek with some of the Keystone Cruiser people and do some trails and ride in different setups (2nd Saturday of every month). I don't think anyone has a 3-linked 80 series, but you can see what trucks with lifts and different sized tires ride like and are capable of doing.

View attachment 1883208

Sweet, thanks for the info. I am stationed out here on the East coast, but travel back to California a lot for work, so my Tacoma is here and my Land Cruiser is in Cali. I've taken the tacoma to Rausch plenty of times, as well as AOAA, which is a neat park as well. My Tacoma does well at Rausch, it has a 3" lift and is on 33" mud tires, but the 4x4 and rear locker helps lots.
Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[Calidevildoc]

You guys can stop apologizing for hijacking, I'm learning from your conversations and questions!

 

[Lumpskie]

If I were putting super flex arms on I wouldn’t waste the money on a set with caster built in. I would buy a set of caster plates from @NLXTACY and then buy a single “stock” arm from them and put that on for the same effect. We built a Superflex arm for a friend’s truck doing exactly this and it has worked just as well as the high dollar pair of arms I had but for a fraction of the price.

That's what I was considering doing. Thanks for the feedback