Just leave it alone.
Flexing the 3 link (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter joker2040
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Wrench
One Bashed Up 80
That's a great idea! Funny no one else thought of this. The radius arms are the two bottom links (minus the front bolts) and all you need to do is add a third upper link up top! Bingo! You got a three link! Why spend thousands?
Trust me, you're not the first person to think of this. Do the hitch pin mod and go wheeling. See what happens to the bracket. Now imagine if you do this on both sides. Bracket will tear off in no time. So you have to make new brackets. You're also making an upper link and mounts. Why not go all the way and do a real 3 link. The right way, without cutting corners. If you're capable of making an upper link and mounts then you're capable of making the lowers. Doesn't have to cost thousands.
maxamillion2345
Franken-80
Yea I've seen your photo you posted with the bracket flared from the hitch pin mod, it would be a PITA getting pins lined up after a good day of wheeling. Although, I don't think it would tear off? Especially if you welded up some supports or thickened the bracket. And I agree it won't cost thousands either, in the hundreds for links and joints and some beer money for a friend with a welder.
My problem is(and from some of the posts I've seen of yours it seems like you are or were in the same boat here also) that right now my 80 is the only vehicle I have so the possible negative road mannerisms of a 3 link are in the back of my mind along with safety concerns. My idea here was I could possibly have hitch pins on both sides for on road use until I'm ready for a real 3 link when I can retire my 80 from daily driving duties and at that point I already have an upper done towards the true 3 link.
Wrench
One Bashed Up 80
What if you beef up those brackets like alkaline747trio did? It should hold up right?
I've been thinking of this lately also.....what if both brackets on axle where gusseted and a third link added. For street use everything stays attached or 3rd link unattached. Then get to trail for weekend and pull front bolts in factory arms and install third link.
Any of the $6-700 ruffstuff, or similar kits can work, with the exception of the axle end panhard.
If you do the math, however, youre giving 4wu just a few extra bucks to have done the hard part for you(geometry). You're on you're own w the others....
The actionjackson, etc pioneers built 3 links. That's all they can be described as. The info is abundant on how to do the same, but substantially improve the driving characteristics not addressed by OME, SLEE, TJM, etc kits or the 3links built by the guys who pioneered it on 80s back in the day.
If you did what is being described above(removing radius arm bolts at the axle and adding an upper link). You would create more flex, but fall into the same ill handling woes that cause the 3 link rumored issues that plague it's representation on this website.
It would yield a slight improvement over how a slee 6" kit feels at highway speeds, but nothing near the potential of building entirely new link mount locations and control arm angles.
The rear is still poison at the end of the day. It's geometry, once lifted causes nearly identical dilemmas in handling as the front. Half of the truck being fixed, certainly feels 50% better, and I'd let my mother drive mine now, but I won't lie, it's still gotta get a rear overhaul.
Huge Oversteer numbers and high rear AS completely ruin a lifted 80. It's completely retarded after 3-4" and gets insane there after.
Booger, so if this set up was built and only used on trail the ill effects on the road wouldnt matter. I like the handling of the semi oem setup I have but really would like more flex for those long wheeling weekends...oh and minimul work to achieve the added flex. btw your rig is looking GREAT!
Yes. I drove around with an upper link and no front radius arm bolts for a week and nobody died. Heim joint spacers were on back order at ruff stuff.
And thanks!
maxamillion2345
Franken-80
Booger, I'm trying to PM you and I can't.
Woody helped me fix it. Should be good to go
Is the flex worth the effort using the 4" lift shocks? I've never really looked to see how much unused shock is left on a typical 4" lift.
When you had that temp setup was is possible to use the fact. Sway bar?
4WheelUnderground
Suspension is EVERYTHING
You guys are missing the point of a redesigned suspension. Buying it from me or not the point is missed.
Once these vehicles are lifted YOU HAVE completely redesigned the original suspension. It isn't the upper link that magically fixes the geometry on these vehicles.
To re engineer it back to something closer to the factory statically numbers that were lost once you lifted the truck due to "Geometry" change. Geometry ='s relation of angles to level ground. Adding an upper link and removing the lowers bolt will give you flex. But as Booger said and very well too, its not going to fix any of the other problems.
The upper link is a tool in your bag, it is there to pound on stuff, it isn't there to cut lumber. Your air compressor isn't there in lieu of your hard hat either. Your lower links are the majority of the flaws in the design once lifted. This tool needs sharpening. With a 6" lift it is a dull axe. It needs to be sharpened and it wont be sharp when its located to factory mounts. Your axe handle needs to be longer it needs to keep your caster from changing faster than the speed of sound. Among other things.
Learn from the mini truck guys please. If you're not willing to dive in head first on a suspension "CHANGE" then don't go in the deep end. A minor change here and there isn't going to get you the overall performance you want. You may as well bolt on the super flex arms. Half assing this kind of modification will put you back ten years of where the mini truck guys are now. Please don't reinvent the wheel. Its a waste of time.
Once these vehicles are lifted YOU HAVE completely redesigned the original suspension. It isn't the upper link that magically fixes the geometry on these vehicles.
To re engineer it back to something closer to the factory statically numbers that were lost once you lifted the truck due to "Geometry" change. Geometry ='s relation of angles to level ground. Adding an upper link and removing the lowers bolt will give you flex. But as Booger said and very well too, its not going to fix any of the other problems.
The upper link is a tool in your bag, it is there to pound on stuff, it isn't there to cut lumber. Your air compressor isn't there in lieu of your hard hat either. Your lower links are the majority of the flaws in the design once lifted. This tool needs sharpening. With a 6" lift it is a dull axe. It needs to be sharpened and it wont be sharp when its located to factory mounts. Your axe handle needs to be longer it needs to keep your caster from changing faster than the speed of sound. Among other things.
Learn from the mini truck guys please. If you're not willing to dive in head first on a suspension "CHANGE" then don't go in the deep end. A minor change here and there isn't going to get you the overall performance you want. You may as well bolt on the super flex arms. Half assing this kind of modification will put you back ten years of where the mini truck guys are now. Please don't reinvent the wheel. Its a waste of time.
nukegoat
Should have bought a Jeep
This. For so many reasons beyond what this even summarizes.
nukegoat
Should have bought a Jeep
So did I. It sucks for all the reasons people mention (it's just as bad on-road as any other lifted 80, which I thought wouldn't be that bad, but it is.) Even if you dont' care about on-road manners, which are less critical to me since I fixed the rear, the link angle of the front lowers, once lifted, creates wheel recession any time you're trying to climb over anything significant. The suspension droops way out before rolling over boulders. It's annoying as hell. I use my front locker a LOT more than I should just to apply tractive force to minimize that effect.
