panhard vs angled uppers

[Gumby]

I just picked up a elocker rear from a wrecked 80.

The 80 rear needs to have the spring perches moved in about an inch, but otherwise the upper and lower mounts fit well.

Except the uppers are straight.

So should I cut the tops off the upper towers and bridge them to mount the upper mounts in the center and angled or run a panhard off of the mount already on the 80 rear?

I'm hoping to use most of the 14.5" shock travel. How much is my axle going to move side to side with a panhard?

Anybody want a 55 rear end stripped and gussetted for a 4 link?

 

[woody]

IMO, triangulate the uppers and eliminate that 5th link....mine uses all of 14", and it's limited

and splay the lowers...bottom of the frame rail to wide on the housing...no point in designing twice

 

[Gumby]

Okey doke.

I guess I get to play with the plasma some more.

If I cut the lower mounts off to splay the links, should I rotate them up toward the axle center line a bit while I have them off?

I haven't had time to play with the calculator since I got the new axle.

 

[woody]

my links are all 36" long, 39" eye to eye...all four...

lowers mount directly below the frame rail and parallel to the axle centerline, splayed

uppers mount inside the frame rail with a tube sleeve thru the rail, and to the center of the diff...

IIRC, from memory, about 6" separation at the frame, 9" at the axle...center limit strap, shock mounted near-verticle and inside the frame rails thru the bed


next project will be similar, but running 7075-T6 solid links with heims

 

[FJBen]

I know I'm lost here in the hardcore corner But I have put 14" travel Bilsteins on the rear of my 80, and I use all 14" of travel. It has the standard Panhard setup as well.

But if you were designing from the ground up, it might be better to eliminate that 5th link, less stuff to deal with.

 

[camcruiser13]

nice flex man, i need to go coils

 

[JRFJ4-]

Link calculator

What 4 link calculator are you using?


JR

 

[Gumby]

It's set up in Excel. I folled a Woody link from some thread. I thought it was from Xtreme4x4.

The link in the tech links no longer works.

 

[numtel]

It's set up in Excel. I folled a Woody link from some thread. I thought it was from Xtreme4x4.

The link in the tech links no longer works.

Is it this one? http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=204893

That flex on the 80 is great, wanna trade for a 40?

 

[Gumby]

That's the one. I like it.

 

[Gumby]

80 link bushings can be flexy

Got the four link in place this morning. Upper links are 80 lowers. Lower links are 38" 2x2x.25 rec tube.

Looks like it will max out the 14.5" travel Bilstiens without any problem.

Gotta find some springs I like and get them and the shocks in, finish weld, and hook up the elocker.

I think I'll send my spare front inner axle to Moser and get the splines legthened for the other rear locking third I have and put that in the front.

Then decide if I want to bob the rear and chop the top before or after TFT at the badlands.

Rough pics. Just got things tacked and lining them up.

 

[Tapage]

I saw little tied your limit strap .. don't you think . ? just for bouncind in the road ..

 

[Gumby]

Limit strap is a bit tight in the top pic. It's so I can pick the truck up on the hoist without the truck going all unbalanced.

Looks like I could trim a bit off of it too.

 

[Gumby]

Going good this week. It better be. Toys for Tots at the Badlands is coming up quick.

Upper spring mounts are built and in.
Lower spring mounts are built and in.
All four links are in and finish welded.
Coils are in.
Lower shock tabs are in.
Diff is back in.

Tomorrow I need to start on

shock hoop and upper shock mounts
expanding the wheel wells
brakes and hubs back on
Front axle together (70 series long side locking axle showed up today )
drive shafts

Sunday and next week
cable lockers

Test toast on Turkey day weekend I hope.

 

[lowtideride]

Bwahaha love the smashed in rear of the truck it matches my rig perfectly.


Good work on the 4-link set up...

 

[lowtideride]

Oh, how are you going to retain your coils? are you going to make anything for the top of the coils to fit into?

 

[Gumby]

I built braces that support round spring buckets. The upper buckets are about 1.5" bigger diameter than the tops of the springs so I have a bit of play when they flex out of the buckets. I used 80 series front inner cones for bump stops and to guide the springs back into the buckets when they droop out. I captured the bottoms to the lower spring mounts.

 

[Mace]

uncaptured springs are a very poor idea..

 

[Radd Cruisers]

The buckets on a 80 are inboard, I figure you loose a few inches of travel by putting them on the frame. My idea was reconfiguring the frame around the buckets to allow the extra length in spring say slee 6 inch spring.

Okay if I were a pooor boy which I am, the spring on the frame would be a good choice.


Ride on Gumby...................

PS Gumby was my child hood nick name for my obsession with the gumby show. I am 41 and my child hood friends still call me Gumby.

 

[Gumby]

The buckets on a 80 are inboard, I figure you loose a few inches of travel by putting them on the frame. My idea was reconfiguring the frame around the buckets to allow the extra length in spring say slee 6 inch spring.

Okay if I were a pooor boy which I am, the spring on the frame would be a good choice.


Ride on Gumby...................

PS Gumby was my child hood nick name for my obsession with the gumby show. I am 41 and my child hood friends still call me Gumby.

The 55 frame is narrower than the 80 frame in the rear. Things would get pretty congested if I in boarded the springs much more than they are. the centerline of the spring is probably 3 inches inside the frame because the tire would hit the upper spring bucket on compression if it was centered.

Uptravel I can hit the inner wheel well with the tire without bumpstops. Droop will max out the 14.5 Bilstien shock if I let it. I'm pretty good on flex.

Mace - Why should I capture the tops of the springs?

Pic might make things a bit more clear, I guess.