Random 3 link nonsense...

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Joined
Jul 15, 2011
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Location
Oakdale, CA
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I :heart: grinding when it's 99f!!
 
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Pullin an alnighter(or until the neighbors call the sheriff). The upper link bracket is pretty cool. It's inside section is 3/8ths plate tapped for a 5/8-18, no nuts needed
 
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Awesome! Once you're done, you can post some action shots and then get the angry throngs of 80-series radius arm owners who claim they don't need fancy links to flex. Actually, I think we need a twitter hashtag for this stuff.
#linkedproblems

This is inspiring me to just get back out there and re-do mine. I think I like my semi-parallel 4-link in the front, but the constaints of developing a system that could just bolt on to the axle and frame left me with the same bad roll axis geometry that a lifted radius-arm setup has. I made the mistake of assuming that since nobody was seriously complaining about the terrible anti-dive / anti-lift / roll axis of the front axle when they do caster correction that maintaining it was good enough for a first linked attempt. It works and is tolerable now with the rear re-done, but the wheel recession problems are getting to me. I hate having to lock the front to go over anything substantial unless i want to play pogo axle.


Did you weld nuts on the back of the upper frame mount? What kinds of joints are those? Are you using 2x0.25 or are you doing the 2.25x0.375 like 4WU? I think 2x0.25 is fine for the kind of crawling I do - I try not to land on stuff and only abusive shock loads would run the risk of bending a 2x0.25 link, IMO. Depends on how they're exposed, but I'm ok if I plastically deform a link and end up having to re-do it or sleeve it. I doubt I will, though.

Oh. Last comment. You gotta get those cats out of the way. I had mine cut and turned by an exhaust guy. did a little torch/bendy action to get them tucked a bit closer in there too. I'm still ok with running a skid there since cats are expensive and it'd be annoying to fix, but all the sliders with a beefy cat skid plate are rock anchors. I tag that thing CONSTANTLY even when nothing else gets hit. Given your need to replace your muffler and run the exhaust over the frame and then do the double triangulated rear-end like yours truly, you might as well just redo it all in one fell swoop. It's probably cheaper than one of your boingers to do everything I just mentioned.
 
Those are 2".250 with 1.5.120 inside, but I've bent this on lesser vehicles so later on I'll be going to heretic fab for the 2x.250 in heat treated 4130.

I need $1200 in custom axle shafts and am pursuing a dual case setup, so I'm starting to pinch pennies..

This pig gets a 100 series elocker in back and a 9.5 in front.

I need a 'spare' rear axle before I cut out the rear link garbage. For the sake of only renting/borrowing a vehicle for short spurts.

I have a bunch of exhaust tubing and O2 sensor bungs to alleviate the exhaust issue. Just Leary of the noise a magnaflow or flowmaster might make(I like quiet).

That upper link is tapped for fine thread 5/8ths. I think it's a ruffstuff part?

No comment on the radius arm ignorance:)(Not you)
 
If you have a PC handy(I can't seem to work it with a phone) can I text you my measurements for the link calc? I just eyeball this stuff when building it, but it would be cool to have a spreadsheet screenshot for posterity.
 
I have a magnaflow. It's loud but not bad. Honestly it sounds pretty good. Especially when the engine has a good load on it. Very interested. I wouldn't mind linking mine the same front and rear so I only need to carry one spare
 
Those are 2".250 with 1.5.120 inside, but I've bent this on lesser vehicles so later on I'll be going to heretic fab for the 2x.250 in heat treated 4130.

I need $1200 in custom axle shafts and am pursuing a dual case setup, so I'm starting to pinch pennies..

This pig gets a 100 series elocker in back and a 9.5 in front.

I need a 'spare' rear axle before I cut out the rear link garbage. For the sake of only renting/borrowing a vehicle for short spurts.

I have a bunch of exhaust tubing and O2 sensor bungs to alleviate the exhaust issue. Just Leary of the noise a magnaflow or flowmaster might make(I like quiet).

That upper link is tapped for fine thread 5/8ths. I think it's a ruffstuff part?

No comment on the radius arm ignorance:)(Not you)

Be careful with the cats - if they look relocated significantly, the smog weiners can make a stink. If you know a shady smog guy, more power to you because that's one resource I still haven't been able to find in the bay area. Sucks.

As for exhaust - if you keep both inline cats, it's going to be pretty quiet no matter what muffler setup you run. The tiny thing that replaced my enormous stock muffler had me doubting whether it'd be up to the job but it's basically as quiet as it was before and almost inaudible at idle, where it matters to me most (i hate not being able to hear spotters). When I drove without any muffler and just the cats, it sounded s***ty at WOT but was also pretty quiet during idling. So I wouldn't overthink it, but I know what you mean.
 
If you have a PC handy(I can't seem to work it with a phone) can I text you my measurements for the link calc? I just eyeball this stuff when building it, but it would be cool to have a spreadsheet screenshot for posterity.
Yep, no problem. Is everything already set in place or do you have any flexibility remaining in the setup?
 
Yep, no problem. Is everything already set in place or do you have any flexibility remaining in the setup?

Flexability is usually never more than an angle grinder away ;). Used it a few times on my linked runner.


...via IH8MUD app
 
Flexability is usually never more than an angle grinder away ;). Used it a few times on my linked runner.


...via IH8MUD app
Words of wisdom right there
 
Yep, no problem. Is everything already set in place or do you have any flexibility remaining in the setup?
There's two bolt holes for the upper @ axle and three @ frame. I bet(guessing)they create a window of change ~20-25% for AD.

I'll text you in like 20 minutes if that's okay? Thanks for doing that!!
 
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Words of wisdom right there

Sig worthy!


I'm gonna try and play the cats off as cut/welded as replacements. I'm almost merely just turning them 90* and eliminating the under frame portion. But I hear you on the strict CA specs for all this. It's like 2-3" max by the book(rearranging those items from factory) per the ref guy @ Modesto jr college.

I'm using this flowmaster. Hopefully it just purrs... I don't like being 'that guy' on the trail with the loud stereo/exhaust pissin everyone off.
 
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There's two bolt holes for the upper @ axle and three @ frame. I bet(guessing)they create a window of change ~20-25% for AD.

I'll text you in like 20 minutes if that's okay? Thanks for doing that!!
Yep, no prob. I'm just working on a Sunday so I'm sitting in front of my laptop regardless.
 
Sig worthy!


I'm gonna try and play the cats off as cut/welded as replacements. I'm almost merely just turning them 90* and eliminating the under frame portion. But I hear you on the strict CA specs for all this. It's like 2-3" max by the book(rearranging those items from factory) per the ref guy @ Modesto jr college
The 2nd one is rotated like 30 degrees from the first, so you have to cut and turn both. So lame. And then the flange between the two is dangley and in the way. And the primary o2 sensor can't move much closer to the body or else you'd never get it out. Toyota design on this one was pretty terrible.

Oh, and make sure to remove that little stupid heat shield that formerly protected the running boards. It'll rattle horribly once you cut and turn, most likely.
 
I just noticed the back one was clocked another 30 degrees or so, wtf? I removed that big 'Washer' under that body mounts bolt to sneak them in/up a bit tighter and will turn that O2 sensor somehow leaving it accessible(lol).

I bought that 4x4 innovations slider mount kit awhile back(what a Fawkin joke!!), but the skid plate can be modified and used.

I'm thinking I can explain the welding on the exhaust as replacement from the cats being smashed off-road on rocks? Bebe/Rick had there's cut/ turned and the smog tech passed it.
 
I just noticed the back one was clocked another 30 degrees or so, wtf? I removed that big 'Washer' under that body mounts bolt to sneak them in/up a bit tighter and will turn that O2 sensor somehow leaving it accessible(lol).

I bought that 4x4 innovations slider mount kit awhile back(what a Fawkin joke!!), but the skid plate can be modified and used.

I'm thinking I can explain the welding on the exhaust as replacement from the cats being smashed off-road on rocks? Bebe/Rick had there's cut/ turned and the smog tech passed it.

Yeah, the cats aren't even the same physical dimensions. One is slightly "fatter" than the other. Because racecar.

I think you'll be fine with the smog guys. If you're worried, just grind down your welds a bit, apply some mud, and let it bake on so it looks as terrible and dirty as it would without any modification. Their concern is twofold:

1) that you move the cats further from the engine, so they aren't as hot and therefore aren't working as efficiently as they would ordinarily. The rules about relocating them come from a lot of the tuner guys who want to remove the cat off the exhaust manifold to accommodate god-knows-what and move it somewhere under their civic.

2) That you welded on some cats that you stole, contributing to the demand for catalytic converter theft. This one makes a little bit of sense too.

Anyway, worst case scenario is you take it to a bunch of smog shops until you find one that's not concerned with excellence. I am willing to bet that they may just try to fleece you for a new gas cap (this seems to be the new scam) for $15 and if you don't acquiesce, they'll punish you by failing you for something petty like the cats. So maybe just pay their troll toll of a new gas cap if it comes to that.
 
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