Reverse control arms like reverse shackles?

[caserique]

Still imagining a rally/desert racing style springover front and rear on an fj60...on a control arm setup, like in a Dodge Ram, the 4 control arms (2 and 2) are behind the axle, I assume for protection.

Just as a reverse shackle helps rolling over obstacles a la wheelbarrow, wouldn't reversing the control arms "pulling" the axle provide a better roll than control arms "pushing" on the axle?

I figure I could find some links and mounts off a wrecked Dodge and adapt them to my axle without having to guess my own engineering. Setting them up in the front of the axle isn't even so much of a priority, but I thought it was an interesting question to throw out there. So here are my main questions about putting control arms in front of the axle:

1. Is this just a bad idea because it's too much crap up front to break?

2. Is this a bad idea because you would need a high steer? (I'm assuming high steers are bad at rally speeds? Correct me if I'm wrong)

3. Is this a bad idea because steering is affected in some geometric way I haven't considered?

4. Is this a great idea and I'm just smarter than every engineer who has ever worked on the front half of an automobile?

 

[Mace]

control arms and leaf springs? Or control arms and something else?

1. The problem with leading arms is that on a straight axle, they will be horribly short and give odd handling characteristics.

2. Not an issue

3. Not an issue if it is addressed properly

4. again, poor suspension geometry

And, the argument of SR giving a "better" ride is pretty much bunk.

 

[caserique]

So let's say I were to put control arms behind the axle and ran coilovers. The travel and handling geometry would be the same as the Dodge I was steeling the arms off of, right? While a Dodge Ram is no trophy truck it does have the solid front axle and has been run pretty succesfully in SCORE and other desert races.

The control arms appear short compared to a rear 4 link but I used to own a KORE "Chase" series suspended Dodge Ram Cummins and apart from the weight up front that thing ran pretty great with the pedal down for having a solid front axle. Again, I'm not racing the FJ or anything, but I would like to update to coilovers without doing anything too radical, especially on the front end.

 

[Mace]

I would like to update to coilovers without doing anything too radical, especially on the front end.

adding coilovers to the front end is pretty radical as a general rule

 

[Tapage]

swaping out the factory suspension fits in to my " radical " definition .. but a good not that expensive swap should be swap in a complete 80 series suspension .. you can source it 2nd hand from a parted out 80 and start the work .. will all stuff in your hands, you will need to spend money and time in plasma and TIG

 

[bustanutley]

Sounds hack and a lot more work than it needs to be, the dodge suspension that is. Buy some link ends (heims or bushings or both) and some material, download the 4 link calculator and get after it.

 

[caserique]

Sounds hack and a lot more work than it needs to be, the dodge suspension that is. Buy some link ends (heims or bushings or both) and some material, download the 4 link calculator and get after it.

Yeah, I think that's the way to go. Thanks for the input, fellas.