3 link rear

More like this?

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I like the thought of shortening the lowers. Like I said, I don't do deep rocks too often, but it is nice to keep rock magnetism to a minimum. What would you think about moving the frame side lower mounts outboard and higher instead of lowering the axle side of the lower mounts?
 
Hmm.. I dont know.. that really seems like its driving in the ground instead of in the engine area.

Here is a great thing I always try to remember... Put it where it fits, and just wheel it. Numbers dont mean shit if it is the difference between wheeling and not wheeling. Right?
 
your CG seems a bit low. Top of the bellhousing seems to be a good estimate. It's will effect your numbers quite a bit so like Scrappy said the numbers don't mean alot but they give a good refrence to different setups.

And I agree, I'd lower your antisquat, 80 is ok but I'd go 65-75 ish. Don't know about the IC though, RC seems good, I'd not worry about where the IC is.
 
Weasel said:
your CG seems a bit low. Top of the bellhousing seems to be a good estimate. It's will effect your numbers quite a bit so like Scrappy said the numbers don't mean alot but they give a good refrence to different setups.

And I agree, I'd lower your antisquat, 80 is ok but I'd go 65-75 ish. Don't know about the IC though, RC seems good, I'd not worry about where the IC is.

I'm trying to use the bellhousing bolt method to guesstimate my CG, but it's hard with both the motor and the tranny in the jeep. I've read a couple posts this evening about using the camshaft height as another way to guess at it so maybe I'll try that tomorrow. Really, it won't be too high since I'm designing it for only 4" of lift. Right now I've got 31's with no lift or trimming and the goal is 33's on 4" with minor trimming.
 
Weasel said:
A wishbone with a center single link, and then two seperate lower links is a three link. I guess it doesn't really matter but in the books I have you only count the links opposing lateral motion and a joined upper link is a three link.

It still acts, and gets designed, like a 4 link. Two links joined at one end is totally different than a single upper link.......2 links joined is still 2 links, even if it's all one peice. Oh well, this is why folks get confused about what to call their stuff, and questions get harder to answer. Even though it's semantics, words are supposed to have clear meanings.....they used to, anyway. :)
 
Hmmm.....not easy to design. Since you can't get ideal positioning on the mounts, at least consider making the arms close to the same length so you don't get so much change in the numbers as the suspension cycles. You can test the amount of change you get by changing your height numbers a couple of inches at a time to simulate suspension travel.

Since Moab type stuff is where you'll wheel, a lower A/S number would be desireable, since it will cause less bouncing.......more A/S, more bouncing, less A/S, less bouncing. I understand that a good rule of thumb is to use the top of the front tires as a guide for the instant center, and then don't worry about the A/S numbers. For less bouncing/more throttle move the I/C forward, for more crawl grip/less throttle move the I/C back. Basically, this means more or less anti-squat, more A/S for light throttle crawling and less A/S for higher throttle with minimal bouncing.

Since you're not going to do much rock garden type stuff, then ground clearance isn't so important. Playing with the calculator, pick some good locations for your frame mounts, then play around with the axle mounts to improve the numbers. I think seperation between the upper/lower links is important at the axle, but I don't think seperation is important at the frame. Also, try locating the upper so it's close to level, then play with lower arm locations.

Have fun,
 
I think I may have something I will be happy with. If I shorten the upper link 8", then I can cut through the floor and keep the frame end upper mount under the seat. I would shorten the lowers close to the same amount to keep my pinion pointing in the general direction of the T-case. Anti-squat may actually be a little too low, but I can build some adjustability into the axle and frame mounts for the upper link to fine tune it.

What do you think?

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Just make sure the trackbar frame mount is on the drivers side to match the front.
 
Why not think about mounting your upper arm closer to the middle of the axle? Allowing you to mount the upper in the driveline tunnel maybe?
 
Scrappy said:
Why not think about mounting your upper arm closer to the middle of the axle? Allowing you to mount the upper in the driveline tunnel maybe?

Thats an interesting thought. I would probably have to use a crossmember that bent up into the tunnel above the driveline to make it work. It seems that I've seen such a crossmember that was part of a longarm kit or bellypan kit. What advantages are you thinking of exactly? I'm thinking it would allow me to mount the link up higher without cutting the floor and it may help equalize the torque forces from one end of the axle to the other.
 
Israel said:
Thats an interesting thought. I would probably have to use a crossmember that bent up into the tunnel above the driveline to make it work. It seems that I've seen such a crossmember that was part of a longarm kit or bellypan kit. What advantages are you thinking of exactly? I'm thinking it would allow me to mount the link up higher without cutting the floor and it may help equalize the torque forces from one end of the axle to the other.

I was thinking more about not cutting a huge hole in your floor more than anything. If you built a "belly" skid or something to that affect, you could tie it into that. That may cause your arms to be longer than you have planned... not sure. Also consider that putting in a cross member may not be that hard. I really dont know. I wish I had a ZJ to look at!
 
Scrappy said:
Why not think about mounting your upper arm closer to the middle of the axle? Allowing you to mount the upper in the driveline tunnel maybe?


That is an excellent way to go, not only to minimize sheet metal work, but to equalize torque distribution to both (thin, weak) 8.8 tubes.
 
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