How far forward can I move my axle?

[csudman]

do you have any particular qualms with the radius arm long-arm setup that tons of people are already running?

Not at all. I just wanna build the best thing I can for my money, and driveabily. But lets keep this in the other post. And just let this one die.
Thanks.

 

[vintagespeed]

a flat draglink and hydro-assist make a 3 link possible with no noticable bumpsteer.

Like I said, some have done it. The flatter draglink will lessen the bumpsteer, but there IS bumpsteer. Why argue the fact that when a draglink moves in an arc it's end will need to move outward?

I'd like to see some closeups of all that junk on the passenger side knuckle.

-jb

 

[vintagespeed]

This is basicly what I plan on doing. But with a steering stablizer instead of hydro assist. I can do hydro assist, but again this is a street rig for at least another year. I can't seem to figure a better way to do it. I drew up a quick drawing of the front end. I seem to be getting binding no matter what I do, but its only on upward travel. Downward is pretty much bind free for a good while. Any solutions?

This is pretty much exactly as I described it. One solution would be to mount the upper pivot point directly under the pitman arm. This may bring the arcs into a more synchronous path. It would only cause a minor difference in stuff and would hardly be noticable. The only downside is that you're not splitting the body centering duties equally on each side of the wishbone, but with stout enough tubing this isn't a real issue anyway.

 

[vintagespeed]

.....hydro assist will let much of the steering force bypass the draglink, therefore greatly reducing the side stress on the triagulated third link

What've you been smoking? The length of the draglink and the geometry of it's movement are what prevent this setup, not "side stress" on the upper link.

As to side loads (or side loading), it's really not an issue with a triangulated 3 link. Compare a wishbone link to a single shear TB mount & you can see there is much more strength in the wishbone.

If you go a step further & remove the mechanical steering & the leverage the TB has to resist from it, you alleviate even more of the wishbone's assumed duties. All it has to do is keep the body centered over the axle, and that isn't alot of work. (this is using an example like my wishbone 3link where the hydro steer is pushing on the axle housing thus removing any steering strain from the wishbone)

 

[vintagespeed]

1. I've heard that alot of times the ram will either run out of stroke or not have enough before the steering is thru its entire motion. Also creating bind.

Sorry, I missed alot of discussion on this thread and having acutally done a wishbone 3link I went through all the same questions in my preparation and have found some answers I didn't have.

Hydro assist CAN cause more problems than good IMHO, you're manually pushing the steering through the steering box which is hydraulically pushing the draglink and the cylinder you use is pushing on the t/r...........uhhh something's gonna give if they dont all push equally. You're just multiplying stress on your TB, steering box & frame, and passenger side knuckle, add a tall hi-steer arm & you've got a recipe for breakage.

This opposed to a properly setup full hydro setup with ONE force pushing on the tie rod which is attached to BOTH KNUCKLES, not just one.

That's what sold me on full hydro, it just plain works.

I'll now let this thread die.