The upper mount isnt impossible to replace with an aftermarket unit... Or truss with it incorporated. So you arent forced into 3 link. Although with your fab skills and readily available tools... Might as well make it worth it?
Efforts are going into lower control arm mounts will be raising mount slightly. Decided I can build lowers .
One lower I feel is unsalvageable need hacked off and redone.
Artec appears to be the best direct replacement but would be nearly 100 bucks after shipping.
I'll raise mounting point 1.5"ish. To bring links parrel this also puts lower link damn near like it was at factory ride height.
Not entirely sure why factory set axle separation at 8.5" on axle end and 7" at frame end. Maybe to make it more stable cornering on the street. ? Or does it have to do more with angle change during suspension arc being upper are shorter than lowers.
Most long arm kits barely get 5" separation on frame side some almost no separation.
8.5 to zero separation. Weird but much easier to push 1200 kits out that way and also gets upper link clearing components.
Then rock and road offers a lower long arm kit designed to run with upper short arms that's even weirder but could be used as a transition kit if ones not able to afford the full long arm set up in one wack.
The plan is some kinda of longish arm kit at some point. Not sure being tied to a 3 think link would be horribly bad exspecly since most 4 links aren't ideal in the first place links out of separation and different lengths causing bind and castor change.
The more I research I see cookie cutter easily produced stuff not following many geometry guide lines but everyone seems happy with what they bought or fabbed.wich tells me theres lots of fudge room to creat a functional system that works well.
Then offcourse guys like Rcp seem to do it better than everyone everything they do follows that rule or this one and is very easy to sujest others do the same while viewing from behind a phone or keyboard. Sometimes though that view is looked at more than the one behind the drivers seat or welding hood. Who the hell wants to follow the damn rules anyways.
Sitting here in my thinking chair.
Just measured angle on upper and lower links.angle finder says lower is 4deg steeper than upper tape says that's about 1.5" difference.
Only problem I see is that puts link bolt where my shock bracket wants to be. Hmmm
Lots different. I ran a few runs burning 1/4" found I was pushing the puddle to make decent looking welds that was in auto set mode dial set on 035 upper side of 1/4"
I'd rather not push but pulling I didn't make pass that I'd want to show off. Pushing I did make it look like I know how to weld.
I'm sure some here would say otherwise. Rcp. Lol.
I need to do frame stiffners so I have a place to glue link brackets to.
If we get another stimulus check and I fall in love with the 235 I may order one for my garage.
Welder isn't mine though I pushed for it. Its freind of mine I do some welding for.
I may burn suspension links with it ounce I dial into the machine
List of things to do.
Burn driver driver ca bracket.
Track bar bracket.
Truss.
Tear axle down
Bearings, seals ball joints u joints.
Put tape measure down.
Figure out shock mounts
Build upper control arm reinforce upper mount drill to 9/16 for 7/8" heim
Shit C gussets
8.25
Bracke lines.
Remove shock mounts.
Possibly knew calipers
Get 3" ubolts
Slot ubolt plates to fit 3" ubolts.
Do all this before dana35 explodes. Its eating itself.
Things for later.
Steering column , swap trans get flywheel turned , research what clutch to get.
Longer arms. Possibly redo passenger side mount. After trying 3 link for while
Hoping the 2nd stimulus check comes to help with the bigger stuff like clutch and 1.25 heims.