TnT y-link kit into a true 3-link

[sik4wheeler]

Changing to a true 3-link and would like to utilize the tnt crossmember that i have from the y-link kit. Has anyone used this to build a real 3-link off of? Looking for some tips and or build threads.

Thanks

 

[great-white]

you selling the y links??? if so email me
[email protected]

 

[Goatman]

Changing to a true 3-link and would like to utilize the tnt crossmember that i have from the y-link kit. Has anyone used this to build a real 3-link off of? Looking for some tips and or build threads.

Thanks

You'll use the same mounts for the lower control arms, so what's the real question? You'll need to make a new mount for the upper.

Please don't take this wrong, but are you up to designing your own 3 link? There are many threads with pics on making 3 links, all of them custom made since no kit comes that way.

 

[ehall]

Might be easier to buy the RK 3-link upgrade and cut the TNT bellypan to fit afterwards

 

[cal]

You'll use the same mounts for the lower control arms, so what's the real question? You'll need to make a new mount for the upper.

Please don't take this wrong, but are you up to designing your own 3 link? There are many threads with pics on making 3 links, all of them custom made since no kit comes that way.

Rock Krawler sells a bolt on 3 link kit.

They now offer it as a 4link kit as well, but it started off and is still available as a 3 link.

http://www.rockkrawler.com/pages/catalog/index.php?r_itemID=182

 

[Darky]

Rock Krawler sells a bolt on 3 link kit.

They now offer it as a 4link kit as well, but it started off and is still available as a 3 link.

http://www.rockkrawler.com/pages/catalog/index.php?r_itemID=182

I am currently running the RK 3 link and love it.

 

[hot_rod_hooligans]

You'll use the same mounts for the lower control arms, so what's the real question? You'll need to make a new mount for the upper.

Please don't take this wrong, but are you up to designing your own 3 link? There are many threads with pics on making 3 links, all of them custom made since no kit comes that way.

Might look in to the Poly Performance 3 link kit to se if there is any brackets you could use. Though by using the TNT pan for the LCA mounts, what will that do to your geometry for the UCA?

Most of the 3 link set ups I've seen(though I haven't paid much attention to them) put the LCAs below the frame rails(Poly, RK), when the obvious choice it to put them above the frame rails for better clearance like the TNT, So why haven't I seen it? Packaging issues with the UCA?

 

[Darky]

I think people who've run their LCAs up high have had to come through the floor for their UCA.

 

[Goatman]

I guess I always forget about the kits that hang long arm mounts down below the frame.

Yes, RK and Poly now have true 3 link kits. For the desert/Jeepspeed guys they can work well, but for crawling the ground clearance penalty from having LA mounts below the frame makes them somewhat undesireable.......if you have the option of keeping the mounts tucked up inside the frame.

The TnT crossmember is higher clearance, and is a good mount for lower arms. If changing from radius arms to a 3 link, you'd have to fab an upper mount. Fabbing upper mounts isn't hard if you don't use long arms, which is why so many of us have built mid-arm 3 links.

There's of info on 3 links. More discussion is possible here if you provide more info on what you're trying to do.

 

[hot_rod_hooligans]

The TnT crossmember is higher clearance, and is a good mount for lower arms. If changing from radius arms to a 3 link, you'd have to fab an upper mount. Fabbing upper mounts isn't hard if you don't use long arms, which is why so many of us have built mid-arm 3 links.

If building a 3 link using the TNT belly pan, aren't you kind of locked in on CA length? I mean your LCAs are going to have to be X" long to go from the axle to the belly pan, and the UCA should be X% of the LCA length....

 

[hot_rod_hooligans]

I'm curious about this too, as I already have a TNT belly pan, minus the CA brackets and internal bracing, and want to eventually switch to a long arm front, using the belly pan. I love TNTs stuff, but I'm not a fan of radius arms. If I'm going to go though the expense of long(or mid) arms, I don't want it to be something that is going to eat up CA bushings, and have issues with unloading.

 

[sunburned]

I'm curious about this too, as I already have a TNT belly pan, minus the CA brackets and internal bracing, and want to eventually switch to a long arm front, using the belly pan. I love TNTs stuff, but I'm not a fan of radius arms. If I'm going to go though the expense of long(or mid) arms, I don't want it to be something that is going to eat up CA bushings, and have issues with unloading.

Exactly, I'm thinking the same way. I'd like to go BDS because their arms don't hang down too much, but they are straight, so that gives up some clearance. Plus their kit is a grand.

I think adding some bracing, an upper arm and some LCA mounts to the TnT belly pan shouldn't be too hard. Check out vetteboy79's setup on pirate. He's got a great homemade 3 link front.

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Mine is currently a wristed radius arm setup with all hard joints. I might be making another link on the drivers side with a mount on top of the pumpkin and over the driveshaft.

-Alex

 

[hot_rod_hooligans]

Exactly, I'm thinking the same way. I'd like to go BDS because their arms don't hang down too much, but they are straight, so that gives up some clearance. Plus their kit is a grand.

I think adding some bracing, an upper arm and some LCA mounts to the TnT belly pan shouldn't be too hard. Check out vetteboy79's setup on pirate. He's got a great homemade 3 link front.

I've talked with Rod at TNT a few times and have asked about buying things like the internal brace for the belly pan and welding it on myself, and he said that they would sell me the brace to do just that, don't see why they wouldn't sell the mounts too.

 

[Goatman]

If building a 3 link using the TNT belly pan, aren't you kind of locked in on CA length? I mean your LCAs are going to have to be X" long to go from the axle to the belly pan, and the UCA should be X% of the LCA length....

I'm curious about this too, as I already have a TNT belly pan, minus the CA brackets and internal bracing, and want to eventually switch to a long arm front, using the belly pan. I love TNTs stuff, but I'm not a fan of radius arms. If I'm going to go though the expense of long(or mid) arms, I don't want it to be something that is going to eat up CA bushings, and have issues with unloading.

Yes, using that belly pan means you'd need a long upper arm, which would be somewhat challenging to figure out a location and fab up. It would be a nice setup, though, similar to the URF Racing 3 link that Jes and CRASH have built. I'd be curious to see how long an upper arm could be fit and still stay out of the floor. When putting D44's and 60's in, mostly people put the lower arms even with the axle tubes, and so the upper arm mount needs to be higher on the axle. If the lowers stay in the stock location on the axle then the upper arm axle mount doesn't need to be as high, and the upper arm frame mount doesn't need to be as high. The RK and Poly kits assume the stock control arm mounts on the axle, otherwise their upper arm frame mount is too low.


A 3 link doesn't eat bushings like a regular XJ 4 link can, since the binding between links is eliminated. You just shouldn't use the stock UCA axle bushing on a 3 link because it's not durable enough to handle the single upper arm.

Unloading can be an issue of arm length and radius arm design. If you're building a long arm 3 link, you'll just get whatever you get. My theory, and it's just a theory, is that some of the weight of the front axle and tires is working/pulling on the frame/body, and the further back the arms attach then the further back that weight is effectively pulling down on the body........to whatever degree it does. Shorter arms exert a little more downforce on the chassis because the arms attach further forward, and when the rig is on a steep climb there is already so much weight transfered that a small amount of weight can make a difference. Ever reached out and grabbed a rig that is very very light in the front to help stabilize it on a steep climb or obstacle? A small amount of pressure can make a big difference. Buggies generally run longer arms, but most use a winch on the front to suck the front end down on climbs.

 

[sunburned]

Not sure what you're saying there Rich. Does that mean a long armed 3-link will be really good for preventing unloading on hills, or really bad?

Like I said before, I really like vetteboy's design and if I could make something like that using the TnT belly pan as a base, I'd be all over it. I'd just use the stock LCA mounts on the axle and probably the stock passenger side upper, just beefed up. I figure getting a TnT D30 truss with the passenger upper would be a good start, probably throw in the Currie johnny joint that replaced the stock UCA rubber bushings.

 

[sik4wheeler]

As of now my thoughts are to lower the current location of the control arm brackets on the tnt belly pan slightly and then either build the uca bracket on the belly pan or on the side of the frame.

Since i'll be running 39s on the 60 I think that i'll put the lca brackets on the axle towards the bottom of the tube and then hopefully the uca will be able to fit a little better.

I guess the hold up and all of my concern about putting the new front end together all has to do with mounting location of the uca.

Also I am concerned about tire/control arm clearances since the front is narraowed to 64" with the 39.5 x 13.5 iroks. Anyone know of a build thread with the same axle/tire set up.

 

[hot_rod_hooligans]

Question, what about a 3 link, with a radius driver side CA, kind of like the IRO kit? But not using that weird UCA bracket, but more like the TNT Y-link?

 

[sik4wheeler]

Well first off I could do that now with the current kit that i have from tnt. However i would have to swap out the poly bushing for the super flex ones. I would still then have a radius arm setup and braking quickly would be horrible and it might drive funky and i would not trust it.

I am redoing the suspension for the fourth time now and swapping axles so i do not have to redo those things ever again as well as i want to be able to go have fun at the hammers and not have to leave early due to cherokee failure.