Hello everyone! I've been off roading for a while and ready to take it to the next level.. I want to learn about the 3 and 4 link and see which is best to run. Mainly understanding how they work and how to set these up.. Ill be honest I have read up on some of this stuff and it has done nothing but confuse me.. Im wanting to do this to my 86 yota pickup.. So lets hear all ya know about both setups please.. thank you in advance

 

welcome to YT!

no offense, but if you don't currently understand the basics of how linked suspensions work and get confused - then you're not ready for linked suspension. same goes for a regular, leafed SAS. you need to do some serious homework if you're set on doing it, or pay someone to do it. no sense in chopping into your ride if you don't have a plan or know what you're doing. linked SAS Toyotas are definitely not rare these days, and is ever gaining in popularity because of growing aftermarket support - so the information is plentiful if you search for it. Not many people are willing to spoon feed questions like this because it is one that gets asked frequently, so help yourself out and start reading through lots of build threads, take notes for yourself, then ask questions in forums about specifics that need clarification or lack documentation.

If you simply want a quick linked suspension and want to reduce a lot of time spent on geometry calculations and custom fabbing of your own bracketry - then look into one of the many kits that are out there these days to save some time and headache. There are even instructions/build threads to follow for many of them.

Good luck!

 

Where did he say anything about doing an SAS? This might be for the rear.

 

Well not to sound mean or anything, but I'm sure no one knew anything about a 3 or 4 link before they jumped in and learned about them and built one.. I've been wheelin and off roading for 15 years.. Just never been around anyone that had theirs linked.. I've done decided that one way or another mine will end up being that way to.. I'm wanting to be able to go on more challenging trails and hills and want to open up my capibility of what my rig can do.. Just wanting to see how big of a job it's going to be and if there's anything I should avoid doing as I will be doing this myself.

 

But thank you for the reply! If you have any good web links on the builds send them my way please.. Thanks

 

Here you go:
http://www.4wheelunderground.com/Suspension-411.html

 

^^^ 4Wheel Underground. This is a great start to understanding linked suspension.
Linked suspension will outperform leafs on most any terrain. But leafs are easy and cheap.
You can build your own link system by doing lots of math and testing for years and still not get it right, but buying someone else's system, there's no need for figuring things out like anti-squat, roll center.... Blah blah blah.
This is the route I went. I still did lots of research to find a system that worked well on road and off. No one can touch the quality and geometry of 4wheel underground.
One thing to remember with links are keeping them flat, not angled. Look at all the KOH cars, they all run flat links.
My 3link has shown me how my rear leafs need to get replaced with a 4 link system, they can keep up. The front road manners rival the of worn out IFS my truck had, tracks straight, smooth ride and very little body roll without sway bars.
Do lots of reading of what other guys have done, and geometry numbers they used. Go on pirate4x4 and read what Brian(Tacorunner) has to say when guys are talking about building a link system. Also there is a forum on the 4wheelunderground site. Their system is worth the cost, and you only want to weld a system like this on once. Then wheel the snot out of it.

 

Thank you all very much!! That was very helpful information! Can't wait to set down and start reading and get ready to tear into this project!