Designing my new rear suspension setup...
 

Since I've completed most of my drivetrain lift/underbelly flattening project, the only thing left to achieve a 100% flat underbelly is to get rid of the stock lower control arms & frame mounts. In addition to achieving a completely flat undercarriage, I'm going to make new upper links that include RE joints on each end to eliminate any potential binding. Then, to finish everything off, I'm going to relocate my shocks into a triangulated fashion to hopefully increase my travel by as much as 12", I'm hoping. It all depends on how much room I'll have to relocate my shocks.

So, here's what I'm planning to do:

1) www.suicidedoors.com Bung w/ Super Pivot Joint

http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...uper_Pivot.jpg

2) 2x2x1/4" square tubing for the lower links

3) www.suicidedoors.com Super Pivot with 3/4" stud for the upper links

http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...h_3-4_Stud.jpg

4) www.suicidedoors.com 1" OD 4-Link Tubing

http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...e_24_Piece.jpg

So, basically, my theory at this point is that if I free up all possible bushing binding and relocate my shocks, an additional 6-12" of travel might be achievable out of our already flexy rear ends. I don't know about anyone else on the boards, but I've broken both of my upper links, which I beleive is due to the additional strain that increased flex has put on them. By using Flex joints on each end, this will eliminate this binding.

In addition, the biggest thing I'm excited about is the redesign of my lower links. I'm in the very early testing phases on AutoCad to design a link that will have (exact degree not tested yet) about a 25-55 degree bend in it. There's a round crossmember on our vehicles that runs from one side to the next that used to support the rear of my stock gas tank. Now that I don't have a tank there, and I have plans for a much smaller relocated muffler, I plan to cut off the frame mounts for the lower control arms.

Then, I'll move the frame mounts inward of the frame rail and upward till the bottom of my new flex ends will be about a 1/2-1" higher than the bottom of the frame rails. If you can picture the horizontal nature of the frame, the lower link will hopefully run a tad upward towards the rear of the vehicle to a certain point, at which time it then angles downward to the centerline of the rear axle to it's new location on the axle just above the stock location.

So, now picture what happens as the suspension cycles (articulates) through it's regular motions. Under full compression, with proper design, the lower link's bend point will be just forward and below the round crossmember. Then, when the suspension is in full droop, hopefully, the lower link will still reside basically parallel with the horizontal nature of the frame rails, therefore eliminating any spot to drag on a rock, high center, etc.

So, as a result of all this, I'll have no real place to hang up on in the undercarriage, there will be no link bushing binding, the lower links will be a tad longer (TBD) than stock, the shocks will be relocated, and as a result, I'm hoping for a potential 12" of additional travel.

That's the plan, now I just have to finish my cad drawings, and come up with the perfect dimensions for my lower control arms.

Stay tuned!

Chris

Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

I saw that place was in Indiana. Call Spidertrax or Xtreme Engineering. They have parts and material and are both around a half hour away from you so you can pick up, exchange, ask questions, etc.

Why square tube?

Yeah, it's just someone that has had everything I needed to make it happen, which makes my life simpler. I plan to stop by Xtreme engineering, but the main reason for going with square tubing is that it's something that I can cut/bend, and round tubing I can't do myself, due to not owning a bender. I need to find out where xtreme is so I can stop by and see what they recommend.

Chris

On Mulberry by Carl Jr's.

Both Nick and Spidertrax have everything you could possibly need.

Wall thickness on the uppers?

I'm contemplating that, but I'm thinkg 1/8" should be enough, but possibly not. I'm not totally sure yet.

Chris

I look forward to seeing this Chris.

How about thinking at least 3/16's uppers?

If you like over building, that would be a better plan. 1/4 would be better still.

12" more than what you have? WOW. Ever see a T-rex?

I'm not opposed to it, but I'll have to see about clearance and joints to match up, I guess.Nope, never have! Are you kidding around?

Chris

Here's my latest thoughts! I'm thinking about using 1 1/8" thread pivot joints on the lower links. To do this, I've been toying with the idea of running 2.5"x.5" lower links utilizing the 1.5" thread tubing from Suicide doors or similar product. But, the problem is then finding someone to bend it.

On the uppers, I'm thinking of running 1.5"x.25" tubing with Suicide doors 1" threaded tubing and 3/4" pivot joints.

Chris

Well, I've priced out 4 Large RE Joints and 4 small RE Joints, and with the tools for each, I'm looking at $360 just for the joints. Then, I was going to get the 1 1/8" threaded bungs to weld on to the large RE joints, and 3/4" threaded bungs to weld onto the small RE joints for the uppers. So, with shipping, just the end links are $400ish.

I think I'm just going to stick to the 2x2x.25" square tubing so I can notch and bend it easily, brace it at the bend, and possibly sleeve it with 1.5" OD tube on the inside.

My idea would leave me with adjustable ends at each end of the tubing with flex joints. This, in my opinion will be a very nice setup with no bushing binding at all. The only potential issue is if I put the RE joints at the frame end on the lower links, I'm afraid there may be instances when it might come up under the frame rail and hit the bottom of it, but I'm not sure yet.

Chris

Can't wait to see more pics of this build when you start it.

Are you getting the RE joints somewhere other that RE?

I think I am just going with one RE joint on each link and one stock bushing. Partly due to cost, partly because I want to limit the vibration transfered to the body through the suspension and partly because I think that one RE will work very well and I don't believe 2 will give you much more flex.

Some bind in the bushing is good. Too free is some times too bad.

Thinking 40 a joint, 4 links, two joints per link. Yeah. That is about right.

I would mock first and then make links. Adjustment introduces another possible failure point.

Again, the bent links versus the risk of having a seam is something I would avoid. Bending half wall with hydro is not a big deal.

Where can I get that done? It looks like 1 RE joint at the axle end is all I'll be doing too.

Chris

Chris, are you shooting to make control arms like the ones on the Jeep(Rockwells and 44s) from Tellico?

Yep, very similar.

Chris

Here's what I'm probably going to design:

http://www.toyota-4runners.com/images/lowerlink.jpg

I just found out that the AOR joint has 46 degrees of deflection, which is the highest degree of flex out of any joint made. I took the springs out of the truck today and dropped it to the bumpstops. I measured everything up, and these are the dimensions I cam up with. It will clear the round crossmember under full compression, and obviously be fine under full extension. I'm not sure exactly how much additional clearance it will provide, but it doesn't really matter, because it's as much as I can get given the room up there.

The center gusset will be 3.5"x2.5" rectangular tubing that will basically slide over the outside of the 2x2" tubing, not to mention being sleeved with additional 2x2" tubing just inside of it, so every surface on the link will either be .375" up to .5" thick. It should be strong enough, ya think!

Chris

I got the prices on the AOR joints, and it's going to be 165.90 plus shipping. I'm definitely going with these joints! They're awesome!

Chris

Ok, here's pictures of the parts I plan to use:

This is going to be a 3" bushing at the frame end of the lower control arms:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...1-1-8_Stud.jpg

And it will thread into this, which will be sleeved inside the 2"x2" square tubing on the long end(frame side):
http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...e_30_Piece.jpg

Then, I will buy an additional 2' of 1.5" DOM to sleeve the short side(axle side) that won't have any threads on it.

Then, I'm going to use AOR Orbit Eyes as my joint on the axle end, because it's an awesome joint with the most flex of anything on the market right now. Here's a picture of the old model, and new one comes with screw in outers and a greasable bolt is sold separately:
http://www.aor4x4.com/aorcata3sm2.jpg

Then, for the upper links, I'm going to use small RE joints on one end: and the stock bushings on the opposite end. The tubing will be 1 1/4"x1/8" DOM sleeved with:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...e_18_Piece.jpg so it will result in 1/4" thick uppers!
The stock mounting widths are 2 1/8" wide, and unfortunately the RE joints are only 2", so I'll have to get an 1/8" or 2 1/16" washers to take up the gaps. Here's a picture of the dimensions of the small RE joint and a standard picture too:
http://www.toyota-4runners.com/images/re-small.jpg
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/images/RE3791.jpg

On one end of the uppers, I'll weld on this to make it adjustable:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...th_Jam_Nut.jpg

I plan to make the uppers so they are stock length with the threads all used up, and that way I can make them longer as the height of my truck increases, possibly.

Here's the frame mounts for the lower control arms:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/images/p...unt_(pair).jpg

So that's the plan, pretty final, but I'm definitely open to suggestions!

Chris

man i cant wait to see this thing done :bounce2: