I believe you would still need a pan hard bar with that. I have not done any work with links but I will say there is a lot of stuff involved with doing it right.

Good luck

p.s. 2 year thread bump....sweet! lol

 

let the thread die ..... have mercy on this thread ......

 

appreciate the input; keep it coming. Yes sorry for digging up old material. Anyone is free to move it to a new thread..........
I"m pretty new at this so not real sure how it all works. Just searched 3link and found this. Anyhow, yes, keep the info coming. It's referred to as a wishbone setup right? I'm not against running a panhard, as I was planning on it anyhow, but just wondering if I'd need to. Don't have any actual numbers on the angles yet. Also is there any clear info out there on the angles I need..........such as the trailing arms vs frame vs top wishbone arm etc?.? I'm guessing I need to keep the top arm about as level as possible?

 

Why should he do that? I bet you would be the first person on him if he made a new thread asking a simple 3 link question. I do not get it so many people jump on people for not searching and then when they do you jump on them again. Get a life.

ALHOSER I would look for link software, I know there are programs out there that allow you to test all different setups and angels.

 

http://www.wabfab.org/products/suspension/3link.htm

 

With the wishbone (or Y-link) you don't need a panhard. However, the stress on the joint is extreme. Be sure you brace the mount VERY well on the axle end, otherwise you will rip it off.

As for mounting the lowers to the leaf spring mount, I'd advise moving them forward a bit. I have 30" lowers and they are VERY short. You'll get better geometry and flex if you run a longer lower link.

 

Search on Pirate, they have 3 link and 4 link Excel spreadsheet "calculators" to help determine your geometry and what the resulting anti-squat, roll steer, etc will be so the thing will be drivable at >5 MPH.

 

thanks. Yes I did find that spreadsheet and began punching in preliminary figures.
As best I can tell, using the 63" chevy leaf hangers, I'll end up with abou 36 or 38" lower links and the wishbone on top will be roughly 18" from mount top of axle to center of mounts on frame.
w/ a panhard running about 25" from ground it ends up giving me approx these figures......(as best I can remember)
My rig will have about a 112" wheelbase, riding on 35's, w/ 80" tire/track width outside-outside.

89 anti-squat
7 oversteer
25 roll center height
130 something on the instant center

are those numbers ok?..? again, my first crack at links so I'm a newbie in that dept.

thanks for the input

 

Again, you do not need a panhard.

Antisquat looks good.

Generally, you'd like your upper to be about 75% of the lowers, so if you can build your own wishbone, it'd probably be better. Oversteer isn't bad. You'll likely be fine.

For the roll center, we'd need the height of your frame under the cab.

Honestly, I'd go on Pirate and start search/asking questions, especially with the wishbone. Those calculators aren't going to give you the exact numbers you need because the wishbone is different from a more traditional 3link

 

With the wishbone, use the 4link calculator with a 0" separation at the axle end of the upper. While I don't think it will be perfect, it'll be A LOT closer as the panhard changes the calculations dramatically.

One other thing - the "axle weights" in the calculators are the unsprung weight - literally the weight of the axle, wheels, tires, etc. - not the scale weight of the rig by axle.

I agree with ike on the antisquat - looks good.

7* roll oversteer will be a handfull on the road. That's about where my buddy Pete's TJ came out and he constantly has to correct the steering going around highway sweepers. As the vehicle rolls, the rear end "kicks out" a bit. I would aim for roll understeer if you can.

 

Appreciate the input.
I suppose another factor these calculators aren't factoring in (for the road) is that I'll be fabbing up some sort of quick disconnect sway bar system.
Maybe a torsion bar connected to some manual locking hubs or something along those lines.
Want it to be fairly easy to get back on the road. It isn't a DD and I do trailer it so doesn't see more than about 100 miles per year on the road.

 

I think the oversteer will be manageable. Noticeable, yes, but Like i said, you could deal with it.

Run the numbers in the 4link calculator like TC suggested, see what you get.

 

Swaybar doesn't affect the output of the suspension geometry - done properly, it just limits body roll. In the end, all it is really doing is dynamically "adjusting" the spring rate.

My new 4link without swaybar handles as well, if not better, than the stock suspension did with the swaybar, and obviously the travel is a lot better.

 

I'm running no sway bars either. Much better than stock.