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View Full Version : radius arms and short 3 link?



zjinprogress
04-20-2006, 08:46 PM
if this is newb stuff then move it...i wont take offense i promise!!!

a little background first... my zj's setup is listed below but in a nutshell its a f-->r swap with adjustable trackbar in front extened rear, stock arms, new shocks etc.....
first run out i got some pretty tremendous deathwobble...i went to get it aligned and a new steering stabilizer....and it fixed it for the most part. it seems to come and go but i think my control arm bushings are shot so not too much of a mystery there. i've screwed with toe and caster to the pint where now it is a slight wobble at 40 and if i hit a decent bump it will wobble pretty good but eventually returns to normal....most of the time. the jeep is currently a dd and will be for some time....i dont plan on any more than 4 inches or so and 33's (gears and trimming of course), at least for now because this thing is probably going to see some serious milage in the next few years.
my original plan was simply to build some lower adjustable short arms. i've got some poly bushings and sleeves, some 1.125 acme threaded rod and nuts that have been turned down to fit into my 2x2x.250 tube. i even started building them but then i came across a free xj 44, with the rest of an xj attached to it, including the hp30. so my plans have changed a little...i would like to do my own mounts on the front hp30 and build a radius style long arm, simple and effective. as far as the rear i am still somewhat undecided. i've started looking around at designs and would love to do a triangulated 4 link in the rear using my soon to be 44. i do realize i must calculate roll axis, anti squat, find my cog, figure out vertical separation at both frame and axle end and all that happy shit. however i have always dug the 3 link rear setups and i do realize that once again i would probably have to figure out all the same math but what about a short arm 3 link that used reinforced stock mounts? or if i kept my verticle separation (the distance between the upper and lower mounts?) the same as it was factory could i raise me axle side mounts? of course then my over the pumpkin truss might not clear with only 4 or so inches of lift? i see this as sort of the easy way out in that it would minimize my down time, also it seems that for 33's at max a true triangulated 4 link rear would be almost out of place...i mean a lot of work for a dd jeep on small rubber. i've got more questions and ideas flowing but ill stop here for now!!!! Thanks for all your help and and links, pics, ideas, criticism is all much appreciated!!!:smt024



Mike

zjinprogress
04-22-2006, 05:58 PM
i guess what im asking is if anyone has seen or done this and would it work out to a somewhat balanced suspension?


Mike

Deltron
04-23-2006, 06:07 PM
yes you can do a 3 link with short arms and yes you can reuse the factory upper and lower frame mounts...but why not just go ahead and go longarm. If your going to be building control arms they might as well be long, and building frame mounts just requires a little time, steel and a measuring tape. If you have the space to keep the vertical separation in spec, you can move the axle mounts higher. I think that is what you were asking so good luck.

OverkillZJ
04-23-2006, 06:20 PM
I guess you could do it, but with short arms in my opinion there wouldn't be much benefit or gain of articulation.