4 Link Front Suspension

NoSlow6.0

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Hey guys I'm planning on building a 4 link front suspension for my 2005 project truck. After looking online at a bunch of rock crawler supply stores I'm thinking on going with 2" .250" wall tubing for the arms and 1/4" plate for the brackets. Does this sound strong enough as far as the link bars or should I go with like 2.5" .500" wall tubing and 3/8" plate.
 

ford rules

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1/4'' is fine IMO if gusseted properly. You can get some weld washers also to thicken up the bolt hole. Some say 1/4'' will wallow out but ive never had that issue and ive never used weld washers.
 

moose99psd

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1/4'' is fine IMO if gusseted properly. You can get some weld washers also to thicken up the bolt hole. Some say 1/4'' will wallow out but ive never had that issue and ive never used weld washers.

i agree, also you can do doubler plates to add strength and a bit of style to brackets.
 

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Yup^ I like 1/4" then lay some sheet with a design over it adds strength and style.
 

Dieselboy

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Hope you're planning on a parallel 4 link with panhard as a true 4 link won't work with a steering box. I'm doing a 3 link with a panhard on my truck in the front and 4 link in the rear.
 

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Theres no room on his truck to do a dual triangulated 4 link unless he was to lift it pretty high and have no uptravel. I assume were talking parallel 4 links since its for a superduty.
 

Zmann

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Hope you're planning on a parallel 4 link with panhard as a true 4 link won't work with a steering box. I'm doing a 3 link with a panhard on my truck in the front and 4 link in the rear.

?
please explain ?

the setup and term 4 link ( has 4 separate connections )is a common upgrade for a radius arm truck

and the panhard AKA trac bar your suggesting is already part of the OEM suspension

not sure I would even mess with a 3 link since it mimics a stock radius arm ( actually I am sure I wouldn't mess with them since I had
my choice )
 

FrankTheTank

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?
please explain ?

the setup and term 4 link ( has 4 separate connections )is a common upgrade for a radius arm truck

and the panhard AKA trac bar your suggesting is already part of the OEM suspension

not sure I would even mess with a 3 link since it mimics a stock radius arm ( actually I am sure I wouldn't mess with them since I had
my choice )

if he would like to get technical about the 4 link, we can call him out in a 3 link. what we know as a 3 link is actually an adjustable radius arm.

3-link
110149-1-k-perspective-800.jpg


adj radius arm
519_OUO_ALA_.jpg
 

Zmann

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exactly why I skipped a ""3 link""" and went with a Rize 4 link ( although there are other methods to do a true three link with many more benefits they are not common for the super duty?

hell have u seen the mod to make an OEM Radius arm adjustable ?

mV7d2GjtghvMX05nTsvliBw.jpg
 

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?
please explain ?

the setup and term 4 link ( has 4 separate connections )is a common upgrade for a radius arm truck

and the panhard AKA trac bar your suggesting is already part of the OEM suspension

not sure I would even mess with a 3 link since it mimics a stock radius arm ( actually I am sure I wouldn't mess with them since I had
my choice )
The term 3 link and 4 link are used very loosely on this site I've noticed... He is referring to a dual triangulated 4 link which does not use a trac bar to center the axle the links themselves actually center the axle. Also hydraulic steering must be used on a dual triangulated 4 link as a gearbox/drag link setup will bind up.

A 3 link is nothing like a radius arm setup either. Radius arms only use 2 attachment points at the frame and provide little to no tuning capabilitys the ALA some companies offer are still just a radius arm setup they just offer a caster adjustment, which is better than the stock radius arms but is still not a 3 link like I see people on here call them.

Radius arms are notorious for wheel hope so when going to a 3 or 4 link it usually eliminates that issue if the geometry is correct.
 

Zmann

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I have been in many of these discussions

so I am pretty well schooled on the terms and liberties used when calling some 3 links

that are just an adjustable radius arm IMHO

the triangulated 4 link would that ever even be contemplated on a truck like this ?

that was where I was confused Why it was even mentioned
 

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if he would like to get technical about the 4 link, we can call him out in a 3 link. what we know as a 3 link is actually an adjustable radius arm.

3-link
110149-1-k-perspective-800.jpg


adj radius arm
519_OUO_ALA_.jpg

Are you saying these two suspension types are the same? I'm not really sure what your getting at here. The first pic is of a 3 link the next is just radius arms two completely different suspension types.
 

Dieselboy

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Radius arms change your caster through travel. Radius links or parallel 4 link won't affect it as much. I keep forgetting that 90% of the trucks are mall crawlers here.
The longer the radius arms the less caster change.
If you do parallel links to can dial in some anti squat the same way with a 3 link. Doesn't make much of a difference on the long ass trucks.

Now for sled pulling where you are actually using the front axle I bet you can dial it in nicely so that it doesn't want to unload as much.
 

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