I have talked to advocates on both sides. Just wanted to get some opinions from here about 3-link/4-link type front end suspensions (ex.Full Traction, Rock Krawler, etc.) vs radius arm type suspensions (ex. Rubicon Express, Rusty's, etc.). Tell any advantages or disadvantages to either one as well as any problems you may have had while owning/using one of these setups. Thanks.
Long Arms- 3-/4-link vs. Radius arm types
bubbadiddit
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I have talked to advocates on both sides. Just wanted to get some opinions from here about 3-link/4-link type front end suspensions (ex.Full Traction, Rock Krawler, etc.) vs radius arm type suspensions (ex. Rubicon Express, Rusty's, etc.). Tell any advantages or disadvantages to either one as well as any problems you may have had while owning/using one of these setups. Thanks.
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I'm including bent-arms in the 3/4-links. Good thought, though. Guess I should have put that in there.....
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mostly depends on what you're using it for and how it's designed. radius works great on my jeep but I'm not ALL about rocks....
my 2009 SEMA project.. all radius built for pre-running and jumping
what? please explain
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gotta be thinking of the high clearance radius arms.
Must be
I gotta tell ya NM, I cannot think of one time that I was hung up on my front arms. I think y-arms in the front are a bit of a novelty offering no real advantage to offset the fact that they are in a radius configuration.
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one of the reasons I'm staying SA front again.Must be
I gotta tell ya NM, I cannot think of one time that I was hung up on my front arms. I think y-arms in the front are a bit of a novelty offering no real advantage to offset the fact that they are in a radius configuration.
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that's how I like it, as long as the the locker doesn't take a dump, then I got problems with 13"+ travel.
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you're not refering to the imaginary tube twisting are ya? they are hard on bushings from alot of flexing.
even rubber isolated joints allow a wristing action on the radius arms, they don't twist tubes out of the casting, I have seen four links bend/tear off stock upper mounts.
my front is a SA three link, and the rear is a 19" SA with a modified stinger and no upper links, it's deceiving to most...
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Depending on height, radius arms are stupid the higher you lift them. If you calculate them in a 3/4 link calculator, you'll see that since they function as if the upper control arm "mounts" at the exact same point as the lower control arm mounts(at the frame) and is seen as one solid connection as far as geometry numbers go, they will have ****loads of anti-squat and jack the hell out of the suspension under load. No way to really adjust anything short of lowering the vehicle or lowering the control arm mounts on the frame.
My 3 link has 36" long lowers, a 40" long upper control arm, and I've got it set up for about 60% anti squat. It drives great on the road, unfortunately I have no experience offroad yet as it isn't ready but I'm very confident it will work well.
Going back to radius arms... they work the same as a traction bar on a leaf sprung Jeep. The shorter the radius arms are and the more of an angle they are at in relation to the axle tube and the frame side mount, the worse they will perform. I built my traction bar as flat as possible to stay at or under 100% anti squat in the rear. It accellerates with the rear not changing height hardly at all, and the front raises just slightly like it should. The front doesn't have brake dive or anything as well. Drives like it should.
My 3 link has 36" long lowers, a 40" long upper control arm, and I've got it set up for about 60% anti squat. It drives great on the road, unfortunately I have no experience offroad yet as it isn't ready but I'm very confident it will work well.
Going back to radius arms... they work the same as a traction bar on a leaf sprung Jeep. The shorter the radius arms are and the more of an angle they are at in relation to the axle tube and the frame side mount, the worse they will perform. I built my traction bar as flat as possible to stay at or under 100% anti squat in the rear. It accellerates with the rear not changing height hardly at all, and the front raises just slightly like it should. The front doesn't have brake dive or anything as well. Drives like it should.
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just one more thing a calculator can't figure out....
I just make my link suspensions fully adjustable as everything seems to change once it is sitting on its tires.
My front axle has just a hair over 8" of link separation at the housing side and the upper frame side bracket allows for anywhere from 4.5-8.5 inches, making my anti-dive completely adjustable. I'm shooting for a range of 70-120% AS in the rear. We'll see
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