A bolt on three link.

[SupermanIce-J]

As per NAXJA

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1033400

Alright so after talking to some of my customers and talking to guys on jeep forums I decided to make some changes to the crossmember that comes with the 3 link long arm upgrade I sale.



Originally it was just this. which was plenty beefy but there are a couple things i didnt like.







First, i wasnt so found of the link mounts being directly part of the crossmember. This meant in order to do any drive train work you had to block the front axle, take off the links, then drop the crossmember. Then put it all back together and align it again. Second I thought that it looked a little to blocky. Looks arent exactly everything but eh... Plus i guess it could cause you to get caught up on some ledges. Last I figured if i was going to revamp it, I might as well do it right. So I added a tcase skid as well since those things hang so far down...

So this is what I got.



















Any ideas, thoughts and concerns, or constructive criticism would be good.

Sorry, I never really introduced myself. Im a guy from washington who has been building lift kits for abour 7 years. I started in high school and did my first 3 link for my senior project on my 87 cherokee. Ever since then there has been alot of people interested in my work, contantly getting stopped and asked where i bought the lift from. Most people wanted me to design and or build them setups for there vehicles. From Solid Axle Conversions with leaf springs to 3 links and triangulated 4 links. My friends all told me i needed to start a legit business, and after my first long arm build thread I posted on here it seems to be coming around.

I still work full time, this is just something extra on the side. Out of highschool I did new house construction, then worked at irwin research and development as a machinist and engineer. Honestly I work at office depot now, saling computers and working on them. I got layed off from Irwin like alot of people and no one is hiring around here in my line of work.

I've been around on naxja here and there, I try to stay tied in. Im also a member of nw-wheelers and insanityfab.



Alright, enough for the bio. lol



I dont know how to post the whole calculator but this is what i got with a rough estimate on COG.

About 6 inches of lift on 35s

Anti-squat/anti-dive - 103%

Roll-axis angle - 7.02 degrees

Roll-cneter height - 23"

instant center x - 69"

instant center z - 23.5



1 yes, solid hex stock. 1-1/4 from flat to flat. When i first started making lifts we had the scrap hex (anything shorter than 35") laying around at irwin. Its strong, never going to bend, not to mention it looks sweet. lol I get alot of comments on the unique look of my product. Also, solid ends up being cheaper, faster, and cleaner to produce. Turn, drill, and tap the ends and your done. Verse turn, drill, and tap a tube adapter then weld it into DOM.



2. rod ends are more practical for many reasons. Better availability, smaller for more clearance but still plenty strong, and able to use in more applications. ie steering, track bars, ec. I do also offer greasable poly bushings from Ballistic on the axle side if prefered for a more on road friendly ride but still a thread on insert for easy adjustment. I use heims on my daily driver, I like how it handles, but some people dont like to feel every crack in the road...



3. Yes, the kit is pretty easy to install. It uses the 3 stock threaded holes on both sides, then Drill 9/16 through the "frame" rails, and 3/4 on the outside for the anticrush sleeves except on the front drivers side which uses a flag nut. The only welding needed is the UCA axle mount which is also included and is used for the new axle track bar mount as well when you order the steering and or track bar upgrade.



4. Before I revamped my design, the kit with the UCA axle mount, crossmember and skid, and links + all the hardware needed was selling for 600. I believe that 700 for the new design with the skid is plenty reasonable and still better priced than other manufacturers. There is a waiting period of course cause I only work with a couple guys but that will hopefully get better.



The upper mount on the crossmember cant be any higher without going through the floor and I didnt want to sacrifice clearance to lower the lower mount. Seperation at the axle is 7.7 and almost 5 at the crossmember.



Feel free to ask any more questions.

What Do you guys think of this???? I still vaguely understand what all the numbers mean but for those "in the know" give it a yay or nay.

[Ktmracer419]

i give it a "needs improvement"

props for getting a 3 link out there and sellin em and whatnot

but do not want 7/8 heims for lower links. yea, they are probably fine. but i would rather have confidence my arms could withstand a nuclear blast if it comes down to it.

the upper ca mount on the axle needs welding. though this is nice for the guys who want to stick 44's and 60's under thier junk, it kinda takes away from the "bolt on" aspect and sticking it on thier d30.

to get truly awesome AS numbers you need some significant separation at the frame side. most off the shelf 3/4 links might as well be radius arms. its either have super awesome anti squat, or chop up the floor (which most people dont want to do)

but those are the main issues i see.

i could pick it apart a little more. but i like the direction he is headed and some tweaks of his design would improve it.

[SupermanIce-J]

DAMN IT! the pictures do not work!

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

I wouldn't really consider myself "in the know" on 3-links because i'm still learning. I think if you're not running 6" of lift, the anti squat number should come down some. On the one I designed around 4.5" lift, and my anti-squat is around 59.9%. I have the same roll center and a higher instant center X and Y. My roll axis is also around 2.2 degrees. I'm not sure if this helps at all Josh.

[Zullock Holmes]

i don't like the idea of using heims on the suspension links themselves if the vehicle is going to remain a street driven vehicle.

Just get some Currie joints, inserts, and some tube, i'm sure you could whip up a pretty good strong set-up with that.

[Ktmracer419]

i don't like the idea of using heims on the suspension links themselves if the vehicle is going to remain a street driven vehicle.

Just get some Currie joints, inserts, and some tube, i'm sure you could whip up a pretty good strong set-up with that.

whats wrong with heims?

im slowly weeding out the cartridge joint/rubber bushing crap on mine and im down to all heims and 2 ballisticbullshitfab rebuildable joints.

[003brian]

i like this, im glad to see people going different ways other than the same old raidus arm setups.