BD with close to stock bedfloor, backhalf, Need some ideas and pics.

Why not just 2 link it?

Seems like an easy solution, the rearend is mounted solid and you dont have to worry about the bars working against each other like Russ said.

Then just run a trac bar.

IM WITH RUSS-D IT LOOKS LIKE THE BARS WOULD SWING IN A DIFFERENT ARC MOTION CAUSING MOVEMENT OF THE AXLE SIDE TO SIDE AND ALSO CHANGE THE PINION DRAMATICALLY.

Originally posted by TwistedMinis



4WD stuff is set up like that all the time Joel. Obviously braced more, but it works.

I can see where you are coming from, but moving all the links to the top of the axle will result in more ground clearance so there is actually a reason for it.

But this set up just doesnt make sense to me. He could have run the short upper tabs on top of the axle and the bars would still be shorter then the pumpkin. And then he could have run shorter lower tabs which would be alot less awkward then that setup. I hope that thing isnt driving like that. Those long ass tabs need to be plated along the backsides to counter the stresses that are gonna be put on them being so long.

And yes, having the uppers on top of the boxfloor would probably mean hed have to cut the box more to clear the tops of the bars. BUT has no one noticed that the driveshaft is gonna be above the box floor as it is now anyways? So either weay hes got to cut.

That frame scares me. Way too many welded joints with no fishplating in sight...

Classic case of sacrficing functionality and safety just to be 'different'. Sometimes there's a reason things are done the way they are.

Originally posted by Russ-D



actually thinking about it right now I dont see how it will work at all, the differing arc lengths will bind the axle and not rotate it. Its the same way you give someone an indian burn, each set of bars will be twisting different ways on the lower part of the axle.

some one educate me, but would that not be similar to a parallel 4 link, just that the top bars are under the axle also?

I just want bed pics

Edited: 1/16/2007 8:50:02 AM by DOWNSUB

Edited: 1/16/2007 8:49:26 AM by DOWNSUB

^ HERE YOU GO JON.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fedexfurniture.com/bed/bed_800.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fedexfurniture.com/bed.html&h=600&w=800&sz=363&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=lpipiixro7kl8m:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3fq%3dbed%26svnum%3d10%26hl%3den%26lr%3d%26sa%3dn

Originally posted by trashed



Originally posted by Russ-D



actually thinking about it right now I dont see how it will work at all, the differing arc lengths will bind the axle and not rotate it. Its the same way you give someone an indian burn, each set of bars will be twisting different ways on the lower part of the axle.

some one educate me, but would that not be similar to a parallel 4 link, just that the top bars are under the axle also?

no, it would not work the same as a parallel 4 link because all 4 bars are acting on the same plane.

With a parallel 4 link, if the lower link drops and pushes back, the upper link drops and pulls forward. Since they are mounted on opposite sides of the axle, the axle rotates.

With that setup, when the lower bar drops and pushes back, the upper bar drops and pulls forward, but both on the same side of the axle tube. The rotation force is still in the center of the two bars, but the axle isnt, and it will try to pull itself apart.

Think of it only as push pull if you want, two different arcs of operation (have to be different because the bushings are not lined up) If the lower bar pushes and the upper bar pulls, what is happening to the axle tube?

If somehow it works, its the binding that is keeping the axle from flopping over backwards or forwards. Or he has found a pair of arcs that work well together and it is essentially a two link system with 4 bars and eight bushings.

I still would like to see a rockcrawler setup with all 4 on top. They have a lot of travel in their suspensions too. I'd almost bet there is a extra horst link in them to allow for the length changes between bars, or that the spring setup is actually a strut arrangement....

I still agree the upper bar shouldn't be below the axle. Rather in front of it, or mounted low on top of it.

And now we've taken this way off topic.

yes seth you are right, that system in the pics will work, the axle can rotate because they are not all mounted on the top, the lowers are mounted to the front. The system on the S10 will not, they are all mounted to the bottom.

Yeah, I don't see it working well. I just thought it was an interesting idea, that with some tweaking to the design, could be a good idea.

Now lets try to get this back on topic for Jon. Lol.

I can't really help, because my bed is going to be like 8 inches deep.