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3-Link advice

Bronzewyrm

Bronzewyrm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Independence,or
i built a 3 link kit earlier this year and im having a small problem. insted of using the factory mount on the axle i replaced it with this.
S7300135.jpg


its a 7/8s ruffstuff joint. the problem im having is the joint is rocking back and forth within the tube adapter. i was also having troubles keeping the jamb nut tight.

i havent really even got a chance to wheel it hard yet. so im not shure what rought to take.

i torq'd it last time and gave it a good tac to hold the jamb nut. but it still is rocking in the tube adapter. is the adapter wollowed out and bad now? the joint bad maby. i have thaught about removing the jamb nut all together and just full welding the joint to the adapter. but i dono if i should put that kinda of heat on the joint, or if i can even weld the joint safely.

this is the only uper control arm in the front so by nature it takes alot of force.

just looking for some .02, any advice you can muster would be a blessing.

thanks
Bronze.
 
Chop that mount off, put a nice link tower on the axle, and put the heim on the control arm.

The shank of the heim joint is taking loads it was not intended to take setup like that. It looks unsafe and will keep wearing the threads in the tube adapter down. Is the adapter even welded in? And where the heck does your control arm go?

Edit: im guessing this is a mid build pic...
 
I congratulate you on your inventiveness and ingenuity but the earlier posts are correct. Either the threads are going to "waller" out or, more likely you are going to snap the heim at the root of the first thread. You have the skills to put on a nice gusseted tower and weld up a control arm with a heim on the end.

John
 
Vanimal said:
that's putting a hell of a lot of strain on the stem of that heim. i'd cut that whole axle mount off, cut the end of the 3 link upper arm off, weld in a threaded insert into the arm, put a good joint in there, and weld on an axle bracket like this:
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop...racket-For-3.0-Dia.-Tube-Un-Welded-p-701.html
Click to expand...

thats a cool bracket. im not shure if it would mount up so close to my ruff stuff panhard bracket (not pictured)

ktm racer 419 said:
Chop that mount off, put a nice link tower on the axle, and put the heim on the control arm.

The shank of the heim joint is taking loads it was not intended to take setup like that. It looks unsafe and will keep wearing the threads in the tube adapter down. Is the adapter even welded in? And where the heck does your control arm go?

Edit: im guessing this is a mid build pic...
Click to expand...


yeah it was a mid build pic. the frame side of the link has a 30* bracket and a balistic joint. both ideas seem like it would take the force off of the stem of the joint. dan @ ruffstuff says this.

"John,

I like the idea of this, but I do see how it can loosen up with the suspension cycling. It seems like there is a lot less binding with the rod end on the link instead of being in a fixed mount on your axle as for as the twisting of it goes. Maybe some type of mount like this but with a uniball inside a bracket? "

here is a link to my build:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1081015

thanks
Bronze.
 
nosigma said:
I congratulate you on your inventiveness and ingenuity but the earlier posts are correct. Either the threads are going to "waller" out or, more likely you are going to snap the heim at the root of the first thread. You have the skills to put on a nice gusseted tower and weld up a control arm with a heim on the end.

John
Click to expand...
:wstupid: should have mentioned that, don't stop thinking outside of the box, they may not all be winners but eventually.....
 
thanks guies, the goal was to take the Bind out of that part of the suspention. it worked, but as it seems i have created another "week link". its is my first fabb style build, all and all i think i did ok. just a feiw bugs to work out. my xj took a big step, quick.

its a jeep thing right...

Bronze.
 
Ruffstuff makes some towers that should be easier to fit than the poly performance unit. A uniball welded to a tower would work too. Depends if you want the joint on the axle or arm. Both will work fine. In fact currie offers a weld on tower with a jhonny joint built into it. The whole adjustable thing just wont last long like you are experiencing. If you want the adjustable link separation, many brackets come with multiple mounting holes.
 
ktm racer 419 said:
Ruffstuff makes some towers that should be easier to fit than the poly performance unit. A uniball welded to a tower would work too. Depends if you want the joint on the axle or arm. Both will work fine. In fact currie offers a weld on tower with a jhonny joint built into it. The whole adjustable thing just wont last long like you are experiencing. If you want the adjustable link separation, many brackets come with multiple mounting holes.
Click to expand...

great advice. your right about the adjustable part. it is my 1st so i figured id have a need to move things around. thinking about it now. this makes total since.

thx man
Bronze.
 
rockclimber said:
definitely get rid of that setup.... get a bracket like this http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/LINKT10.html

and if you are running a 3-link I would go with 1.25" heims or 2.5" JJs on the upper link, the 7/8" stuff is strong enough, but it will wear much quicker.
Click to expand...

Ive been running 7/8 uppers on my 3 link since 2006. Still tight. I wouldnt reuse the worn heim and tube adapter though, definately get a new one.

And another note to the op: I know everyone hates a weld critic, but those welds on the existing link mount look like they have barely any penetration. With a 3 link the strength of every mounting point is critical, i suggest you work on that before welding a new mount on, or have someone else do it.
 
rockclimber said:
definitely get rid of that setup.... get a bracket like this http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/LINKT10.html

and if you are running a 3-link I would go with 1.25" heims or 2.5" JJs on the upper link, the 7/8" stuff is strong enough, but it will wear much quicker.
Click to expand...

Although I agree with using good size heims I will say this, My Rock Krawler 3 link uses 3/4 inch shank heims (old style weld on) and they have been fine. You'll be hard pressed to break a heim of decent size, as long as its 3/4 inch or more your fine, the loads a quality heim can withstand are pretty damn big. 2doorxj on here is my buddy and so far has gone through a few sets of Ruffstuff heims on his 3 link....... my FK heims were on this lift for like 100k miles/7 years and I finally replaced 2 of them....quality>size.

To the OP- like others have said good job with the thinking out of the box but get a different tower setup. You can probably still use the style arm you have on there but could drill the hole out for a larger bolt (if the new mount is bigger), and run same width spacers to fit the ID of the arm mounting width.
 
well it just so happens tha i baught extra heims at the time of the build. i think ill order another tube adapter from ruffstuff, and a bracket. put the heim in the end of the arm and install the bracket on the axle. this should cure my problem.

thanks agin guies. this thred was very helpfull. and BTW thanks for not flaming me. i know im not the greatest fabricator in the world.

Bronze.
 
I'll flame you bronzey.. Cut that donkey crap off and put the heim on the arm.. Do a full weld around the Tube and also add a couple of plug welds at the back of the tube adaptor just for extra piece of mind

sheesh.. what the heck were you thinking!
 
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