3 link upper link on passenger side or drivers side?

[tanman2003]

what is the main benifit of running the UCA on the drivers side vs the passenger side? this will be a vehicle driven offroad only, so streetability is not much of a concern, but changes in pinion angle are.

[LBEXJ]

what is the main benifit of running the UCA on the drivers side vs the passenger side? this will be a vehicle driven offroad only, so streetability is not much of a concern, but changes in pinion angle are.

Here is a link to a post where that same question came up. It may answer your question ... or it may just create more. :dunno:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=485468&postcount=13

Les

[CRASH]

what is the main benifit of running the UCA on the drivers side vs the passenger side? this will be a vehicle driven offroad only, so streetability is not much of a concern, but changes in pinion angle are.

The starter is in the way on the passenger side, no place to put an upper arm in there and get acceptable suspension geometry.

Either side impacts pinion angle the same.

[tanman2003]

thanks!i do not have an xj yet, but i have a line on a cheap one that is too cheap to pass up, im a toyota guy.

[CRASH]

im a toyota guy.


The good news is that you can be cured!

[tanman2003]

so crash im not sure if you were selling your setup as a kit, but if you arent, could you tell me you link locations as if you were plugging them in the 3 link calculator?

[vetteboy]

I'm running a passenger drop D60 with this type of link setup, and because of the aforementioned reasons the upper link is on the side opposite the diff.

I should know in a month whether this was successful or not.

The diff itself is trussed, the tubes are welded, there's a 2x4 piece of tube across the top of the axle tube welded to the truss and all the way to the upper mount, and then it's connected to the lower arm and coil spring perch on the drivers side. Don't know what else there really is to do, but I am trying to ensure that the axle tubes aren't doing all the work in transfering the torque to the upper arm.

[rokspydr]

I did a 4 link with track bar on the front of my xj about 5 years ago ( still there) with an LT1. So yes you can fit it all in there as all 4 link's go back to the new crossmember. It just takes time and patience to get it perfect.

[Goatman]

Mine's on the passenger side, but the new rig I'm doing it will be on the drivers side. As far as handling goes, it doesn't matter what side it's on. My rig handles well in all situations with the arm on the passenger side, and I expect the new rig to handle well with the arm on the drivers side.

[CRASH]

I did a 4 link with track bar on the front of my xj about 5 years ago ( still there) with an LT1. So yes you can fit it all in there as all 4 link's go back to the new crossmember. It just takes time and patience to get it perfect.


I'd like to see a pic of the crossmember and the arm mounts, if you have it.

[rokspydr]

I will try to find one today

[xjbubba]

I'd like to second that request for a picture. I'm having difficulty finding where to put the frame end UCA's because of my Chevy exhaust.

[rokspydr]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c215/rokspydr/P8040005.jpg[/IMG]
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c215/rokspydr/P8040002.jpg

[CRASH]

I did a 4 link with track bar on the front of my xj about 5 years ago ( still there) with an LT1. So yes you can fit it all in there as all 4 link's go back to the new crossmember. It just takes time and patience to get it perfect.


Oh, I see, I thought we were talking about a high clearance crossmember.

Geometry looks good though........

[rokspydr]

thank's, I wanted to but some sacrifices had to be made in the engine swap in the sake of clearance.

[Fryphax]

I'm running claytons radius arm set-up and am using only a single upper link on the passenger side. I have not had any clearance issues or adverse handling with this set-up.

[vetteboy]

Just got mine installed with all the links mocked up:

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/front1.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/front4.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/front6.JPG

Yes it's all just tacked in place right now...solid enough to play around with adjusting pinion angle and alignment though. That was fun. :) I'll have some more bracing on the other side of the axle upper mount and probably some 'spine' type thing to give some more circumferencial weld on the axle tube.

I'm set up for ~4" uptravel, and with the arc of the panhard I have enough clearance for the upper link to move around just fine. The lowers need about .5" more where the old LCA mounts used to be. No huge deal, just some more torching, reshaping, and reinforcing.

(yes, the trans mount area will probably be up for redesign when I drop the crossmember to put the guts back in the NV4500)

[Israel]

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/front4.JPG


Are you worried about knocking off the grease fittings on those joints?

[andersonsys]

I don't know if anyone knows Jim Brown, he is a member here, and on www.socalxj.com. He did a Triangulated 3-link, he bent his upper triangulated link around the oil pan, and this worked out perfect. I like it so much, I am doing a triangulated 4-link in a similar way. He built new upper mounts near the stock location, and trussed the housing. He would know more about what he did. I hate the track bar, so this is an option to avoid that POS.

[vetteboy]

Are you worried about knocking off the grease fittings on those joints?

Yep. I don't plan on leaving it like that. They'll fit the other way just fine...I just stuffed the joint in there like that because that's how I picked it up off the floor.

[CRASH]

I'm running claytons radius arm set-up and am using only a single upper link on the passenger side. I have not had any clearance issues or adverse handling with this set-up.


That's not really the kind of three link we're talking about here. A single-sided radius arm can be fit just about anywhere, but getting acceptable geometry and a flat belly out of a true three link takes some work.

[CRASH]

I don't know if anyone knows Jim Brown, he is a member here, and on www.socalxj.com. He did a Triangulated 3-link, he bent his upper triangulated link around the oil pan, and this worked out perfect. I like it so much, I am doing a triangulated 4-link in a similar way. He built new upper mounts near the stock location, and trussed the housing. He would know more about what he did. I hate the track bar, so this is an option to avoid that POS.


I don't understand the great desire to get rid of the Panhard. What kind of problems do you have with it? And are they so bad that you are willing to give up your ability to drive your rig on the street (full hydro is mandatory with a triangulated front set-up)?

[vetteboy]

That's not really the kind of three link we're talking about here. A single-sided radius arm can be fit just about anywhere, but getting acceptable geometry and a flat belly out of a true three link takes some work.

Ain't this the truth. I managed to get it *almost* flush with the bottom of the frame rails. Ended up needing to space the whole thing down 5/8" - only to clear the NP231 on the trans tunnel though.

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/front5.JPG

Yes, that's a pilot bushing acting as a spacer right now. I have pieces of 3" x 5/8" bar to run the whole way that I'll be using when it all goes together.

A rear 4-link with a flat skid is an interesting adventure as well.

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/072906/upper3.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/080506/rear4.JPG

[Jes]

Ended up needing to space the whole thing down 5/8" - only to clear the NP231 on the trans tunnel though.



That's not a NP231, looks more like a Dana300.

[vetteboy]

That's not a NP231, looks more like a Dana300.

The devil's in the details, man. :)

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/071406/rough1.JPG

[Paul S]

Passenger side upper:
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={9D60AE3B-5C5A-45BF-82E5-C1EAD181ADC3}&exp=f&moddt=38937.6330897222&ssdyn=1

Flat belly:
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={B5C0DC7D-51A1-42C1-8A57-79C6D9303008}&exp=f&moddt=38937.6341245718&ssdyn=1

Achievable with mid arms.

Paul

[vetteboy]

I was planning on doing boatsides like that as well. How's that workin out for you?

[Goatman]

I don't know if anyone knows Jim Brown, he is a member here, and on www.socalxj.com. He did a Triangulated 3-link, he bent his upper triangulated link around the oil pan, and this worked out perfect. I like it so much, I am doing a triangulated 4-link in a similar way. He built new upper mounts near the stock location, and trussed the housing. He would know more about what he did. I hate the track bar, so this is an option to avoid that POS.

Yes, and Jim also went with full hydro steering, something that is not universally accepted for driving on the street. A triangulated front requires full hydro steering which considerably adds to the complexity of the project. We're seeing more and more rigs built (many buggies) with 3 link front ends because they work so well. There's nothing wrong with a track bar, it's just another link. I like track bars, and 3 links, and am very happy with the front 3 link that I've been running for 5 years. I'm currently building a buggy, and plan on doing 3 links front and rear.

Oh, and I also run a mid arm with the upper link on the pasenger side and a flat crossmember, and it was much easier to build than CRASH's........however I really like CRASH's design.

[Paul S]

I was planning on doing boatsides like that as well. How's that workin out for you?

REALLY well. I thought nerfs were good for pivoting off until I saw how well Matt's junk worked with the boatsides, that moved this mod to the top for me. It's amazing how much more traction you get when you don't even touch the rocker.

Paul

[vetteboy]

Outstanding. How do you have it tied into the door sill? I was probably going to put a piece of 1/8" wall rectangle tube in place of the rockers and weld it to that, plus some triangular bracing going from the frame rails up to that rectangle tube (following the angle of the boatsides). What thickness plate for the skids themselves?

[Paul S]

Outstanding. How do you have it tied into the door sill? I was probably going to put a piece of 1/8" wall rectangle tube in place of the rockers and weld it to that, plus some triangular bracing going from the frame rails up to that rectangle tube (following the angle of the boatsides). What thickness plate for the skids themselves?

I hate to screw-up a perfectly good 3 link thread. Why don't you start a boatside thread & we'll get some details & photos going there.

Paul