• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

3 link diy?s

4x4JeePmaNthINg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
been playing around with this 3 link calculator for a while. Who here is running a drivers side upper DIY 3 link?


im curious as to what if any drive shaft contact issues youve had and at what lift height? or what i can expect using stock axle side locations.


currently on 3.5" lift 33's planning on 4.5"- 35s

Im generally going up high alpine, steep climbs, off camber, descending the same.

anyone have a good ball park of geometry summary i should look for.
I can post a link of values later once i get images working.
 
Cut more. No need to lift

cutting More will be an absolute requirement. fitting the tires isnt an issue, i know folks cram anything in there as long as you want to cut.


ive used the top of the trans mount to engine as a COG measurement, anyone have a better point for establishing cog?
 
When you say stock axle locations do you mean stock cast upper mount? If so you'll definitely need bends to clear the pinion yoke. Raise that with a truss for more separation and to cure that problem

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
When you say stock axle locations do you mean stock cast upper mount? If so you'll definitely need bends to clear the pinion yoke. Raise that with a truss for more separation and to cure that problem

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


correct, especially the stock cast mount. when does the pinion require this clearance, during compression or expansion,regular ride height? i havent seen pictures of 3/4 link demonstrating this. some kits 3/4 link dont even have bent arms?

thank you!
 
My (store bought) 3 link would hit on compression without bends.
Food for thought the Clayton 3 link doesn't hit but uses a truss to add approx 2 inches of axle separation.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
yeah they seem to be the only vendor that raises this link. in theory you could build the uca fork end to mount a little further down couldnt you, or would that add too much stress not being in line with the arm?
 
If I'm following you correctly I think it would then hit the body of the Jeep. For example Clayton informs people to have a 6.5 inch lift to keep the upper arm from denting the floor pan. They would not tell me how much bump stop was needed to keep this from happening so I went with iro instead.
My iro upper link bends down after the axle mount to clear the body then back up to clear the pinion yoke. It's hard to fit everything in that area.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
lmao yeah there are some corners cut for sure hahaha, that gave me a chuckle. the arms are something i liked, not so much the crossmember narrowed to .25 wall haaaaahaaaaaaaaaa.


anywhoozin.
 
That kit looks good and I like the 2 bumpers I got from DirtBound.
 
not sure if i forgot the link or what: https://dirtboundoffroad.com/products/3-link-long-arms-jeep-cherokee-xj

after crawling around more and just eyeballing, it makes it really seem like anything driverside wouldnt fit UCA wise, at least at this lift, its tight quarters for certain.

its tight... but it fits...

i built my own 3 link and crossmember. there is really only one spot for it to go frame side. frame side, you are limited to about 5" of separation if you dont want to go through the floor. axle side... do what ever you like.

the clayton comment about needing XX" of lift to avoid hitting the floor is kind of misleading. regardless of if you have a 2" coil installed or a 10" coil, full bump is full bump. the upper control arm contacts the floor during compression. your options are to either bump stop it out or clearance the floor. its a very gentle glance, and on my old manual was hidden behind the clutch. just hammer it clear.

i built my own clayton knock off crossmember with my own tweaks. but if i did it again, i would just buy theirs.

12744734_947367671984316_3298154973731977219_n.jpg


12734196_947367635317653_841584213732736651_n.jpg


a little better look not so up close. it was really hard to get good pictures under there during the build without a lift.

17990908_1283350428386037_1073082089654841965_n.jpg
 
And this is the only reason I didn't go with Clayton... I explained I wanted to keep near stock bump stops and they acted like I was stupid for wanting bump stop length needed to run their kit....

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I did a 3 link years ago. Its in the advanced fab section. It's passenger side and much more lift but.... With what is out there now and the fact that I have had to fix the upper mount twice I would go a different route now. My next build will have the Ironman4x4fab long arm kit.
 
its tight... but it fits...

i built my own 3 link and crossmember. there is really only one spot for it to go frame side. frame side, you are limited to about 5" of separation if you dont want to go through the floor. axle side... do what ever you like.

i built my own clayton knock off crossmember with my own tweaks. but if i did it again, i would just buy theirs.
thank you for the pictures, this greatly helps thinking about the lay out.

I kinda was leaning on building one like clayton/db/the crazy diy post for cost sake. i can at least go from 1000$ to 500$. i dont suspect these guys make that much off a kit unless theyre getting great wholesale steel/joint prices.
I wasnt able to get much more than 5" separation and keeping the upper link as flat as ide like, at least not without making lower mounts a boat anchor.
making a kit thats adjustable like claytons is important to me as well, Iro is sweet, but a PIA to adjust.

How much did you clearance the floor in? This is not something ide like to do lol. Ill need to see how much flex I can manage before the upper link hits. There is not much room as it sits and raising the axle side mount seemingly wouldnt help any.

Did you use 2"dom on the upper link?


That kit looks good and I like the 2 bumpers I got from DirtBound.

I have one of their front bumpers, decent products thus far.

And this is the only reason I didn't go with Clayton... I explained I wanted to keep near stock bump stops and they acted like I was stupid for wanting bump stop length needed to run their kit....

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I have extended upper bump stops, ide have to get this 3 link on then see about more lift/bump planning with new tires, likely adding puck or such.




anyone have pictures of the DS/pinion clashing with the upper link?

i need to get some PVC and ballpark if i want to link driver still or passenger side.

while on the calculator i see the trac bar is forward more on the upper side. is it ideal to have this parallel with the front axle?
 
thank you for the pictures, this greatly helps thinking about the lay out.

I kinda was leaning on building one like clayton/db/the crazy diy post for cost sake. i can at least go from 1000$ to 500$. i dont suspect these guys make that much off a kit unless theyre getting great wholesale steel/joint prices.
I wasnt able to get much more than 5" separation and keeping the upper link as flat as ide like, at least not without making lower mounts a boat anchor.
making a kit thats adjustable like claytons is important to me as well, Iro is sweet, but a PIA to adjust.

I got my material at cost and joints on sale. By the time I was done, factor in wire, gas, time, I didn’t come out that far ahead. 5” at the frame is enough. And it’s what you’ll have to settle with without taking the frame side lowers even lower, or pushing the frame side upper through the floor.

For what it’s worth, I built adjustability into mine. Doing it again, I wouldn’t. The space is so small your “jumps” between intervals are big enough. The average driver isn’t going to notice the difference in 5% antidive.


How much did you clearance the floor in? This is not something ide like to do lol. Ill need to see how much flex I can manage before the upper link hits. There is not much room as it sits and raising the axle side mount seemingly wouldnt help any.

not much. I misspoke earlier. It’s just a tiny bump behind the throttle pedal. Right next to the bell housing. It’s not noticeable. Just hammer it. I had about 5” of bump before going to prothanes.

Did you use 2"dom on the upper link?

1.75 x .120 wall DOM. The lowers were 2 x .25 DOM. I bent those. Do 2” aluminum.

I have one of their front bumpers, decent products thus far.



I have extended upper bump stops, ide have to get this 3 link on then see about more lift/bump planning with new tires, likely adding puck or such.




anyone have pictures of the DS/pinion clashing with the upper link?

i need to get some PVC and ballpark if i want to link driver still or passenger side.

i had originally planned to do passenger but couldn’t because of the exhaust. The more I played with it the more I realized I preferred the upper on the drivers side for precise pinion control. If you do the passenger side... as the vehicle articulates, driver dropped, passenger side compressed, the control arm is going to roll the pinion down which is at droop. No Good. There is a way to get around this... but it’s just easier to put it on the drivers side.

while on the calculator i see the trac bar is forward more on the upper side. is it ideal to have this parallel with the front axle?
put the trackbar where it fits. It’s only controlling cross car movement. Important design properties (IN ORDER):
- parallel to trackbar.
- as close to the same length as tie rod as possible
- pivot points as close to steering pivot points (when viewed from the front) as possible

Follow that and I think it’ll locate itself. If you want to knit pick... set it up so that the trackbar is 90 degrees cross car at the 50/50 split in travel (which isn’t necessarily ride height) and that’ll be ablout as good as it gets to minimize lateral axle travel.

Some more photos for ya...

https://i.imgur.com/XJXqc03.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HIydzku.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nCfJUKn.jpg
 
ive been pretty comfortable using square tube for the UCAs, is there any reason not to use this for the upper link? ive been a little iffy on this for strength purposes.
ruff stuff sells a pre bent dom that should fit fine if i need to go this route.


am i mistaken our have you dent the whole length of the upper ?
tnt truss?- seems to have helped raise the uca mount well, was the original cut off?

i spy foam? on the inner fender, off topic but if it is, what did you use?
 
Square works. The link is only used in compression/tension which is why I went .120 walk. It doesn’t see impacts.

You don’t need a bent link. The area that needs massaging is where the floor pan, trans tunnel, and fire walk all come together. The area is behind the throttle pedal, and the carpet makes it impossible to see where You whacked. It’s a very gentle massage. Your only hammering about 6”. Keep in mind that as you get closer to the frame side mount, the link is traveling the same degree as the axle, but not the same magnitude.the closer to the frame side mount you are, the smaller the arc for X degrees if you will.

And it’s not down... it’s the inner fender all rock chipped up.
 
Back
Top