Triangulated 4 Link

[Roxtar]

you'll never get a full body through here

Still not seeing your point.
Are we debating buggy vs full bodied or suspension design?
So, your point seems to be that anything other than tight spaces is better done with leafs than links?
Uh... well... OK, if you say so.
Like I said, this is getting stupid

 

[JeepFreak21]

You'd never get a linked buggy through this trail... that's for sure!!

Billy

 

[BIGWOODY]

It's a rare case where the body has physically kept someone from clearing an obstacle.
But just having a body? No.
The limiting factor, IF you don't care about body damage, is pretty much always due to what's under the floor; clearance, suspension, tires, line, etc. not what's on top of it. (excepting the driver)

The point I was trying to make is this statement is simply wrong. It's not rare the the body causes someone to not clear an obstacle, it's pretty common on most difficult trails. I still stand by my statement of a buggy on leaf springs will way out do a linked full bodied rig on most extreme trails..be it a tube buggy or a cut up XJ ,the foot print is totaly secondary. Body adds weight and clearance problems , there's no debating it. I might make that Oregon trail but not legally or comfortably. I personally like full bodied rigs, but I know that they have severe limitations on extreme trails.

 

[Jes]

I've been on your tough trails.

No you haven't.

 

[Caged94XJ]

Blah blah blah blah the point is not where a full bodied XJ will and won't go... It is also not about the great debut between leaves or 4 link. It is about the right and wrong way to 4 link. And who's to say in a couple of years I won't end up tubing my XJ. I have heard it said not to use right and left hand hiems with jam nuts when linking, and to just use right handers only to prevent the links from adjusting themselfs. Lets get on option on that...

 

[BIGWOODY]

I have heard it said not to use right and left hand hiems with jam nuts when linking, and to just use right handers only to prevent the links from adjusting themselfs. Lets get on option on that...

Heims suck, every buggy/truggy/4link we build we use Re super flex joints on all ends of the links, they can be adjusted for wear and rebuildable for $8 a piece.

 

[vetteboy]

Blah blah blah blah the point is not where a full bodied XJ will and won't go... It is also not about the great debut between leaves or 4 link. It is about the right and wrong way to 4 link. And who's to say in a couple of years I won't end up tubing my XJ. I have heard it said not to use right and left hand hiems with jam nuts when linking, and to just use right handers only to prevent the links from adjusting themselfs. Lets get on option on that...

Every link on mine is adjustable...every one of 'em has a left and right-handed joint. As long as you have the jam nuts tight it'll be very hard for it to ever move on a trail.

I used Johnny Joints (with the one-piece forged threaded shank) for all the lowers, heims on the uppers, and heims on the trackbar. No complaints so far. I carry a spare left and right heim joint just in case.

 

[Roxtar]

Heims suck, every buggy/truggy/4link we build we use Re super flex joints on all ends of the links, they can be adjusted for wear and rebuildable for $8 a piece.

Wow, a common ground. :kissyou:
REs can't be beat. Kinda pricy, though.

13 SF joints @$40
Agree with vetteboy, all mine are rt/lft threaded w/ jam nuts.
Tighten the jam nuts and they won't come loose.
Being able to adjust without removing is too important to even consider not doing that.

I even built the mounting brackets to allow for tightening the RE joint itself without unbolting.

 

[JeepFreak21]

Wow, a common ground. :kissyou:
REs can't be beat. Kinda pricy, though.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/kid4lyf/DSCN0016.jpg
13 SF joints @$40
Agree with vetteboy, all mine are rt/lft threaded w/ jam nuts.
Tighten the jam nuts and they won't come loose.
Being able to adjust without removing is too important to even consider not doing that.

I even built the mounting brackets to allow for tightening the RE joint itself without unbolting.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/kid4lyf/REmount.jpg

Is it difficult to get a good enough grip to turn the links? Do you have flat spots machined into them? Do you just grab them with vice grips?
Billy

 

[Roxtar]

Is it difficult to get a good enough grip to turn the links? Do you have flat spots machined into them? Do you just grab them with vice grips?
Billy

Flats

 

[vetteboy]

I used a pipe wrench.

 

[AzRick]

3/4"x5/8" RH heims all the way around.......steering,trackbar, and links. Only have to carry one spare heim.

Once it's set up, how often is anyone adjusting link lengths?? I don't see the need for different parts.

(2) 15/16" wrenches is all it takes to tighten every bolt on my suspension and steering.

 

[88rockxj]

The point is that on a full body XJ the body is the biggest limiting factor, not the suspension. You can easily reach the limit of what a full body XJ can do with a decent set of leaves.

P

maybe if you only wheel at the hammers or in az where the trails are skinny and tight, other wise that statement is complete crap. the body on the xj does not limit you it totaly depends on the type of trail youre on, ive seen plenty of obsticales small jeeps/zuks/buggys have trouble on that full size rigs make look easy.


the SEARCH button up above and pirate are your best friends, use them. there seems to be a large group of people on here that think if you havnt or dont dream about buggying out your xj that youre not "hardcore" or have a highly capable vehicle so its hard to get good advise or tech. again SEARCH

 

[Weasel]

Heims suck, every buggy/truggy/4link we build we use Re super flex joints on all ends of the links, they can be adjusted for wear and rebuildable for $8 a piece.

Twisted Customs won't touch those and most people around here stay away from them. Why? They get all kind of crap in the threads and gall up really bad, to the point they seize in the threads and don't move. They use hiems for everything and they work fine, I like JJ.

 

[CRASH]

Twisted Customs won't touch those and most people around here stay away from them. Why? They get all kind of crap in the threads and gall up really bad, to the point they seize in the threads and don't move. They use hiems for everything and they work fine, I like JJ.

With improper welding techniques, this is certainly the case.

I have one of the first RE joints ever built still on my rig, replaced the urethane thrice, and still going strong.

Slow down, align the threads, manage your heat input and all will be well.

 

[Weasel]

With improper welding techniques, this is certainly the case.

I have one of the first RE joints ever built still on my rig, replaced the urethane thrice, and still going strong.

Slow down, align the threads, manage your heat input and all will be well.

Don't think it was from welding on them, that was just after about a year or comp and trail use.

 

[Roxtar]

Don't think it was from welding on them, that was just after about a year or comp and trail use.

Can't really see why that would effect the threads.
You do have to tighten them every once in a while.
Mine always move freely.

 

[Capt. Nemo]

maybe if you only wheel at the hammers or in az where the trails are skinny and tight, other wise that statement is complete crap. the body on the xj does not limit you it totaly depends on the type of trail youre on, ive seen plenty of obsticales small jeeps/zuks/buggys have trouble on that full size rigs make look easy.


the SEARCH button up above and pirate are your best friends, use them. there seems to be a large group of people on here that think if you havnt or dont dream about buggying out your xj that youre not "hardcore" or have a highly capable vehicle so its hard to get good advise or tech. again SEARCH

Seems you've missed the entire point to this part of the board. Read the description, and then shoot your mouth off about not getting good advice and tech.

In the meantime, you can keep hanging out on the fire roads with your stock rig where you won't be limited by anything other than a locked gate. I can't think of one trail that I've been on where the body hasn't been a hassle keeping off of rocks or trees - impossible, no - a hassle, yes.

Sorry, I can't add any more tech to this thread since I'm still very happy with how my leaves are working on my full bodied XJ. I've seen plenty of 4 links - some seriously booty fabbed, others impressively engineered.

 

[Jes]

:rof:

 

[Goatman]

Heims suck, every buggy/truggy/4link we build we use Re super flex joints on all ends of the links, they can be adjusted for wear and rebuildable for $8 a piece.

I'm tired of adjusting JJ's, so mine are all 1.25" and 1" heim joints. There is so much extra capacity there that they should never wear out. All of mine, on both rigs, are also right and left hand thread. Haven't heard anything about not doing it that way, and mine have always been fine.