[AustinT]

I am starting to do the budget for my link project and want to get your thoughts on how yours was done. I am mixed between 3 link and a radius. Have seen VXorado's recently and trying to compare.

Did the guy that did your work use a calculator?
Curious to your actual measurements. How long are the lower/upper links? How far in is your upper link axle bracket?
How do you like having the upper link opposite the pumpkin? Have read some mixed things here.
Do you get much dive or squat in the front?

Thanks,

 

[lorenzo816]

I'm in the process of fj80 axles front and rear on my Rodeo Sport(Amigo)... Did you have to change out the master cylinder to accomodate the giant calipers? I've been trying to find bore sizes etc to compare...that's Not easily found....

I didn't change the brake booster, master cylinder or my brake lines. The braided lines i had fit the same threads of the yota calipers. Japanese match isuzu i guess.
My braking feels fine. I don't think the front calipers are that much larger than the original rodeo ones and IIRC the 44 calipers are single piston so not that much fluid goes back and forth. As for the rears, they aren't much larger than the rear rodeo's original calipers. I don't think I'm underbraked here if that makes sense, but If I'm not thinking of something, I'm all ears.
The drilled slotted vented rear rotors help with stopping I can tell but down hill coming back from the mountains, I think I need to get new front rotors. I know the pads are good but perhaps the rotors are a little thin. I started to notice a little shimmy and started engine braking plus pedal braking to keep from heating them up. I wasn't worried if you know what i mean. Helps to have a 5 speed to slow down when you need it. I am going to find some drill slotted vented front rotors when I go to replace these but the fronts will prolly cost me twice as much since its heavier and does like 65% of the stopping anyhow.

...How do you like the low range , is it low enough ?
Guess I don't know what your butt gears are (ratio wise) yeah I said butt !!

Low was waaaay better not that I got the 3:1 done.
I went out before 4.56 and 2:1 in the case and I could tell that i was spinning that much more before now.
I went 5.29/5.36 and the 3:1 is amazingly perfect for the torque i need. I can imagine wanting 4:1 out west due to the rocks but 3:1 is fine enough at an overall crawl ratio of 60.9:1 compared to roughly 37:1 before.

I am starting to do the budget for my link project and want to get your thoughts on how yours was done. I am mixed between 3 link and a radius. Have seen VXorado's recently and trying to compare.
Did the guy that did your work use a calculator?
Curious to your actual measurements. How long are the lower/upper links? How far in is your upper link axle bracket?
How do you like having the upper link opposite the pumpkin? Have read some mixed things here.
Do you get much dive or squat in the front?
Thanks,

Maybe he did use a calculator but he's done probably a 100 or more solid axle jobs over like ten years and link jobs and soa and sua jobs that he probably didn't need to draw it out.
Chris (marsfab) may be still following this thread, so I'll let him chime in. If he's following.

I can measure the links for you when I get back under the truck.
Right now I'm tearing apart the hub flange trying to get the broken studs out to replace them with heavy duty studs and I sent my front drive shaft off to get serviced!

The upper link bracket is tucked up in the inside frame rail next to the trans. I'll have to snap a pic and show ya.
As for the link not being mounted on the pumpkin, I'm not sure it makes a difference. someone with more experience can answer that one. Probably has to do with the fact we are LHD vehicles and the way the panhard bar works with the drag link and the 3rd link combined while cycling the suspension.
Dive or Squat? Watcha mean? If you mean when stopping, does it dip? Not really but the coils feel 'soft' but thats because they have a ton of travel. If you mean flex, like tucking a tire. Hell I get so much tire tuck that when turning on a cambered hill, I can't believe how high the tire has to be to be scraping my front bumper and fender. It only happens when I'm completely maxed - wish I could get a pic.
My rear leaves are soft now and was thinking about getting them rearched or repacked. The rear sits lower than it did two years ago.

 

[Twistedmetal]

Awesome! Thanks for the help!
I was originally planning to do both front and rear fj80 axles.. But I JUST realized(i only bought the rig a few days ago) that the 2001 2wd sport has a friggin rear drum setup! I'm pretty blown away, didn't even think to check that. I wanted a 2wd deliberately so I can run a divorced tcase, but that one snuck by me. Now I'm thinking I'll just run the rear 44 and 4.88s instead of yota and 5.13s so I can skip the brake rebuild for now. Its got the little auto so I won't need to be quite so low.

 

[lorenzo816]

I hate drums.
I hate messing with the parking brake inner drum too.

You could swap to a disc rear 44 and change the master cylinder if its different.
Good luck brosef!

 

[paulevans76]

Maybe it's just my lack of power and low idle speed (600rpm), but I'd kill for a doubler. Another 2:1 or so crawl box would be sweet for true "no-footin'" it in dry/grippy stuff. I have to 3-foot everything like that now, or else as soon as I need to steer or I get slightly crossed up while climbing a rock, it's stall city. I need to finish my hand throttle to give me a little more rpm for steering while trying to crawl. That and the extra torque from the 3.4 ought to make things a little better, but either an auto and ~60:1 or a stick and a doubler would be a more ideal setup IMO.

 

[bradzuzu]

I keep glancing at my midified tcase , I finally have a first gen fuel tank that might fit in the back of the frame , more fuel and way more working room !!

 

[lorenzo816]

Paul that 3.4 is going to make your day and be just what you need. You got everything else covered underneath!
Time and effort and money and oh a new baby are all getting in your way!
Congratulations btw.

Brad, those 21.9 gallons go a long way!
But being so non-aerodynamic and huge off the ground, massive tires including the weight, I've figured my mileage to be 12-15 mpg at best so its a wash really.
If i recall, you have to keep those second gens tanks half full when wheeling because uphill or downhill you can slosh the fuel just short of the fuel pump and run dry. Eeek!
I kinda like having it in the back and glad I lifted it. give it a shot and see how it fits!

 

[Jonesy]

Lorenzo,

I'm curious if you can get some pics of your suspension up front on passenger side when it's stuffed into the fender. My drag link contacts the frame before my bumpstop hits. I have a tiny bit more I could go....but my real goal is to lower the truck about 1-2", and in doing so I will need to notch the frame more then it already is......Did they not need to notch your frame? Maybe even good suspension shots at ride height?

I also notice that it appears you don't have high steer? Are you still running the tie rod on the stock location of the knuckles? I'm wondering that if I lower it, I may have to move the TRE to the bottom of the high steer arm to keep it flat. So I'm just trying to get ideas on how others did theirs.

 

[lorenzo816]

I'll finish up changing my rear flange studs and then go find a loading ramp somewhere if I can and flex it out.
Take some pics for you.
I don't have a notch on the frame and yeah I'm running a high steer on the knuckles.

These shots help? I probably needs some bump stops.
from the build shots few years ago. Lots of that orange dirt under there. (not rust!) lol

 

[Jonesy]

Thanks.

I'm hoping to see how close your trackba/drag link are to the frame when stuffed. As I said, my drag link hits the frame before I can engage my bumpstops....which I'm worried about a little bit. Add to it, I want to lower the ride height a little bit...and that will keep me from doing so. Maybe it's the steering box I have (front swing Ford box) that is making it high. Maybe I should just move the TRE to the bottom of the high steer arm. This is the stuff I can't figure out very easily.

 

[paulevans76]

Thanks.

I'm hoping to see how close your trackba/drag link are to the frame when stuffed. As I said, my drag link hits the frame before I can engage my bumpstops....which I'm worried about a little bit. Add to it, I want to lower the ride height a little bit...and that will keep me from doing so. Maybe it's the steering box I have (front swing Ford box) that is making it high. Maybe I should just move the TRE to the bottom of the high steer arm. This is the stuff I can't figure out very easily.

Just remember that your draglink and panhard need to be at parallel angles or you will get bumpsteer. So if you move your dlink to under the steering arm (which I've also considered) you'll need to move a panhard mount too.

You definitely want your bumpstops to make contact before anything else.

I want to lower ride height and increase uptravel eventually, but it's going to require moving a lot of [email protected] and/or modifying my frame rails further. Mine are already notched.

Your best bet may be notching or heavily modifying your frame rails (cut out the section above your problem areas and slap some new 2x3 or whatever tubing in there to clear everything).

 

[nislo]

fantastic build can't wait to tear into mine! maybe I missed in in the posts but what are the rates of the coil springs? I have 10" coilovers that hold 2 12" springs. I'm thinking 300lb springs to get me 150lbs per corner in front. if my guesstimate is right it will put me at the ride height I want and squishy enough for crawling but with good street manners. I would likely only have 3" up travel

 

[lorenzo816]

thanks
the spring rates i forget but i looked them up for Jonesy here in the thread a few pages back.
I owe a few people photos and measurements.
Apologies.
Been busy with life and I wired a subwoofer in my truck - keepin me busy. Plus trying to figure out some other electrical gremlins in my driver door.

 

[lorenzo816]

Few more updates:
Broke a stub shaft and mangled up the spindle bearing and spindle so bad back in November, i decided to Upgrade.
Superjoints and chromoly shafts, inner and outer!

lot of fun putting these together

takes some maneuvering with a hammer an vice to get the yoke lined up just right on the joint so you can set the c-clips.

went out twice since then in Uwharrie to shake it down.
Once with the Club and once just by myself and two friends (passengers) on the season closing day.
I can never get shots like these since I'm always behind the wheel:

I'll post up some videos we shot too of the suspension cycling.
So rad to be able to catch that on film.

and Merry Christmas to the Planet!

 

[bradzuzu]

Those axle shafts look good , all of that's through Yukon ?

 

[lorenzo816]

yea tough so far Brad.
The joints are Yukon superjoints btu the shafts are from East Coast Gear Supply here in NC.
Big supplier of all things offroad - just about worlwide now.
Lucky to have them 'local' to me about 2 1/2 hours away. They literally show up the next day when I order stuff.
I went with an import cromoly shafts but still covered under full warranty because I have the superjoints.
Can't remember the name of the shafts but you get the idea.

 

[bradzuzu]

Will those joints fit in stock axles ? Usually what happens is a cap spits and then the twisting rips it apart , eventually anyway...

Oh I need to get more busier lol

 

[lorenzo816]

yeah they fit. They have an angled end on opposite sides of the cross so you can get them in the yoke ears.
Guess the question is, where do you want your fuse to be? The shafts and tear up spindles or the joint which is relatively easy to replace and doesn't smash anything up major when they explode.
I also kept my steering stops out more so I don't have the joints at extreme angles. I hear from lots of people that if your stops are 'in' more and your angles are harsh, you're just asking for a u-joint to shred or a yoke ear.

 

[bradzuzu]

Yeah I always try to go easy on the throttle when I have the steering turned sharp , I think that's how I popped the cap on my blazer years ago ... I haven't blown to much stuff in front ends so I've never thought of a fuse , I'd prefer no failures lol
You're right though , I have dropped a front driveline up in the snow , that was a scetchy drive down out of the forest ...

 

[Greaser007]

I looked through this "build" thread, and what a project from conception to completion. _ _ _ right ! _ _ _ and the $$$$ to complete.
That is now quite the capable trail buggy ready for anything. Your fabricator Chris did an outstanding job with beautiful welding skills.

I think it was '87 when I built my first Ford E-250 4x4 van. Drove it for 4-years and sold it so I could do another one to keep. We learn from the first one how to make the second build much much better in all respects. I built my second van a '78 E-250 with 460 and C-6 / np 205 in '93.
I ordered the top arm from DynaTrac and incorporated cross-over steering. After studying the Quadra-Vans, I didn't like their front suspension set-up.
Ran 34" mickey Thompson baha-belted and loved them. After wearing out 2-sets of mickey's I mounted 35-inch BF a/t's, and noticed quite a drop in stopping ability with the larger radius. The kids thought the monster van was cool.

I am feverishly (slowly) doing a refurb on my '95 passport and hope to drive it someday. This was a great thread to follow.