|
Post by mario428 on Dec 30, 2006 6:38:34 GMT -4
OK, first get the truck front at proposed ride height, you cannot tell anything from what we are looking at now. To get a usable range of Instant Centers the bottom bar needs to be level using the bottom hole in the rear end housing brackets and the 2nd or 3rd hole from the bottom on the frame brackets. POsition in comparision to the body does not matter a row of beans. You need a range of instant centers to work with that are usable. Do some research into what the adjustments on a 4-link do and the range of usable ones. When you have the components set at ride height and with a usable instant center then make your frame kickup with lots of room, you have all the way to the bed rails to use as you will. www.raceglides.com.au/TechInfo.htm
|
|
|
Post by MercuryMan on Dec 30, 2006 8:13:52 GMT -4
I got a PM from DougD yesterday, very helpful and needed. He's got some 4 link fab articles he's going to email me so I can try to wrap my head around the geomtry of this project. He did show mow some errors in my design - time for mockup #2. The front of the truck is at ride height - atleat where it will be for 07. The engine and tranny are installed so I could see how much it will sqaut. Right now the botton of my frame would be about 10-3/4" from the ground. I'd like to see it about 6-8" with a different front suspension installed next year. That site you posted really explains a lot - I need to read it several times...LOL...I see the error in my design - back to the drawing board.
|
|
|
Post by ShoeBoxRacer on Dec 30, 2006 20:23:45 GMT -4
Stuart, A couple of quick observations regarding your truck's mockup. First, as Mario has indicated, the positioning of the bars has absolutely nothing to do with the vehicle's body location. Four links are all about adjustability, and in order for them to work correctly you must work out their range of instant centre (s). The way that you have the truck mocked up now will never work, your bottom bar should be somewhere near parrallel to the ground at finished ride height for starters, with room for adjustability both up and down. The rear frame kick up that you have mocked would be okay for a ladderbar setup, but will have to be supersized a bit to get the required flexibility that a four link will provide, especially if you are attemping to build this thing with a range of ride heights over the course of a number of seasons, which in my book may not be the route to take, but it's your ride........ If I were in your position, I would concentrate on esablishing the correct rear suspension geometry first and foremost (ride height, range of instant centre, shock travel, etc), then establish a workable total suspension package from that point.
|
|
|
Post by MercuryMan on Dec 30, 2006 21:23:17 GMT -4
More good input. I finally understand the instant center theory so now it's time to apply it. In an ideal world I could build the entire frame/suspension now but there would be no racing in 07 for me - not enough money right now for that - soooo....I have to work with the cards I'm dealt and do what I can with them. If the stock frame would have been ok I would have stuck with leaf springs and James Duff traction bars but it was toast. I'm already way deeper into this project than I originally intended - but that's just the way I do things I guess.... I'm going to try and work on the ranger on Monday, I'll make a few adjustments as recommended by you guys and post a pic of them....Like I said, this is about fun for me, that's all - so a little grief towards me for my battle plan is ok. ;D
|
|
|
Post by Fordrelic on Jan 2, 2007 20:37:26 GMT -4
hey stu, is it going to be birch or oak! As you know I am also building a Ranger, it has been 3 years in the making and may take 3yrs more. Ii have made a lot of bo bo's but with the help of some friends it will get done. As far as worryng about wasting some steel as my granddaughter would say suck it up princess ! Like you we have a very limited budget only because Andrea only give me $10.00 per week. As I have learned to build it yourself you are going to waste money, wither you plan on it or not its called racing or a learning experinece. The only way that I have found to get the truck as far as I have is to screw up. If you want someone to build you truck pay them to do it if not learn from your own mistakes there is a lot of great advice from a lot of great people on this message board the only way we learn is to do it your self.
Woody
|
|
|
Post by MercuryMan on Jan 2, 2007 22:01:24 GMT -4
I hear ya Woody - I learned all too well about screwing things up and wasting money when I built my 63, I'm hoping things will go a little easier on this build having learned from that one. I looked at my geometry with a 27" tall tire yesterday, to get my bottom bar at 0* my top bar would be at 12* if I put the bolts in the holes spec'd by my Comp Eng instructions. Having said this - my frame brakets would be about 5-1/4" from the ground....Easy to build a frame to suit. I'm doing some research on boost fed torque/gearing/tire height now to see what my best course of action will be for traction under heavy boost. I'm also looking at shock kits - I can't afford the double adjustable kits right now so I was looking at kits like this: cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=190067728335&rd=1&rd=1Anything I should know about ideal shock lengths or etc for a 4-link before I re-design my frame or buy some shocks? The Autofab kits are available in many lengths.
|
|
|
Post by DOUGHEMEON on Jan 2, 2007 22:14:15 GMT -4
Hey stu why don't you search the net a lot of great sites have many details on how to set this junk(stuff) up!!!!
|
|
|
Post by MercuryMan on Jan 3, 2007 6:51:37 GMT -4
I knew the peanut gallery would pipe up eventually. ;D ;D ;D I've looked around a bit but most sites deal with cars and pre-fabbed frame kits. I've found very little on building your own frame. I'll sort out the last remaining issues this week and get started on the frame...I'll have to bite the bullet somtimes.
|
|
|
Post by mario428 on Jan 3, 2007 9:47:41 GMT -4
I looked at my geometry with a 27" tall tire yesterday, to get my bottom bar at 0* my top bar would be at 12* if I put the bolts in the holes spec'd by my Comp Eng instructions. Having said this - my frame brakets would be about 5-1/4" from the ground....Easy to build a frame to suit. 5 1/4 sounds awfully low for what you are building, what happens to the 5 1/4 when you lower the front. The bottom of the brackets on my T-Bird are going to be higher than that. 27 inches is a very short tire for a back half project, minimum 30 inches if using a slick. Big a$$ slicks, the bigger the better, yes it is that simple. Remember a 4-link car wants to squat on the back, the Fairmont squatted the back of the car up to 3 inches going by tie wraps on shock shaft. Get the longest travel shock (5-7 inches)you can find with the most adjustment possible. Set in the middle of travel at ride height and play from there.
|
|
|
Post by Don @ Maritime Drag Racing on Jan 3, 2007 9:48:52 GMT -4
Lots of suspension info at: home.earthlink.net/~whshope/ - I don't know if any of it would be of any use to you but it's still worth a look.
|
|