Hilux 3 link rear

[benhl]

As topic suggests - looking for info on a rear 3 link for a hilux (prolly grafted from a rangie)

Any info or opinions being sought after. What do you thiunk - Pros and Cons................ Cost - benifits problems

Anyone done it - could you email me me some pics would be great!

Thanks Ben

[Toyhatsu]

I have a three link front using `91 Range Rover radius arms, linkage with Heims and Fox AirShox...no springs. I had done an axle swap with leafs before but this flexs much nicer. Very simple and a MUCH nicer ride.

[benhl]

Nice! That's what i was thinking. 3 Link with fox shocks. Less parts, better flex and nice ride. Adjustable for flex, load carrying capacity and ride height!

1 question - how do you limil the travel. In theory if you have a set up that flexes very how (ie heim/rose/johnny joints at all flex points and a 360 degree piviot on the point of the triangle link) do you stop it?? Do you need like a limiting strap or something?? Otherwise the shocks will be the limiting link??? Don't want to fa#k them

[hypo]

I have a three link front using `91 Range Rover radius arms, linkage with Heims and Fox AirShox...no springs. I had done an axle swap with leafs before but this flexs much nicer. Very simple and a MUCH nicer ride.

sounds cool any more pix ? or even a link to a build up or sumthing ?

[Toyhatsu]

I do have bump stops for the up travel but down it's just shocks that limit. Mine are only 12" shox. How many time are you going to jump the rig where down travel might take a jolt? If you jumped it a lot you could add a limit strap.

The track bar is behind the drag link.

I have seen quite a few three links on the front using Mitsubishi Montero, early Ford Bronco or Rover arms. I'll see if I have some pics.

I am usually over in the Daihatsu forum and have never been here before. All of me trucks drivetrain is Toyota as it's too hard to get Daihatsu parts here in the US. Toyota's are everywhere

[toymad]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthre ... ge=1&pp=50

[Toyhatsu]

Early Ford Bronco arms and coil overs

[Toyhatsu]

More modified Bronco arms

[Toyhatsu]

more

[Toyhatsu]

I bought my Rover arms on Ebay for $18.00 for the pair...they looked like almost new. New bushings $12.50 each on Ebay also.

[Toyhatsu]

The rear bushings were good

[Toyhatsu]

Making front brackets

[Toyhatsu]

You saw the front and rear bracket parts earlier

[Toyhatsu]

I don't like how far they hang down but it's no worse that an extended shackle. They are inboarded quite a bit and mildly triangulated.

That's it...flame away

[eliteforce32]

great pics mate, sjould put this in the bible, with a few more pics

[Toyhatsu]

With the old spring under and shackles in the front it would jar me teeth loose going over speed bumps. This is very soft. I don't have as much body roll going around corners (daily driver) as I did with the spring under. I was told that the design of the Rover arms (IIRC) is that the squat and antisquat cancel each other. I do have a slight raise of the front accelerating in first and a very slight brake dive...much less than with the spring under.

All in all it is one of the best mods I've got.

PS: It does flex MUCH better now (that's when it was on 33's)

[benhl]

Thanks for all the info etc Toyhatsu

Does anyone else have any input?? Trying to guage wether i should do it or not. Also Pros and Cons.

Does anyone know if BB has a 3 link? And where he got it etc - what is the set up. Excluding the hydrolic bits.

[benhl]

Upp you Go!

[basketcase]

Thanks for all the info etc Toyhatsu

Does anyone else have any input?? Trying to guage wether i should do it or not. Also Pros and Cons.

Does anyone know if BB has a 3 link? And where he got it etc - what is the set up. Excluding the hydrolic bits.

He has a 4 link and he made it himself with 1madengineer. I have heard them say something like between $400 and $700 to do it your self.

Why not go rover a frame?? A few people have done this here the board.

[beebee]

Thanks for all the info etc Toyhatsu

Does anyone else have any input?? Trying to guage wether i should do it or not. Also Pros and Cons.

Does anyone know if BB has a 3 link? And where he got it etc - what is the set up. Excluding the hydrolic bits.

He has a 4 link and he made it himself with 1madengineer. I have heard them say something like between $400 and $700 to do it your self.

Why not go rover a frame?? A few people have done this here the board.

Yes mine hilux has a double triangulated 4 link rear suspension. It seems to be working well

[sierrajim]

How did you go with fuel tank clearance with the 4 link?

[Surfection]

It's not a complex job building a three link rear, you may find the fuel tank will limit the area you have to build your A frame. I had to put a custom tank in the rear of mine since the stock one was in the way of where i wanted my A frame. Personally I wouldn't use a rangie A frame as myself and others with rangie's have had problems with them, sure plenty of people run them without problems but that's just my opinion.


Building the swivel joint is easy as, just get a 1 inch, high tensile bolt with a length of say 150mm.

Get a piece of tube or pipe, heavy walled [4mm+] with an ID of say 45mm and trim to a length of 100mm.

You then want to get a piece of nylon or other heavy duty plastic [basically bodylift material] machined up so that it has an OD the same as the ID of your piece of pipe, and a 1" hole down the center for your bolt.

Always a good idea to drill and tap a grease nipple in the whole lot while you're there.

This is your 360 degree swivel.... To the head of your bolt you now want to weld another piece of tube, again heavy walled, this one needs to be about 50mm wide, inside this one you want another piece of plastic etc, same as before with a bolt hole 3/4 inch or whatever you feel comfortable with. This is going to be your up and down pivot point. You them make a U shaped bracket to go around this last piece of tube, with a bolt passing through.... this U shaped bracket is what you weld ontop of your diff housing, axle truss, etc with relevant bracing.

So now you have something that looks like a big T, with your smaller bolt going left to right, and your big bolt going straight out in front, through it's piece of tube.

Imagine it sitting on the top of your diff, with the U welded down on the top, the smaller bolt going left to right, and the 1" bolt pointing toward your T-case, now... the two arms of your A frame come down from your chassis mounts and are welded onto the piece of tube that is around your 1 inch bolt. Obviously it isn't a good idea to weld there with the plastic inside, so remove it first, same with the other piece.

Now you have a rigid, yet very flexable joint that is strong and cheap. For your chassis mounts you can use the same setup, tube, with poly bush and a bolt through the middle. Remember to lubricate all moving parts.

Your lower arms might cost a bit more, as they need flexability at both ends, you can use cheap shity heim joints, from your bearing supplier, and tap your bar/tube/pipe to suit the thread, but using cheap shit might come back to bite you later. If you drive reasonably hard I would advise speaking to ABT/MnM or your favourite supplier about some decent heim joints, good insurance for when you're out on the track.

You can use standard patrol bushes inside your own tube mounts, i think they're about 35 bucks each, and flex well.

Other options are big balls bollocks joints, or snake racing/dobbins mogs joints.

Just make sure your arms are nice and long, your mounts don't hang down too far, and you'r lower and upper arms are nice and parralel, this will ensure you have a predictable and neutral setup.

I'm sorry that i can't post pics to better illustrate what i'm talking about, none on this computer unfortunatly, if you need it explained better PM me a phone number and I'll do my best to explain it over the phone.

Cheers, Jeremy

[sierrajim]

I've read with 4 link setups that there is a "rule of thumb" ratio between the uppers and lowers. Does the same apply with the A-frame?

[Surfection]

I've read with 4 link setups that there is a "rule of thumb" ratio between the uppers and lowers. Does the same apply with the A-frame?

Yes if you want to get particular about it there are ways to dial in your setup so it will handle differently depending on driving style and conditions, but personally i've never bothered. As long as your arms are not to steep, not too short and parallel you'll be very happy.

[STUMPY]

How did you go with fuel tank clearance with the 4 link?

hey james,

this is how did mine with the intention of a 3-link set-up in the future
cheers joel

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... p?id=11594

[sierrajim]

How did you go with fuel tank clearance with the 4 link?

hey james,

this is how did mine with the intention of a 3-link set-up in the future
cheers joel

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... p?id=11594

I was thinking that would be the case. Just bought a front chassis cut of an 80 series for the coil hats (much easier and neater than fabricating them).
Will start coil rear and coilover front 2nd weekend in October.

[benhl]

Good Good Stuff! Thanks Heaps to all especially Surfection! I have a few options to consider now and i'm looking seriously at doing this in the near future. If so i will have a bunch of stuf to offload from the numberous leaf set ups that have been trialled. They should cover some of my costs.

The Bindless joint at the apex of the triangle is exactly what i was thinking. Combined with soem heim joints or similar would be great. What would be a good front end set up to completment this?

[Surfection]

Rears up front dude, keep it simple and just wheel it. You'll easily max out a 12-14inch travel shock with RUF. You'll need crossover steering, shock hoops, dropped and moved forward hangers etc.

[1MadEngineer]

benhl, pm BB and ask him nicely if you can have a good look at his rig. worth the effort and will save you heaps of pain in the long run.

[benhl]

Actually had a bit of a sticky at cruiser (we camped with him and scotty) one weekend a while back. Where are you located 1MadEngineer?

I'm trying to limit the number of parts under the vehicle and make the ones that have to be there bullet proof. Hence 3 link not 4 - less parts & braceable for strength, air shocks not coils and springs and perchers, cones etc for less parts to break.

What are your thoughts - you come recomended by a few guys..........