4 link

steve68 · Post by **steve68** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:43 am

has anyone used one of these before?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... gory=33586
was just thinking of a way to mess with the car.
Don't know how this would work autocrossing and street driving

any other ideas?

steve

SLOroadster · Post by **SLOroadster** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:12 am

From the sound of the listing, its for airbag lowriders. I think it would be a bad idea for a roadster to go that route. However a panhard bar and/or a watts link rear end would be nice. I'd like to put dual torque rods on mine some time along with a panhard bar. Even though we run a live axel, the car still handles very well. The panhard bar would just improve the cornering a little more.

Just my $.02, Happy New Year,

Will

steve68 · Post by **steve68** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:14 am

sounds good. it something i could make my self. That is the same setup in the fords and chevys..even now. So i didn't think it would be to bad.

steve

heres to a better roadster year

toolsnob · Post by **toolsnob** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:52 am

Will is right. I think we had a thread on this earlier in the year. From looking at it realistically I think that some bars could easily be fabbed to get rid of the leafs. A racer had posted that he dropped a couple tenths or a second in his autocrossing. This probably wouldn't mean much on the street but it sure would look cool to ditch the rear spring perch look from the rear of the car.

Alexi

steve68 · Post by **steve68** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 9:17 am

how would a 3 link handle the street and drag racing? autocrossing?
that seems alot easier to fab than a 4 link.
but if you make a 4 link like i showed hen you won't need a panhard bar. as the top two bars keep it from moving side to side.

or with road racing you would still need it?

steve

Chris Coker · Post by **Chris Coker** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:44 pm

It all depends on whether or not you use rubber bushings, or heim joints (rod ends) on the links.

A four link suspension with an added panhard rod is kinematically overconstrained. In roll, your loads will skyrocket, and eventually something will break, either the link, or where it attaches to the frame or axle. If you have rubber bushings on the link ends, the rubber will deflect, rather than the steel of your links and attaching brackets.

The angle in side view of the upper links in a four-link design determines how much roll steer and the height of the roll center.

In production designs that use a four link, the links usually have rubber bushings, and you wind up adding a panhard rod (or watt's link) to add lateral stiffness.

In general, the three-link suspension gives you a bit more design flexibility. But you do have to have some sort of lateral axle control, i.e. panhard rod, watt's link, etc.

Most road racer prefer the three-link design over the four-link, if the rules give you the flexibility over the type of suspension.

Chris C.

steve68 · Post by **steve68** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:30 pm

thanks for the clear up. i drag race and thats all i know. trying to learn the autocross stuff

how about ladderbars?

thanks
steve

Chris Coker · Post by **Chris Coker** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:42 am

Four links and ladderbars are used primarily in drag racing, I believe. I have no drag race experience, but I have co-workers that are seriously into drag racing (9 second Ford EXP!). My understanding is that the four-link, ladderbars, etc., are used to help weight transfer off the line.

I would imagine ladder bars would do some odd things to the rear suspension roll stiffness and roll couple distribution. With the limited amount of torque available in a roadster, I don't think there's a lot to be gained from ladder bars even for drag racing. Unless of course, you're dropping in a monster motor.

Chris