Tate
What?
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2007
- Messages
- 3,419
I've got about 250 pictures of my build, but I'll try to post the relevant ones. Feel free to cruise through the album.
I had a Carli Performance 2.0 suspension setup on my '98 12v. It really wasn't much better than stock, and I lost a lot of payload capacity because it removes the overload. Couple that with the lifted front end, any time I had a load in it, I was looking to the sky and it became old quick. So I started coming up with plans for air ride and a rear four link.
The bags I went with in front were W013585426.pdf and rear W013585439.pdf
I went with EMF bushing ends. Totally overkill, but they are second to none, and are about 20 minutes away from me.
I drew up the the link brackets and played with the numbers in the 3-link and 4 link calculator. Once I was happy with that, I picked up a 4x8 sheet of 1/4" mild steel. I had to make two of everything, so I cut the plate into an appropriate shape and doubled it up. Laid out the shapes, and drilled all the holes for the link ends or axle centers to 1/4" and bolted it together.
Everything I cut out was with zipcut and smoothed out with a belt sander. This is after the brackets are cut and sanded, just need to cut out the centers for the axle tube.
Four inch hole saw. 1/4" pilot bit lines up in the holes I used to bolt the plates together.
Cut out.
I cut out 2" OD bushings to add a bit more bearing surface on the link bolts. This is prepped for welding. Everything with 1/4" center holes, so just bolt them together and burn them in.
Test fitting the link ends. 1-1/4" shank, 3/4" socket head cap screws. The bolts I picked have a shank that is just a hair longer than the total distance through the brackets and the link end. So I'll have to add a couple washers to ensure the bolt tightens against the brackets and not the shank. I wanted to make sure there was enough surface on the brackets, and not wearing on the threads.
I had a Carli Performance 2.0 suspension setup on my '98 12v. It really wasn't much better than stock, and I lost a lot of payload capacity because it removes the overload. Couple that with the lifted front end, any time I had a load in it, I was looking to the sky and it became old quick. So I started coming up with plans for air ride and a rear four link.
The bags I went with in front were W013585426.pdf and rear W013585439.pdf
I went with EMF bushing ends. Totally overkill, but they are second to none, and are about 20 minutes away from me.
I drew up the the link brackets and played with the numbers in the 3-link and 4 link calculator. Once I was happy with that, I picked up a 4x8 sheet of 1/4" mild steel. I had to make two of everything, so I cut the plate into an appropriate shape and doubled it up. Laid out the shapes, and drilled all the holes for the link ends or axle centers to 1/4" and bolted it together.
Everything I cut out was with zipcut and smoothed out with a belt sander. This is after the brackets are cut and sanded, just need to cut out the centers for the axle tube.
Four inch hole saw. 1/4" pilot bit lines up in the holes I used to bolt the plates together.
Cut out.
I cut out 2" OD bushings to add a bit more bearing surface on the link bolts. This is prepped for welding. Everything with 1/4" center holes, so just bolt them together and burn them in.
Test fitting the link ends. 1-1/4" shank, 3/4" socket head cap screws. The bolts I picked have a shank that is just a hair longer than the total distance through the brackets and the link end. So I'll have to add a couple washers to ensure the bolt tightens against the brackets and not the shank. I wanted to make sure there was enough surface on the brackets, and not wearing on the threads.