OK....
so, I've been attacked in several directions telling me that w/ the rebuild of the rig it needs to be link'd....(and I have a hard time argueing.....except for the $$$ factor of course.....) and I have no idea how I'm going to "spring" it (no $$$ for coilovers)
but regardless....
what to do for link-ends is the question of the day.....
I hear good and bad's about the johnny joints all the time....but regardless, the VAST majority of them are all using a 9/16" through-bolt.....and....quite frankly, I am not inclined to trust a 9/16" bolt to take what will be thrown at this....
I'd call it a 5/8" minimum "comfort" factor....
but honestly....especially the lowers at the axle end.....I think its a for-gone conclusion that those will be the big bastid 1.25" heims.......
but those add up FAST ($$$), and I'd really rather not have to buy 8 of them...
I'm fairly inclined to run those at one end, and a regualr old 5/8" through spring bushing at the other on the lowers.....and then maybe 3/4" heims on the uppers...
are the bushings just a bad idea, as they're just going to wear out and allow that little bit of axle wrap/hop??
there will also be "maximum" vertical seperation at the axle end for the links.....bigblocks+doublers+bigmeats+fat trucks= the potential for alot of twist...
also.....from a design standpoint......I think I'd rather run the |/\| style, as I'm not terribly concern'd with a little axle steer, and I like the mounting flexibility and the slidy-over-stuff factor......
but, the single tri-angulation also puts ALOT more stress on the joints during a "side-hit", and I've seen it take out a good few ends that way.......the double triangle'd links just take the side hit alot better.......and again, the extra couple thousand pounds landing on it make me worry that much more about it....
should I be that concerned w/ that....or have I just been watching to many comp rigs getting fully stupid???
thoughts.......experiences.....
--B
so, I've been attacked in several directions telling me that w/ the rebuild of the rig it needs to be link'd....(and I have a hard time argueing.....except for the $$$ factor of course.....) and I have no idea how I'm going to "spring" it (no $$$ for coilovers)
but regardless....
what to do for link-ends is the question of the day.....
I hear good and bad's about the johnny joints all the time....but regardless, the VAST majority of them are all using a 9/16" through-bolt.....and....quite frankly, I am not inclined to trust a 9/16" bolt to take what will be thrown at this....
I'd call it a 5/8" minimum "comfort" factor....
but honestly....especially the lowers at the axle end.....I think its a for-gone conclusion that those will be the big bastid 1.25" heims.......
but those add up FAST ($$$), and I'd really rather not have to buy 8 of them...
I'm fairly inclined to run those at one end, and a regualr old 5/8" through spring bushing at the other on the lowers.....and then maybe 3/4" heims on the uppers...
are the bushings just a bad idea, as they're just going to wear out and allow that little bit of axle wrap/hop??
there will also be "maximum" vertical seperation at the axle end for the links.....bigblocks+doublers+bigmeats+fat trucks= the potential for alot of twist...
also.....from a design standpoint......I think I'd rather run the |/\| style, as I'm not terribly concern'd with a little axle steer, and I like the mounting flexibility and the slidy-over-stuff factor......
but, the single tri-angulation also puts ALOT more stress on the joints during a "side-hit", and I've seen it take out a good few ends that way.......the double triangle'd links just take the side hit alot better.......and again, the extra couple thousand pounds landing on it make me worry that much more about it....
should I be that concerned w/ that....or have I just been watching to many comp rigs getting fully stupid???
thoughts.......experiences.....
--B
