Custom links

[troyboy162]

My links are in rough shape. The bushings are all worn and the lowers are both bent. Its time to make some since there is nothing good aftermarket. My buddy Jason has been on custom links for about two years now so I have followed his results.
-They must absorb some vibration or you will egg out your mounting holes
-Heims wear out each year (but are really cheap and preform awesome)
-1.5" .250 wall is the minimum
Lowers:
-14mm is our stock bolt size
-stock mounts measure 2.38"-2.36" in width-
Uppers:
-12 is our stock bolt size
-Stock mount measure 2.15" width

-stock link tube length is ~19" for lower and ~10.25" for uppers. Ideal is to run 1" longer then stock.



Materials research
Bottom links
Monster Krawler joint pro Width 2.375", thru-hole 14mm, shank 1" ,14 pitch right hand thread.
http://www.rockkrawler.com/ProductDe...Krawler_Joints

Metalcloak Duroflex forged Width 2.3125 Thru hole 14mm Shank 1.25" ?? pitch ??? hand thread
http://www.metalcloak.com/2-5-8-ODx2...pud-p/7316.htm

7/8 shank Heim set
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...8X34SET15.html

Top links
Krawler joint pro Width 1.875, Thru hole 12mm Shank 7/8 14 pitch Right hand thread.

Metalcloak Width 2" Thru hole 1/2" Shank 1" ??? pitch ???hand thread
http://www.metalcloak.com/2-1-4-OD-x...pud-p/7311.htm


bungs
1.5" ID 7/8 14 pitch for 2" X .25" Wall, 1.5" Tube ID
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...78X125HEX.html
1.25" ID 7/8 14 pitch for 1.75" X .25" Wall, 1.25" Tube ID
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...15X120DOM.html
1.5" ID 1" 14 pitch for 2" .250 wall 1.5" ID tube
????

1.5 ID 1" 14 and 1.25" 12pi
http://www.trail-gear.com/rod-ends-and-link-material



Tube:
1.5" OD .120 wall 1.25" ID
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...25X120DOM.html

2" OD .250 wall 1.5 ID
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...g/2X25DOM.html

[4x4mike]

A couple of questions since I've thought about doing this. How will your version absorb shock if you use hiems? What about using larger diameter tube so you can install factory bushings in your custom arms?

You've got a lot of rear lift with big tires. Is 1 inch longer enough? What about threaded inserts and jam nuts to adjust the length? Would you/do you need to lengthen the upper links?

[4x4mike]

Your links work now. I see you've linked tube inserts.

[troyboy162]

Hiems on both ends for a truck that drives to the trail is a no-go. Jason found that egged out his link mounting holes as well as the wore out the hiems. Any link that uses hiems needs something with rubber on the other end. He now uses high flex bushings on one side of his links. I kinda like the idea of Krawler joints on each end but that might not provide enough cushioning.

Factory bushings are a joke for this application. Even my well worn, sloppy bushings bind badly. Thats tough on my thin link mounts as well as wears out the bushings fast. For street those bushings are amazing but once you strap land cruiser shocks and beat on them they bind, tare and die.

One inch is what Jason is running right now. I'd like to push the axle as far back as possible but they still have to tuck in the wheel wells so its looking like an inch is about it.

[Good Times]

When my 4runner was running I had my rear with heims on all four and never had problems. And I probably put on a good 25k on it most of which was probably on dirt. Maybe I just got lucky! I did however cut my stock mounts and replaced them with 0.25" plates on all four corners so that's probably the biggest difference so maybe it's not a fair comparison.

Links I used are all FK High-misalignment rod ends (don't remember which one). Want to say 3/4x7/8 for my first links but I think I went up a size on the next set. Wasn't cheap by any standard. Hurt like a ****.

For the lower links I went super beefy. I don't remember what size I ended up with (only cuz the 4runner is nowhere near me at the moment so I can't go out and check) but I ended up double sleeving (if this word even exists?!) my lower links. The first time around I want to say I ran 1.5" x 0.250" and ended up bending them quite a bit on the trail. After running a thicker tubing for the lower I haven't had any problems at all. My gut says I went 1.5"x0.25" + 2"x0.25". I'll be going home this weekend so I can check then.

[troyboy162]

In 25k miles you put two sets of hiems on? That's about the replacement frequency Jason has had for them d but he is running them in a stock short arm setup that would multiply the wear compaired to your long arms.

[Good Times]

I should have clarified. My first set of arms were stock length lowers and they were heim-heim 3/4x7/8. I probably put in a good 20k miles and the heims were in good shape. Didn't have any problems what so ever and got a lot of use out of them.

When I went 4 link I needed beefier arms because of the length so I ended up getting new heims for the lower and reused the same old uppers. The new heims have probably seen about 5k miles. Overall the uppers have seen 25k so I'm pretty happy with the results.

I did consider delrin hinges on one end and heim on the other at one point (delrin at the frame and heim at the axle) but decided to just go heim heim. I forget why I decided to go that route but it worked out well for me so guess it's all good. I do remember spending a lot of time on pirate reading up on different variation / combination. A lot of great info there that'll definitely help everyone so keep that in mind for reference. Here's an old article that I read extensively during my explorations into using link ends (Link to article). happy reading!

[4x4mike]

4runner is nowhere near me at the moment so I can't go out and check

It's 8:00, do you know where your 4Runner is?

I've seen different versions of the lower links online. I'd say it's usually 50/50, guys either building them or selling slightly used ones. Real reasons for selling slightly used ones aren't always shared but I suppose there is some trial and error.

Troy, I remember a year or two ago you mentioned your lower link mounts were getting beat up and may be bent. Was that the case? Are the worse now? If you're going to be placing an order with Ruffstuff (good guy by the way, he's very close to where I am and many have good stuff to say about them) what about getting some link mounting tabs? New tabs will be straight, thicker and you might be able to place them in a location that gives you better axle travel for your 35's/LC shocks/tall coils plus some link protection.

Just thinking out loud.

[Good Times]

yeah the 4runner is about 40 miles away from me. close enough but just far enough away that I don't want to go drive there right now.

Keep in mind that once you begin strengthening parts the next weakest part will show signs of abuse so if you're beefing up links and link ends I say beef up your bracket too.

Get something like this http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/CHLB.html or plate the existing lower mount with something from here http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/.../Linktabs.html

using ruff stuff's link for reference. feel free to buy from other sources but I've had great success with them and others. for fabrication stuff I wasn't really too "vendor" specific. Just went with whoever that had the sales and coupons at the time. subscribe to all of the vendor's newsletter so you get coupons via email and buy em when they're on sale. otherwise these brackets and tabs get super expensive fast!

[4x4mike]

Keep in mind that once you begin strengthening parts the next weakest part will show signs of abuse so if you're beefing up links and link ends I say beef up your bracket too.

Get something like this http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/CHLB.html or plate the existing lower mount with something from here http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/.../Linktabs.html

That's what I was getting at, weakest link.

$43 for the mount in the first link!