one link suspension

[cruiserhead81]

i have heard and read a lot about the one link suspension. has anyone tried it and what do you think. i am debating on trying it, but i have read a lot of good and bad. any input would be great.

 

[Spork]

OK I got to ask what's a one link suspension?
For some reason I'm picturing a tractor with the front axle attached in the middle and it just pivots.
(see pic)

 

[1986ToyRunner]

I'm going to have to ask the same thing as spork, what is a one link suspension?

 

[Greg]

It's essentially a one piece 'Y' link. You have the open end mounted solidly to the axle on both sides, about where leaf spring perches would sit. At the pointed, upper end there's a large joint or rod end that allows articulation side to side. You add a drag link to keep the axle located and there you go. Hope my explanation makes sense.

Bryson built a Sammi with a One Link rear suspension, it seemed to work well enough. I'll have to do some digging and see if I can find some pics....

OK, sadly this is the best pic I have of it... :-\ Mabey he'll post up his thoughts.

 

[O'neal]

In the past I've thought about this setup.Pirate has threads galore of 1link discussion's.Let me dig up some info and I will bring it here.Someone there was making a massive,super stout bushing similar to a ballistic joint.


Here's some info.....
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629586&highlight=360+joint

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235977&highlight=1link

 

[I Lean]

It's essentially a one piece 'Y' link. You have the open end mounted solidly to the axle on both sides, about where leaf spring perches would sit. At the pointed, upper end there's a large joint or rod end that allows articulation side to side. You add a drag link* to keep the axle located and there you go. Hope my explanation makes sense.

*track bar/panhard bar, not drag link.

Bryson's was actually bolted to the axle with U-bolts, on the spring perches, just like leaf springs would be. You could weld them to the axle as well.

I think that style of suspension is best suited for lightweight, low-power rigs, to minimize the negative aspects of having the rear suspension's instant center that far rearward. The Samurai fits that bill nicely. :greg: Something with more power, more weight, maybe bigger tires would have some pretty pronounced rear lift under power compared to what it might do with a more traditional 4-link geometry.

 

[Greg]

*track bar/panhard bar, not drag link. ...

Typing faster than I was thinking, you're right.

 

[ChestonScout]

A guy I know up in Idaho did it on the back of a full size Blazer. It works better than most suspensions I have seen in person. He used a trailer ball and hitch and some jeep coils.

It works so well that I wanted to do it on the Scout. I was planning on it but I would have had to build a very funky panhard bar and I would have had to completely move the rear steering ram so I decided to do the 4 link instead.

There are a couple simple tricks with the 1 link. Make the bars as long as possible, make you panhard as long as possible, keep the link as parallel to the ground as possible and, move your coils outboard as far as possible.

I wouldnt hesitate to do it and like I said the Scout would have it but the 4 link ended up easier for me.

 

[lewis]

Proving grounds R.I.P. First obstacle I ever got body damage on.

 

[Silly Willy]

These are a few pictures I was able to find on Pirate
None of these are mine, all pictures I have found on "pirate")

Sorry about how much room it takes.

 

[jsudar]

Mesha had a jeep with a one link in the rear. If I remember right, it had some bad wheel hop problems. Maybe he can chime in. It has since been removed and is being four-linked.

 

[mesha]

My one link worked great. I sold the jeep and the guy who bought it is changing it. It did have bad wheel hope problems when there were no shocks or the shocks weren't dampening enough. I wouldn't have changed it. It cost me under 100 bucks for the whole rear suspension and it worked. probably better ways out there, but I think they can work. FWIW I was on 38s with a 350.

 

[jedi]

I saw a jeepster at little moab with a one link in the back. It was a few years ago. He had 42's and a v8 and it seemed to work pretty well! He used the u bolts and leaf perches.

 

[billylight]

unimog run 1 links from the factory

 

[Bluecrush]

I always thought that setup was called triangulated 3 link or wishbone 3 link

 

[cuban b]

Except it doesn't have 3 links. It has 1 link, and a panhard bar.

 

[cruiserhead81]

i have been looking at the SU 1 joint on pirate but i think $250 is way to steep. what do you think about using a 1 1/4 heim instead.

 

[ChestonScout]

I dont think a 1 1/4 heim will be strong enough honestly.


Why dont you do the cheap route. Use a 2 5/16 trailer ball and cut up a bulldog hitch.

The ball gets mounted to your frame and the hitch gets mounted to your 1 link. Strong as anything and you can do it for under 50 bucks. Thats what my buddy did in Idaho with the Blazer and it works perfect.




When I was considering doing the one link I was going to use Evolutions Frankenheim. The sucker is like 14" long and hella stout but it is also very expensive. I thought the cool factor of having the biggest heim in existence was worth it tho

 

[LT.]

1 1/4 heim would not be my first choice for a one link. I am using 1" X 1 1/4" heims for my lower four link. They really are not all that big. If you are worried about strength and the bulldog hitch and 2 5/16" ball then you may want to take a look at a grader ball. You know the ball that the grader blade is attached to.

LT.

 

[zukijames]

steve. seans dad from www.lowrangeoffroad.com has a one link in the rear of his sami it seems to do pretty good i dont know much about it though.its the yellow sami on the website