Bill's Early Bronco build

[Jeremyrowell]

It almost seems like you know what you are doing!

[Bill Profile Private message]

Don't be fooled , I don't

So I welded together the link mount I used a 3x4 3/16 wall piece of square tubing to fab the ends to the frame. I decided I would cut a hole in the frame directly above the nuts inside of the frame. Weld the nuts to the inside frame then weld the piece I cut out back! This cross member /link mount had to come out , in the event I want to pull the tranny later on . I figured 4 7/16 grade 8 bolts on each side would hold it .

[Bill Profile Private message]

And finally a link is mounted.

[Bill Profile Private message]

The top 3rd link to hold the axle vertical .

[Bill Profile Private message]

Here is where the problems come in . That round piece of wood hanging by the bailing wire is my mock track bar. It hits the oil pan pretty good at full squat. It's also is very close to the top of the pumpkin. I tried several ways and just couldn't get that thing how I wanted it. plus I'm putting a hydro assist on this . Just no room. I decided to go to the back side of the axle and put a little dog leg in it to avoid the top/3rd link. That means I can't use heims at both ends because I don't want the thing braking loose the locking nuts as it gets jostled around. So I ordered a bushing from poly performance so I could weld one end to it. Probably the axle end .

[Bill Profile Private message]

While waiting on the bushing thingy I moved to the rear and started working on the 4 link . It was ALLOT easier than the front. I centered it all up with the Oildale plumb bobs and put a high steer arm on one of the knuckles so I could put a level on the knuckle to put it at a zero vertical position . The link bracket from Artec. Just like the front.

[Bill Profile Private message]

The links attached

[Bill Profile Private message]

The rear top links presented a problem for me . I put them in and realized that the angle was far less than 40 degrees which seems to be the minimum standard. When the angle is less than 40 degrees it puts allot of stress on brackets and heims. So I remembered I had measured and then taken notes on Waynes 4 link on his first buggy. I recall being amazed at how well it worked without having 40 degree triangulation on a single link. Waynes top links were 6.5 inches at the axle (narrow ) end and 29 at the wide (frame) end. That's about 77.5% wider at the frame than at the axle. Mine are 3.5 inches on the axle and 19 at the frame that's about 81.5% wider at the back than the front , So I figured all others strength factors (1 1/2X1/4 wall tubing 5/8 bolts 3/4 heims) being about the same mine would survive at least as good as what Waynes had which was a very good buggy.

[Bill Profile Private message]

Here is a pic of the angle finder over my top links ,, you can see I'm a little short . For those who know a little about squat and anti squat , if you noticed my rear bottom links , they definitely are not in the correct position for a neutral squat . For a non competitive rock buggy this is somewhat a moot point. When I slam the skinny pedal on the street I may notice some squat.

[Jeremyrowell]

Piece by piece it's coming together.