First of all this is NOT something I want to do to my rig.

I have no idea why the hell I thought of this or even spent the time to draw it for that matter...

Does anyone think it could work? and I have no idea how the hell to suspend it... the red link is intended to have a slip joint (like a square tube driveshaft)

a larger isometric view

a larger top view

i dont think it would work because the arms would want to get longer and shorter as the suspension moves up and down and they would fight each other. at least thats what it looks like to me.:confused:

You would need some very stout mounts on the frame. It would take up a lot of space. May inhibit upward travel, when the diff gets too high, it may hit the arms. The arms need to be bent, or mounted really high.

Originally posted by Robert
You would need some very stout mounts on the frame. It would take up a lot of space. May inhibit upward travel, when the diff gets too high, it may hit the arms. The arms need to be bent, or mounted really high.

Yeah I realize it needs more tweaking for the arm placement... Sorry I just whipped this out quickly.... but the concept? think it could be made to work?

Originally posted by FULLSIZE
i dont think it would work because the arms would want to get longer and shorter as the suspension moves up and down and they would fight each other. at least thats what it looks like to me.:confused:


Originally posted by Danger Ranger
the red link is intended to have a slip joint (like a square tube driveshaft)

Should theoretically work... but not without issues.

The torque load on the frame mounts and also on the axle mounts would be immense. They'd probably be better separated into two mounts (one front, one rear) on each side of the axle, that share a common longitudinal axis. I think you'd be better off separating the frame mounting ears farther yet--make it resemble a Baja truck A-arm mount (18+" apart) and you'll have a much more durable setup.

Put coilovers on top of the axle mounts, and it's complete. :)

Regardless of good idea or not, it's neat to see interesting ideas kicked around.

Originally posted by Scott@Rockstomper
Should theoretically work... but not without issues.

The torque load on the frame mounts and also on the axle mounts would be immense. They'd probably be better separated into two mounts (one front, one rear) on each side of the axle, that share a common longitudinal axis. I think you'd be better off separating the frame mounting ears farther yet--make it resemble a Baja truck A-arm mount (18+" apart) and you'll have a much more durable setup.

Put coilovers on top of the axle mounts, and it's complete. :)

Regardless of good idea or not, it's neat to see interesting ideas kicked around.

I guess the idea resembles ifs locating a solid axle :eek:

You should take that pic to 4 wheel parts and ask them if they have and after market Ranger lifts like that one.


Just a thought:flipoff2:

Eric

i understand how the red one moves up and down a bit for the axle to move, but what about the green one?

if it is fixed and the red one NEEDS to move, or do both have slip joints?

Originally posted by Danger Ranger


I guess the idea resembles ifs locating a solid axle :eek:

half wishbone for live axle?

I see an issue with rotational flex/torque on the length of those arms with nothing to prevent wrap.

I think you would be better off with a wishbone or a arm on both sides and a centered third link.

j

The axle will still follow the arc of the green link will it not?

I think it would have too much twist. Also the frnt to back play would be unreal. With some mods it would work but you'd be putting in a link sus. to keep it in place.

This almost looks like a Caufman suspension. Kinda like what we run on Concrete Mixers. Take a look at the rear end of a readymix truck one day. No Springs, but it flexes like hell. The only real difference is that it is designed to work off of 2 rear axles. Me and a friend were taking a look at one of our mixers flex the other day and wondered if we could make it work in a single axle. I have gone places in a 66k Pound mixer that the contracters couldn't get through in there 4x4 pickups. Of course I am 8x8 with Dual Axle and Differential Lock. :rolleyes:

That looks something like a Watt's suspension that I read about in a hot rod magazine.

Originally posted by papee
I think it would have too much twist. Also the frnt to back play would be unreal. With some mods it would work but you'd be putting in a link sus. to keep it in place.

yes i was thinking the same thing....you'd need links to keep it in place anyways............

Originally posted by Mr McGee


yes i was thinking the same thing....you'd need links to keep it in place anyways............

Why?
If you triangulated out the frame mounts, and made the axle end pivots pretty solid, it should control twist, axle wrap, and side to side movement.

I would mock up some scale models out of cheap tubing or pipe, before actually putting this into a rig.

What cad software are you using / where did you get it?

Yeah, though arms will take up a lot of space.
What about the steering arms? They would end up getting bent between the links, if this was a front link suspension set up!

Dean

You guys brought up some good points that I didn't think about, when i get some more time I'll modify my drawing.

Freshman: Go paint your cruiser and roll it again :flipoff2:


bj on roids: the green link was intended to be a fixed length, the red link is meant to have a slip joint so they don't fight each other.

rocksforbrains: I use autocad 2002 with land development desktop (nothing to do with this stuff though) oh and my work bought it :D

I agree with Scott and the others you need to reinforce the links an A frame or Wish bone design would be stronger..

Others have pointed out the arc of the green link as a problem, I agree.

if the PS tire drops the whole axle will shift to the DS. because the red link will allow it to slide over. then again I could be wrong

If you built it as drawn with out modifing to get more beef
I would make both green and red have slip joints and ad coil overs.

Another idea might be if these links were torsion bars and the mounts to the axle or frame had sliders built to them then you wouldnt need much more than shocks

What advantage do you think this suspension would have over existing suspensions?

Originally posted by Air Bag
What advantage do you think this suspension would have over existing suspensions?

complicated as fawk? haha

maybe no anti-squat? no "rear steer" but it would move the axle left to right like a suspension with a track bar.

Originally posted by ItsaCJ6
If you built it as drawn with out modifing to get more beef
I would make both green and red have slip joints and ad coil overs.

I can't see this idea working if both links could change length. This is how i imagine this: the green locates the axle left to right and half way front to rear. The red links only purpose is to locate the other half of the axle front to rear. With that in mind i figure if it had a slip joint it could do it's job without interfering with the green link. Ok now i'm getting confused :confused: :D

Unless the green link is horizontal it wont have much down travel.. it will run its arc.
If it is set horizontal it will have a longer swing in the arc moving downward and through.

But as drawn with a drop from the frame it will begin to move the axle to the side. like a pannard bar

Where are all the poly boys and all the gurus? Christmas break....???

Originally posted by Danger Ranger


I guess the idea resembles ifs locating a solid axle :eek:

Yup, Its giving me TTB thoughts

The biggest problems I see are clearance issues. How would you get it to clear the oil pan and steering? It also appears from you drawings that the frame/approach angle may suffer.

Not really sure with out dimensions. It gets points for looking cool in my book.:D

1st it's cool people are thinking up ideas, 2nd it won't work like that! :flipoff2:

As mentioned the axle wrap would twist the arms if the bushings were made to handle it.

Also no method of preventing front to rear movement, it will bend/tear/fold/spindle/mutilate the frame and axle mounts for the 2 arms.

Using a-arms with the wide part at the frame solves the front to rear movement but not the axle rotation.

You could control the wrap but the mounting and size of the arms becomes very large.

If you used some sort of bearings at the mounts I believe it could work well, it would take some testing to get the proper bracket and arm strength without going overkill but it could work. If its feared it would work like TTB I think thats GREAT! TTB can suck up jumps awsome but you still get the articulation of a solid axle. I am seriously thinking about mocking up a model of this, I have free weekends lots of tools and nothing to work on (the DD of limits till I find a pair of beefier axles) I think this would be a good rear design that offers nothing hanging below the frame to get hung up on.

Hey DR what program are you drawing that up with. Is it something you have at work or what? And the susp. looks intresting if you put it at more of an angle fwd and aft it may work for a street machine.

Originally posted by EBSTEVE
Hey DR what program are you drawing that up with. Is it something you have at work or what? And the susp. looks intresting if you put it at more of an angle fwd and aft it may work for a street machine.

dude it's really nothing special... It's just stock autocad, but my understanding is there are much better programs out there for 3d and solid modeling.

What about something like this?

Looks very similar to a Watts