I was thinking about how wristed arms work and how to improve on them and was wondering if a bolt on 4-link to replace the radius arms
A: Has it been done
B: Would it sell
C: think it would work?

tomarrow i will post pics of what im talking about.

As far as I know a bolt on front 4 link for stock coil Ford's hasn't been done.

Sure it could work, anything that is well though out and quality built can work.

Will it sell? Probably not. Why? The early Bronco crowd that would benefit from the performance of something like that also recognize the simplicty and cost effectivness of just wristing a front arm. Quick, easy, CHEAP and NOT COMPLICATED. I'm going to step out on a limb here and say that you can't build a bolt on 4 link front that would out perform a wristed arm for the same $. And even if there was a little gain, it would be so small as to not be worth the money it would cost.
In these two pic's the only non stock items are the Duff coils and a wristed arm on the passenger side. Springs were $120 which you would have to have anyway and the mod's to the arm were did on a Saturday morning for $35 worth of parts. (Same EB just different bodies)


http://www.greatnorthern.net/~fearme/images/newbody1.jpg

http://www.greatnorthern.net/~fearme/images/oldbody1.jpg

thanks thats what i wanted to know.

I agree with Roger for an EB with stock axles. But I would think that for a d60 a 4-link susp would be the way to go and what I plan to do when I swap. If properly designed and affordable there will be a market for it-if for no other reason than the WOW factor.

I forgot to mention ONE slight difference in the above pictures. The one with the EB body is a front HP full width 44. The one with the B2 body is a narrowed front HP 60. both suspensions I've got the same wristed arm and springs though. The wristed arm also works very well with the front 60.

I think "WOW" is what most of the mod's we do are for anyway. :D

A bolt on 4 link will not sell. Why? because anyone that builds a 4 link for their rigs would not want a bolt on generic kit, or so I would think. Each 4 link should be built to the rig that it is being installed on. You could sell a weld on kit taht has everything set up, except for the arms. The arms would ahve to be fully adjustable in length. Once again, this kit would have to be semi custom for each rig, depending on the motor, tranny and t-case setup on each truck. Personally I like Leaf springs more than coils for the front, and when I go 60 up front, I am gonna swap in some leafs and get rid of the coils. As for the rear, you could fully build a 4 link weld o kit, but DO NOT biud a bolt on setup.

Dimitri

oh it would be adjustable. Then who buys long arms from companys like james duff and such? his seam like a universal bolt on kit.

James Duff sells long arm 4 link kits? Hell I think if anyone buys a universal kit, they have something wrong. Each kit should be built to each persons standards and requirements, but that is my .02

Dimitri

well here is a sketch of what i want to do. It isnt drawn to scale nor are the backets or links in the exact spots. the front mount would clamp around the c-bushing like a raduis arm would and the mount on the frame would bolt to where the radius arm mounted or a little further back and use a mount like the long arm kits use to replace the radius arm mounts. BTW Flatty I never said James Duff made a long arm 4-link kit.

TR you did say you planned on running a front 60 didnt you? if so this--- even if not is somethign I might want to do... your idea looks interesting

Thanks, in theory it should work and it should also keep the pinion pointed toward the t-case at all times. next time a bronco comes through work im gonna get some measurements off it and see if ther is enough room for it to all fit under the truck.

You also need to remember ground clearance and tire clearance at full turn. You also need to mount shocks, and it has to be easier and cheper than the solution that is already in place (wristing a radius arm) Your exact 'new idea' was what I and many others, had on paper and thought about, over 5 years ago. And that was even after Donovan was driving around with the first wristed arm. It was tossed around on a list or two and decided that it was more complicated (prone to breakage) and no better performance wise than just wristing an arm.
If your going to "build a better mousetrap" it had better meet the following:

Be far superior to what is available.
Be less or at least not much more expensive.

In the offroad world the above are even more important and you have to add at least the following:

Be a lot easier to install.

I don't want to tell you it's not a good idea and don't chase your dreams but the bolt on 4 link your thinking about is not far superior to wristing an arm for a 44 or 60 coils sprung front end. It's not going to work better in any kind of offroad situation I've ever been in and there are more places to break and go wrong. It's not going to be less expensive, it will be very expensive. And, there is no way in the world it will be easier to install and maintain than a wristed arm.
One thing to remember about all your offroad buddies and these lists. They all love ideas and will pat you on the back and congratulate you about your future as the new Currie or Dynatrac. But laying down hard cash is another thing.