It has Started

[Mud Lite]

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link.html

[Mudslug]

Mud I have been looking at the Fox Air Shox with great interest. I have read just about everything there is to read on them (POR, Fox Webite etc) .

Do you have these in your hands yet? If so I was wondering what your final price to your door in CDN (exclude shipping) was if you don't mind me asking.

Also would you please hurry up and get them installed, i want to know how they work!!! hahahaha:D

[Mud Lite]

Don't have them yet. Won't be testing till spring

[Mud Lite]

here is a pic from Day 2:



http://ovo.ca/john/sawsall006.jpg


" Did I do that?":yike

[zc911]

:yike

gotta love teh sawzall :D

[Mud Lite]

Day Three:

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/4-link%20002.jpg

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/4-link%20003.jpg

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/4-link%20004.jpg

[TheSarg]

Thatsone hell of alot of werk dude, i take it the hand healed back to good for ya, thats great to see!!

[Mud Lite]

Hand is good. A little stiff in the morning, but funtional. Hard to believe when you look at it that I almost lost the end off one :-)

I'm not sure if am going in the right direction with the cage. I am fighting with the idea of pulling it back and starting over, or just keep using the original............stop the voices in my head!!!!!!

[MuddMachine]

MudLite, hows about a progress report ? :D

[Mud Lite]

I am waiting for material, shox, links and link ends. Plus its too F'ing cold out there. I hope to get back at it this weekend. Start torching off those usless spring hangers and pockets :D

[TheSarg]

Hey Mud, I am by no means anywhere near as good at fab as u are, but a silly observation, in yer pic i see you have manipulated the frame onto a soft 90 degree outwards. Do you think it'd be a good idea to tie one side into the other by a cross support or would that be too much? My only concern is when u flex that munster of yours that part of the frame will contort and put added stress on the pipe.

I could be, and prolly am out in left field on this, but only way i can learn is by askin ?'s Hope ya dont feel im steppin on toes.

L8r

[Mud Lite]

Sorry guys , its been damn cold up here and its hard to heat the garage. I have been cleaning the frame off and rear axles brakets and finally started at some fab work last night.

Which do you like better?

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/frame0003.JPG

or

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/frame0007.JPG

[Mud Lite]

Originally posted by TheSarg
Hey Mud, I am by no means anywhere near as good at fab as u are, but a silly observation, in yer pic i see you have manipulated the frame onto a soft 90 degree outwards. Do you think it'd be a good idea to tie one side into the other by a cross support or would that be too much? My only concern is when u flex that munster of yours that part of the frame will contort and put added stress on the pipe.

I could be, and prolly am out in left field on this, but only way i can learn is by askin ?'s Hope ya dont feel im steppin on toes.

L8r

Working on it Sarge. I am tying the rock rails into the frame on one side and then a cross member across. A work in progress. Its better to ask than to think , good observation.

[lil beast]

I think as far as looks and ease of fabbing go the tubed axle looks better cuz it matches the rest of the truck and is probrably easyer to make.:)

[Domo]

Wow, that's a LOT of work. I'm very impressed by the path you've taken with your rig.

Keep up the good work, and I'll be quite anxious (as I'm sure many are) to see how it all works out.

-Wes

[Fullload]

So are you going to use bushings on both ends or a mix of heims and bushings?
Where did you source these Bushings that we see in the picture?
In the 2nd pic i see a bracket off the rear of the pumpkin cover and one an the horozontal cross bar as well? Cause it's a 4 link design there should be no use for a trac bar, so the only thing i would conclude it bieng is extra support for the cross member to relive some of the stress from the upper links? Is this right?
Keep it up i love pics, and good old fashioned Fab work.
Did the coil overs come in yet?

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by Fullload

In the 2nd pic i see a bracket off the rear of the pumpkin cover and one an the horozontal cross bar as well? Cause it's a 4 link design there should be no use for a trac bar, so the only thing i would conclude it bieng is extra support for the cross member to relive some of the stress from the upper links? Is this right?


Just cuz it's a 4 link doesnt mean you dont need a trac bar, all depends on the link configuration that you choose.

[Mud Lite]

Originally posted by lil beast
I think as far as looks and ease of fabbing go the tubed axle looks better cuz it matches the rest of the truck and is probrably easyer to make.:)

Actually the square was easier to fab up. It also makes it easier to mount link tabs to because I am working off a flat surface. ( I do like the looks of the round, but looks arn't everything :-) I build to GO!!!

I was also concerned with ripping the tabs out of the sched 40 Tube. The square is 2"x2"x1/4"

Will keep you all posted.:D

[Mud Lite]

Originally posted by Fullload
So are you going to use bushings on both ends or a mix of heims and bushings?
Where did you source these Bushings that we see in the picture?
In the 2nd pic i see a bracket off the rear of the pumpkin cover and one an the horozontal cross bar as well? Cause it's a 4 link design there should be no use for a trac bar, so the only thing i would conclude it bieng is extra support for the cross member to relive some of the stress from the upper links? Is this right?
Keep it up i love pics, and good old fashioned Fab work.
Did the coil overs come in yet?

Your 100% there B. I wanted to have extra support off the axle but was affraid to weld to the cast. I'd realy hate to rip the housing apart 3000 km's from home. As far as the Bushings go. I will be running rubber on all 4 corners. But it also gives me the option to change over to hiems if needed. This is all R&D as usual. This is how Mud Lite gets built. If it works , it stays.

T. No track bar needed for a 3 or 4 link system. Not sure where you would require one except in a leaf spring app.

[Fullload]

Cool . Thanks Mudlite. Keep up the good work. Mudlite looks great. So when your done you gonna let me test drive around the camp at suzican and lemme drive up the hood of my own truck!!!!:D

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by Mud Lite

T. No track bar needed for a 3 or 4 link system. Not sure where you would require one except in a leaf spring app.

The rubicon xtreme duty system runs a rear trac bar cuz its a paralell 4-link.

[Mud Lite]

My mistake, I thought you were talking about a traction bar, not a Pan Hard Bar. Correct, when using 4 parellel arms a trac bar must be used. In my case I will have double converging arms XX
so no need for the trac bar.

:beer:

[Mud Lite]

Took the day off today and did alittle more cage work. I added two lower supports to protect the air tank and new gas tank. These also lowered the look of the rear which wasn't working for me.


http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/cage0002.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/cage0003.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/cage0004.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/cage0005.JPG

Next I will work on the Upper Shock mounts off the frame.

John

[MuddMachine]

Hey Mudlite..... is this how you attached the new x-member to the frame ? -

[MLC]

hey mudlite could you give me a few tips on bending pipe ....some thing to get me started.. i just got one last week and tried it sat. it bent the the pipe but i think i went to far with it because i ended up with two dents where the rollers contacted the pipe ...some advice would be great .....thanks

[Mud Lite]

sort of Tony. I cut the frame off, then ran a pipe upwards to cap the end of the frame. After it comes above the frame, it turnes 80 degrees towards the back.

As far as bending pipe without the dimples, use a piece of 1/4"x1'x3" plate between the rollers and the pipe. This will spread the load and not dimple as much. Also play with roller location. The further the are out the less they will kink.

[Mud Lite]

Well found out this weekend that all the steel I bought was
garbage!!! The DOM was .005 too small and the ERW was .005 too big.
These are meant to slide inside each other to make a laminated Link.
So Metal Supermarket is getting it all back is short pieces.

Any way, after I got over that I was able to do a little more on the
link connections. Finding a point the doesn't interfere with the
drive shaft was the main trouble with a 4 link and offset diff.

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0001.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0002.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0003.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0006.JPG

I was also able to match the passenger side shock hoop, Changed the
radius arms and plated the poor frame.

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0011.JPG

Another problem to overcome was bridging the engine bay. With the
4.3 shoe horned in , it didn't leave me much room to bridge over for
the shock hoop stablizer bar. I now have to invent a new air filter
system ( thanks Kev) What would be better, a HUMMER snorkle or
running the breather through the fire wall?

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0012.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0013.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0014.JPG

Next is the Upper Frame link mounts, links, and lights.

[zc911]

you buy from metal supermarket? Those guys have HUGE markups.
Here in toronto i buy right from North york Iron, who is where metal supermakret buys from ( i see at least one of their trucks there %90 of the time i go), and the price difference is HUGE

[Mudslug]

Ya, but he is out in Ottawa so i will bet his choice is limited. i go to Ability metal in Pickering...those guys are pimp.

[zc911]

do a stake out :D
site outside metal supermarket and follow a truck see where it goes to buy the metal.
the amount of money you save will be worth it
an exmaple

material to build a car trialer at metal supermarket $1200
acutal cost at north york Iron under $500

[Depot]

Originally posted by zc911
do a stake out :D
site outside metal supermarket and follow a truck


ummm.... lemme be the first... "GET A LIFE!!!!!"


:beer:


D

[SuziCrazy]

HA HA HA! My words exacly Depot!

[zc911]

LOL :D
seriously though, you should defintly find a better place to buy metal from than metal supermarket

[Fullload]

Looks shape Mudlite. Did you source out you links brackets or custom make them? what are you running in the lower rears for bushings? and the top for joints? size? what about you tube thickness and material?
What type of height separation from the uppers and lowers did you go with? i guess about 6 inches on the lowers but i cannot guage the top links because i do not know how low the belly pan sits.
Sorry for all of the questions but i just gotta know!!! could be something to look into for next winter.

[Mud Lite]

Well here is were we stand from this past weekend. The 4-links is in
place and redy to weld up. It seems to cycle fine and gives me
around an inch of clearance to the drive shaft.........wow!!!

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0015.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0017.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0018.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0019.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/links0020.JPG

I decided to abandon the hiem joint mount bridge over the engine andwill go solid mount. I have also attached the hoop through the fire wall into the existing cage.

I spoke with Fox today, and my shox are being built tomorow and
being shipped out this week. Jim sprang recieved 1 of the two
packages I sent and the other one hasn't shown up in a week. :-(
The brackets I ordered from RockStomper were turned away at the
boarder. I'm glad I decided to build my own.

More to come

[Mud Lite]

The links are 1 1/4 .120 ERW sleeved with 1 1/2 .120 DOM.
They are 48" eye to eye and I am using rubber bushing links for R&D , They are 3/4 by 3/4. I have 5" of vertical at the frame and 9.5" at the axle. My antisquat value is 67% . I made the axle brakets only because the ones I ordered didn't show up. RockStomper has some nice ones.

[Fullload]

Thanks for the reply. all sounds good. It was also a good choice to sleeve the erw with the dom. i hear you can still bend 1/4 Dom without some sort of help, and i think trussing your link is tacky booty Fab.
Just in your last post is enough info to get someone going on a 4 link if they set their mind to it. :beer:

[MuddMachine]

Sweeeeet........ :D

[Mud Lite]

" Can I have my order now please?":bawl:
































and no it doesn't have a Hemi:D

[vanbdan]

ROTFLMAO!

[Mud Lite]

Had to come right home and slap them on!!!

http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/shox0001.JPG
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/shox0002.jpg
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/shox0004.jpg
http://ovo.ca/john/4-link/shox0005.JPG

Back to the brakes now.

John

[Fullload]

Almost there. Looks good.

[screech]

Holy crap That Looks GOOOOOOOD!!!!

[leadfoot]

One question John, where is Riley supposed to sit?:D

[Mud Lite]

In the J33P :-)

[MuddMachine]

Doesnt look like alot of up travel John, is that all you need ? It's kinda hard to tell from the pics. They are the 14" shocks ?

They look sharp :D

[Mud Lite]

Who needs up travel ? :D
They are 16's and will be set at 6" of compression and 10" of droop. The shocks are progressive so don't just think of these purely as a shock, but instead a primary suspension.

Basically, how much uptravel does the average leaf or coil travel upward? Usually in the 4-6" range.

[Grumpy]

hey Farley, what happened to the custom "basket" you said you were going to fab for him? No room, after the compresser, tank, fuel cell, and lunch pail?:D

[Grumpy]

so when do we get to bold the wheels on and take it for a test? How many days before Moab???

[Mud Lite]

Originally posted by Grumpy
so when do we get to bold the wheels on and take it for a test? How many days before Moab???

Bold as in Print or something your mother called you?

What's the WE? I will test it in good time. And as far as the dog in concerned................there is lots of room in the J33P. Got that furnace hooked up yet? Almost time for the A/C. hahahahahaha.


43 days to Moab!!!!!

[Grumpy]

Hey, still winter, furnace is 85% ready, besides I'd rather be chopping and welding outdoors! The Zuk goes under the knife SOON. I think I have secured a set of Toy axles for it as well, not this year though...........got a little matter of a wedding to look after first. If I screw that up who's gonna cook and clean for me while I'm working on and playing with the Zuk? :)

[Mud Lite]

I have added all my build photo's to the Album.

Album (http://ovo.ca/gallery/album11?page=9)

I got my gas tank from Bob today, so its time to bolt things back into place. Plumbing is next.

John

[TheSarg]

Dude that is one kickass truck!!!!!!!!

me & my lil sammi bow in the shadow of such greatness!!!!


Good job man
:beer: