4 link suspension

what do people think about 4 link suspension over leafs
will this make the ride softer....it will have more travel ....but is it worth all the time and money
and is it easy to do yourself

 

i suppose it depends what your application is, is it a rock rig or something? what sort of axles are you using with what kind of lift?

i'd rather swap in some flexible leafs and keep things simple/cheap.

 

i can't say i haven't fantasized about teeny little heim joints connecting a 4 link to a closed knuckled dana 25. maybe make a mini tj suspension on an early jeep? haha you could use 4 wheeler suspension parts

 

coils or coilovers.
almost all the manufactures have gone to coils in one form or another for ride quality, TJ or JK anyone?
A linked suspension is also easier to get travel out of, actually it needs to be limited but this allows for long travel "rock" suspension that don't require "missing link" shackles or other weird setups. Large lift springs get stiffer as the height increases. Bump steer, a leaf suspension will have more, shorter connection points, than a properly designed link suspension.


One the other hand Links don't flex so they don't break like leaf spring that have lots of flex.

There are lots of reasons but simple isn't one of them.

 

Go drive a TJ and see what you think. I realize they have superior wheel travel potential and ride better. They aren't as robust and damage tolerant, however. Personally, I feel like I'm driving down the street in a baby buggy. Maybe a stiffer sprung TJ would feel more secure - I just don't know.

 

a proportionally designed rubber bushing'd quad coil 4 link suspension that mimics a tj would be an interesting setup on a cj5.

as wrong as it would look i wouldn't mind seeing how well that short wheelbase would run with coils, expense aside.

 

If you want to go 4 link you are up against a big climb
$ link is a superior system to leaf in so many ways it is now under it's second generation of jeep, It has so many advantages over a leaf spring system it is ridiculous it wasn't developed decades earlier.
Some of the problems you will have though with a early cj will be having the skills to fab the towers for the shocks, getting the geometry of the system correct, and there are a lot of angles that need to be closely followed to get it correct, and the fact that it will rip the light weight frame under your Jeep to pieces putting torsional loads in places yours was never designed to receive. I would advise getting a modern tube frame from an aftermarket company and then reading a good book showing how to desgn and the angles you are needing to design to. Also If you are going through that much trouble, design it with coilovers so you can tune the suspension from road to dirt easily.

 

Most of the guys that "built" link systems and spent thousands on links and shocks are now going back to tried and true leaves and $30 shocks. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar you simply can't touch a leaf spring short wheel-base Jeep.

 

its a cj5 but i like to have fun with the rocks and want to go from a 2 inch lift to a 4 inch so i am thinking of which one i want

 

yeah leaf spring all the way for longevity, strength, simplicity and cost. you could go half and half, cherokee style; coil front leaf rear or vice versa. haha

you could go full leaf mild lift with terraflex revolver shackles (do they make them for cj5's?), i know a guy running them front and rear on his 360 powered cj7 on like 3 inches of lift.

 

with my leaf suspension set up (and complete lack of caring about the body) ,I feel the leafs work just fine , and will really twist upon the rocks,it's the WB that is the limiting factor,I just can't make it up a steep ledge that my front tires can't even reach.I wouldn't mess with it, all those bars in a very small package= nightmare

revolvers are cheating

 

X2 on the 4 link

haha they work, better than coils

 

what would be a good leaf setup with a 4 inch lift on a 72 cj5
.... so it could be good with rocks and smooth on the roads

 

i've never used superlift before but i ran rubicon express and rusty's lift and word on the street is that they use the same company to source their springs. odds are they won't be very forgiving on the road but then i wouldn't expect if from lifted leaf springs anyway. you could always remove the lower leaf for comfort and lose 1/2" or so (i would make a 3" kit out of the 4" to make it more supple.

http://www.superlift.com/Catalog.asp?P=K712&V=264

i always like black diamond suspension too, but from the looks of the site superlift owns them.

i know if i was going to spend bank on a nice set of leafs short of having them made there is always old man emu, now owned by ARB. i don't know if they make their larger cj lifts but i always drool over a nice simple 2" double military wrapped setup.

http://www.arbusa.com/Products/Suspension-Systems/30.aspx

you might have to call some of these places up for prices and availability, they probably don't sell through cj5 suspensions as often as the modern junk.

hope that helps

 

Skyjacker Soft Ride springs give a nice ride on the road and are plenty flexy offroad. I ran them for 3 years with no sag.

 

When you consider the cost and time involved to 4 link the suspension, the cost of a good leaf spring lift kit is minimal. I am running 12 year old 2" Rancho on mine. Not super soft on the street, but I don't expect it to be. Works well off road although with any short wheel base leaf sprung rig you should expect some tire lift.....you get used to it, eventually. Pic here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jzeber5/JeepStuff#5464889550565582610
BTW mine rides much nicer on road when loaded for a weekend trip with all my gear and ice chest.

 

Check out BDS also. Great kit for about $500 you get springs, shocks, and a u-bolt kit. They also have the best warranty in the biz.

 

Another possibility is doing a YJ spring conversion. The wider springs from the YJ are softer than the narrow CJ packs and flex much better.:v6:

 

I NEED TO LOOK AT THEM ALL ...another reason i want to do this is so i can put 35inch tires on it can you do that with a 2 inch lift ....i no u can with a 4inch