4 Linked Duramax Thread

[TrentNell]

just thinking out loud here...

would it have saved you any weight by just back halfing the truck with some 2x4 or 2x6 box tubing?

what do you have planned to run behind the axle to hold the bed?

the fraim rails i removed were 75 lbs between the 2 side , I am sure you could save more the more you back halfed . For behind the were the frame ends there will be just light weight material to hold the sheet metal , dont have it designed yet going to do it seat of the pance style

 

[1lowdiesel]

ahhhh yea just wing it...works for me

i was thinking more along the lines of just wacking it off at the back of the cab and making new rails.

 

[TrentNell]

ahhhh yea just wing it...works for me

i was thinking more along the lines of just wacking it off at the back of the cab and making new rails.

Ya you could probably save some more weight but for now i am keeping it simple and am going to use what already there , the way i build stuff it would end up heavier after than before :baby:

 

[sweetdiesel]

Pretty cool Trent

 

[TrentNell]

Got all the mounts done last night , cant weld the cross member into the truck or place it untill my bars show up but glad i got that much done last night , it takes quite a bit of time to make all the brackets because all the holes have to be perfect height so alot of measuring and alot of time in front of the drill press . I will be boxing in the axel brackets and were it hangs down past the cross member but will wiat untill it all finished and do that last just in case i have to change something , so far i think it is going to be pretty cool and should work good .

Sorry , nothing fancy on the pics, I just snapped some with the phone as i was going last night .

 

[JoshH]

That's a lot of room for adjustment.

Are you going to be adding any gussets to prevent things from twisting and flexing side to side?

 

[TrentNell]

That's a lot of room for adjustment.

Are you going to be adding any gussets to prevent things from twisting and flexing side to side?

Thats the idea is one way or another have what ever the truck decides it likes covered in the adustment and be able to maybe do multiple tasks with the same 4 link . And thats what mounting points( height from ground ) i used to design it in the software and the #'s looked good on the computer so i didnt change it, 4 mount holes at each bracket for each bar .


I dont know yet , the axle brackets are 3/8" thick so after i box the back in with 3/8" plate they should be plenty stout but i might . I will probably have a few gussets on the front mounts since they are 1/4" plate. Once stuff starts going in I will look it over , Common since just looking stuff over once its in will get you a long ways .

 

[JoshH]

There are lots of interesting gussets here, if you want to add a little "bling" to the build : http://bluetorchfab.com/store/index.php?cPath=58

A couple of my favorites:

Bottle Opener Gusset

.

Brass Knuckle Gusset

 

[TrentNell]

Those are sweet ! I may just need a gusset or 2 now just to get some bling in there

 

[MMLMM]

trent re you not considering a cage at this time? If I were you I'd do it. Theres not much to a 4-link and when even 1 bar breaks at those speeds, it will be all over the place...

Good luck on this build, looks interesting.

Take a look around Speedway motors, they may have a few odds and ends you may come across that are needed. This is where I get most of my dirt track stuff from. They have quite a bit of suspension parts and some pretty trick fabbed parts.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com

 

[TheBac]

Mike makes a very good point there, Trent. You dont want to be like that guy in the Dodge a couple years ago.

Do not sacrifice safety...your family will thank you for it.

 

[RickDLance]

I agree with them. Please wrap that bracket all the way around that housing tube. I've grown found of you.

 

[sweetdiesel]

Is there something wrong with running a panhard bar?

 

[sweetdiesel]

Trent thats some deadly stuff! :thumb:I sure hope it helps.

 

[TrentNell]

trent re you not considering a cage at this time? If I were you I'd do it. Theres not much to a 4-link and when even 1 bar breaks at those speeds, it will be all over the place...

Good luck on this build, looks interesting.

Take a look around Speedway motors, they may have a few odds and ends you may come across that are needed. This is where I get most of my dirt track stuff from. They have quite a bit of suspension parts and some pretty trick fabbed parts.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com

Thanks for the link i will check it out , no just roll bar for now .

I agree with them. Please wrap that bracket all the way around that housing tube. I've grown found of you.

Thats a good sugestion and will def do it , its better to be safe than sorry .

Trent thats some deadly stuff! :thumb:I sure hope it helps.

me too , its alot of work if it doesnt improve much .



got as far as i can go untill the bars show up and get some more material for the driverside axle bracket , but should give you a better idea of what its going to look like . the 4link cross member is also getting a driveshaft hoop :cool2:, I sure wish i had some more Fab equipment, its turning out pretty good but is taking forever to make all the peices and tuff to make it look good with just a cutting torch and Arc welder, my mig is too small for any of this project . There were alot of ways to make it and didnt care for look of the big crossmember i made but it made sence from a steingth perspective( 3/16" thick wall ) , it fit the design for desired mounting points , so it will work , should look decent once everything is painted and powder coated .

 

[sweetdiesel]

Can you safely use alluminum instead of steel?

It looks as though that will help more as far as supporting the frame from twisting
I cant see it not improving Trent.

 

[TrentNell]

Can you safely use alluminum instead of steel?

It looks as though that will help more as far as supporting the frame from twisting
I cant see it not improving Trent.

You could use aluminum but it would have to bolt into the frame , the front brakets would have to be aluminum too , and you would have to know enough about aluminum to know how thick everything would have to be to hold up( i dont :rofl . And ya that was the idea , even though its a touch heavy it will be strong enough that i was able to get rid of 3 factor cross members in the proscess and probably end up stronger than before . the way the frame is nothced top and bottom it should be way stout once wleded in .

 

[sweetdiesel]

What size of tubes and rod ends are you going to use?

 

[TrentNell]

What size of tubes and rod ends are you going to use?

rod ends are 1 1/8", and tubes are 1.5" 1/4" wall DOM . If you break or bend a bar the company is offering to replace it free of charge , they think they will hold up fine .

 

[sweetdiesel]

rod ends are 1 1/8", and tubes are 1.5" 1/4" wall DOM . If you break or bend a bar the company is offering to replace it free of charge , they think they will hold up fine .

Thats big


You should make a loop like this trent
http://chassisengineering.com/enlargephoto.asp?ProductId=1048