Category: Rear Suspension

Questions we’ve been asked about rear suspension- parallel vs. triangulated, leaf springs, air ride, etc.

Dear Welder Series… triangulated four bar bar lengths?

Dear Welder Series…
How can you calculate the length of the upper and lower bars so to know that your rear four link will work effectively ? I have a 1956 chevy bel air will use coilovers!

Dear Ken…
Ken, a triangulated rear 4-link is fairly forgiving if you need to change bar dimensions a bit. Our standard bar lengths will work well in your Chev.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… triangulated four link for an NG?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi there, My name is Rob and I live in Holland (Europe) I saw your Triangulated Four Link Kit and I am very interested. You see I have an NG chassis which had the dimensions of an MGB, and I was wondering if I could use this kit (maybe with some extra accessories) to fit my car, so I can get rid of the leaf, feather springs. Could you advise me please?

Best Regards,

Rob

Dear Rob…
Rob, the triangulated kit should work well. Because I feel that your frame is narrow, you might want to mount the upper bars on the axle just inside the frame rails and angle them forward and towards the centerline of the frame. This will give more support angle than mounting them close to the rear axle center section and angling forward and out to the inside of the frame. Check the installation drawings on our web store to see if there are “ambushes” waiting for you.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts for your project.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… Custom Bars?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi D.W.
I was wondering if the 21 1/4 inch bars would work on my chassis, I need them to be 21 1/2 inches long from C/C were they mount. (See) photo above, they would be 1 inch dia DOM

image

Or would I have to get custom made bars, talk too you soon

Dennis

Dear Dennis…
[update: the response to this tech question predated the (mostly) standardized 1-3/4″ wide bushings, so I removed the info to avoid confusion. We can build bars to your specs.]

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… what comes in the 8.8 four link kit?

Dear Welder Series…
I am interested in buying this product, but I am unsure if it contains everything I need, can you give me a parts list for this kit? That would be wonderful.

I am using a 67 chevelle rearend with the stock triangulate four link setup, and I am just trying to make sure I can use the existing top mounts.
Thanks for your help!

Dear Alexander…
The parts in this kit are:
Frame brackets for the upper and lower bars.
Lower bars with one end adjustable. The other end has a sleeve for the urethane bushing.
Upper bars with one end adjustable. The other (axle) end has a bracket that wraps around the stock GM bushing on the axle differential casting. This bracket must be welded to the bar after the bar has been cut to length. It might be necessary to drill this bracket to the correct bolt size.
Axle brackets for the lower bars. The brackets have holes to mount coil-overs or shocks.
Urethane bushings and hardware. Bolts and nuts for the axle end of the upper bar are not included. (The stock GM bolt & nut can be used.)
Installation instructions.
The kit is available in component pieces that you would weld together or with all welding done that can be done by our shop.
Thanks for asking. I hope we can help with your project.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… 1950 Studebaker Four Link?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi I’m going to narrow the frame on my 50 studebaker car so I can pro street it which would you recommend a 4 link with a panhard bar or a triangulated 4 link without the panhard I like the triangulated better but I’m not sure which is stronger the car is putting out around 350 to 400 H.P.
Thanks Jim

Dear Jim…
Jim, there’s not much difference, strength wise, between the parallel and the triangulated kits. If you don’t want or need the adjustments of the Pro/Street kit, I’d suggest you go with the kit you like best.

The parallel kit is easier to install and easier to adjust because the Panhard does the left-to-right without changing the pinion angle or the  squareness of the rear end to the frame centerline. The Panhard might be fairly short, depending on how narrow the frame is. You could use the 2184 kit to keep the bar as long as possible.

The triangulated kit is less money, because there’s no Panhard to buy. You might consider running the upper bars from just inside the frame to a crossmember above the driveshaft. Weld the kit’s upper bar frame brackets to this crossmember. This will give more stability to the upper triangulation.

In either case, since the car will be Pro/Street, you should consider adding a gusset to the lower bar bracket.
I hope this helps with your decision. Please ask if you have other questions.

Dear Welder Series…
Thanks for answering my e-mail only I’m not sure about the gusset to the lower bar bracket you mentioned is there anyplace on the website with a photo?
Also I’m guessing the car is going to weigh  around 3,000 lbs. estimated. Is there a specific triangulated 4 bar kit for that size of a car?
Thanks again Jim

Dear Jim…
There aren’t pictures of the lower bracket gusset. This is just a suggestion if you plan to beat on the car with stickier tires.
The 318500 kit (shown above) is a versatile triangular rear 4-link that would work fine.

Thanks for getting back to me.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… 1989 Chevy Pro Street Pickup Four Link?

Dear Welder Series…
I am building a 89 Chevy c1500 street/drag I am wanting to go with a narrower rear end and do a 4-link set up. I was wondering what 4 link set  up would you recommend for me?

Dear Jon…
Our pro/street rear 4-link can be set up so the bars are parallel for street driving or they can be adjusted to get the instant center that you want for racing. The kit comes with urethane bushed bars. Serious racers use these on the street but change them to rod ends for the track.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts for your project.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… 1951 Chev truck rear suspension?

Dear Welder Series…
I have a 1951 Chevrolet truck 1/2 ton putting a 2002 Chevy S10 4×4 Blazer 8.5 ring gear rear w/disc brakes in. I want to use the 4 link system, which one of yours will work easiest and best?

Thank you!

Dear Don…
Don, the decision regarding a parallel or a triangulated rear 4-link is somewhat philosophical. Here is my explanation:

Both kits do a good job of locating the rear end, holding it in place, and letting the suspension work.

The triangulated kit costs less than the parallel kit because a Panhard bar is not required.

 

The parallel kit does require a Panhard kit (about $100.00). The parallel kit is easier to adjust for squaring the rear axle to the frame center line, and centering the frame left-to-right.

The Panhard bar does move the frame left-to-right as the frame goes up and down, but if a straight Panhard bar is installed level, this amount is insignificant (about 1/8″ with a 19″ bar) for normal suspension travel.

I hope this helps you decide. Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts.

Dear Welder Series… Triangulated four link upper bar angle?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi Paul I am in the middle of installing one of your triangulated four links. How much angle do I need on the upper part. (angle from frame rail to rear housing if looking from top). If I have to shorten the upper bars what would you suggest the min. length be? Thanks

Dear Derek…
Derek, the upper bar frame bracket is designed to mount the bar at 27 degrees off of the frame. It might be hard to reduce this angle very much and still put a wrench on the nut, if the nut will even go on. Another option might be to mount the axle end of the upper bars just inside the frame rails and angle them towards the frame centerline. Then add a new crossmember and mount the frame brackets to it. This way the bars can stay at their original length. As the bars get shorter, the pinion angle changes more dramatically as the suspension works. I hope this helps.
Paul

Dear Welder Series… 1989 Chevy drag truck four link?

Dear Welder Series…
I am building a 1989 Chevy c1500 street/drag. I am wanting to go with a narrower rear end and do a 4-link set up. I was wondering what 4 link set  up would you recommend for me.

Dear Jon…
Our pro/street rear 4-link can be set up so the bars are parallel for street driving or they can be adjusted to get the instant center that you want for racing. The kit comes with urethane bushed bars. Serious racers use these on the street but change them to rod ends for the track.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts for your project.