4 bar

[yoshi]

Do you think this looks ok ?

[geezer#99]

No!!
Not strong enough!

[Speedbumpauto]

I've never seen a set up where both rear bar ends were below the axle tube and it looks like that's what you have. Or am I just not looking at it right? If such is the case, seems it would compromise the integrity of the set-up. Are both bars parallel to the front mounting?

[yoshi]

Looks the same as this? http://www.sporttruck.com/featuredve.../photo_02.html
http://www.classicindustries.com/pro.../t6675120.html

[Mac the Yankee]

Looks like the coilover is touching the shock tower?

[yoshi]

I'm thinking of getting the lugs at the top of the shock made with thicker steel & maybe move the hole out slightly to give a bit more room between shock & box section

[OrrieG]

Whole rear suspension depending on a couple of what looks like 3/8" grade 5 bolts, bottom one with a pretty good moment on it? I have had shock bolts that size fail over time with the springs carrying the suspension load. Not a question of if, just when metal fatigue sets in.

[Mac the Yankee]

Sounds like you should tear down/rebuild the dam instead of sticking your finger in the leak...

[mr48chev]

No because you have the weight of the truck riding out on the end of that bolt. All of the bolts look to be 1/2 inch or maybe slightly larger but on the lower shock bolts you have all the pressure out on the end of the bolt with a spacer between the shock and the bracket. It may hold up for a while with mild driving but hit some rough pavement or haul a bit of a load on rough pavement on a road trip and you run the chance of bending or breaking the bolt.

As far as the location of the 4 bar setup, it looks like it was done that way on the other truck to clear the frame rail where they set the 4 bars up and not as an engineering exercise that was well planned. I honestly don't know if it will work right or not but am concerned that the torque will put abnormal stress on the suspension with that setup as it goes against most everything that I have seen 4 bar wise. Just because someone did it and posted photos on the internet or in a magazine doesn't always make said assembly correct or guarantee that it will work as you expect.
l
With the brackets for the 4 bar hanging so low there is also the scrub line issue. Where I live having that suspension piece below the rim of the wheel isn't legal.
'

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by yoshi

I'm thinking of getting the lugs at the top of the shock made with thicker steel & maybe move the hole out slightly to give a bit more room between shock & box section

I would say you are correct on that. That looks to be about half or one third the thickness I would want there.

Also that bolt looks like it may be too small for the application. you should have at least a 1/2 inch diameter = 13 MM bolt there.

[Speedbumpauto]

Well I guess now I've seen it twice. Neither your pic or the magazine pic shows how the axle tube is attached to the 4 link. That's the spot where I would worry most. I'm certainly no engineer but I wouldn't put any serious power behind that before I had someone smarter than me explain how the forces of push/pull on the 4 link bars and the axle tube rotation were properly taken care of. Looks to mimic the 60's chevy truck rear arm set up but they only had one pivot point in the front so it acted more like a ladder bar. NASCAR uses the same basic design so that configuration will support power. I guess I just don't understand the reasoning. I'd love to hear some good explanation. Might be a chance to learn something.

[NEWFISHER]

I believe the lower mounting point is a stepped down tube that the coil over rests on. The bolt just keeps it from sliding off the tube( if I remember correctly) Can you remove the coil over and check? if it is a stepped tube, it will be fine. If it is a bolt--scary

[Kim57]

Ride tech has this shock bracket for supporting the lower mounts.
I'm planning on making my own.
Kim
http://www.ridetech.com/store/billet...ear-mount.html

[lazypineapple]

it needs new lower shock bushings and washer on each side of the rubber bushing.