4 link

SLIK66 · Post by **SLIK66** » March 19, 2007, 3:49 pm

I have a 66 shortbox 2wd that is pushing around 500 hp from a built 390. I can't get it to hook up at all! i have 3.55 spooled gears in the rearend and a 16 gal. fuel cell mounted behind the rearend for weight. I have been pondering the idea of a 4 link susspension for some time now and was wondering if anyone has done this before or know where i could find a kit to buy or mimick online. Any other suggestions for ways to gain traction would be greatly appriciated! summer is near and i'm ready to eat up some rice burners!

Thanks!

frank66 · Post by **frank66** » March 19, 2007, 6:32 pm

In the most recent issue of Classic Trucks there's sort of an How To Article with pictures. They are installing a 4 link kit into a bump-side. It didn't look too hard if you know how to use a tape measure and a welder.

Classic Trucks
May 2007
'68 F100
Fatman 4-Link with a Currie 9"

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » March 19, 2007, 8:42 pm

Before you do major surgery like that you might want to consider something like this...

http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1314

I am planning to do these on my 63 that will be around the same power band.

SLIK66 · Post by **SLIK66** » March 22, 2007, 3:41 pm

Does anyone have a 4 link on their slick right now? if so would you be able to draw out some plans with some measurements so i could build my own? I have traction bars right now and i don't think they are near enough...

Thanks!

six-two · Post by **six-two** » March 27, 2007, 12:20 am

I know that you allready know this, but get weight off the front, transfer towards the back if at all possible, your goal is equal weight on all 4 tires. Also a locked rear axle will cut down on some spin (duh), but that's a lot of horsepower. If your going to have that much horsepower, your gonna have to drive two trucks. But a fully boxed frame helps too...

Oh by the way my truck runs the quarter mile in under a minute and I don't even know what a spool is so I'm probably not qualified to help, but it never hurts to try.

______________________________six-two

SLIK66 · Post by **SLIK66** » March 27, 2007, 4:16 pm

Weight distribution is the main reason that a placed my 16 gallon fuel cell under the box behind the rearend. but i'm sure there are many tricks for weight distribution and i would love to hear as many of them as i can! A 390 is not a light engine! and with it being a 1/2 ton shortbox there really isn't much weight in the back. One thing that i have been thinking about is different shocks. I'm planning on putting drop beams on the front and either hangers and shackles on the rear or just flipping it. anyways i was thinking of putting some race shocks all around. for the front ones that are hard to compress but easy to release and viceversa on the rear. thus transfering more weight to the rear of the truck. I have found these adjustable shocks in summit but i'm just wondering if they will still work after i lower the whole thing. so any info on these types of shocks fitting on a lowered truck would be great! How deoes a boxed frame help traction? i haven't really heard of this before and i'm curious! anything that could increase the amount of traction i get sparks me! six-two... a spool is perdy much exactly what you were talking about with a locked rearend. unlike a posi a spool is locked all the time no matter what. they are mainly used just for racing because it is harder to turn sharp corners at low speeds because the inside tire is spinning the exact speed as the outside tire. but if you just flick the gas you can take any sharp corner in style!! (if you know what i mean!

) anyways let me know what you guys think about weight distrubution, shocks after its lowered, and the boxed frame! and any other tips or tricks to gain some traction!

thanks guys!

RFfanatic1

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » March 27, 2007, 10:14 pm

I got a 390 in my '63, but she's no where near 500! haha. what are your specs? I'm interested...

mcarlson11 · Post by **mcarlson11** » March 27, 2007, 11:20 pm

if you dropped just the rear end, it would shift a lot of wait back, thus helping traction. Basically if you lower it, level the truck with no rake.

Jarrod · Post by **Jarrod** » March 28, 2007, 12:28 pm

Drag racing shocks in the front will help at the strip by helpping move the weight back but on the street they can be kind of a pain. Any wieght transfer will lift the front end, so cornering at speed can be fun. Granted this is based on drag shocks I had 15 years ago so I am sure that shock tech has gotten better. I know that swapping shocks on a twin I beam is like a 15 minute job. Getting 500 hp to the hook up on a truck is not gonna be easy. No wieght in the back. I don't think a 4 link is necessary though. Pete in Florida runs 12's in the 1/4 with a leaf sprung rear end and a healthy 460. Wieght transfer, equal torque to both tires, a drag radial or slick, leaf sprung suspension set up properly, and good track prep will help. Sounds like fun

SLIK66 · Post by **SLIK66** » March 29, 2007, 5:33 pm

Well i think i'm steering away from the idea of a 4 link. I think when i lower the truck, put different shocks on, different tires, and work on weight distribution, i might be happier with the amount of traction i get. i'm not sure i want to do major surgury like a 4 link right now either. if i did that then i would have to relocate my fuel cell and...well like i said i think it is too much for right now. I'm planning on putting drop I beams in the front and either flipping the rear or hangers and shackles. but how can i get more than a 3 in drop from just the drop beams? can i put drop springs on too? or would that mess up the angles of my wheels and tires?

4 link

4 link

that's slick!