Jimny 4 Link Suspension

Hey all,

Has anyone have an experience with rear 4 link conversion as the following links?
and what are the impressions
www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Keep-ca...0089_1265852609.html
item.rakuten.co.jp/hb-1st/877761/

does anyone knows 3 or 4 link kit for front?

thanks
Guy

minare wrote: Hey all,

Has anyone have an experience with rear 4 link conversion as the following links?
and what are the impressions
www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Keep-ca...0089_1265852609.html
item.rakuten.co.jp/hb-1st/877761/

does anyone knows 3 or 4 link kit for front?

thanks
Guy

I wouldn't waste my money on this kit, and it isn't a true 4-link as it still requires the panhard rod.
Also, as far as I know, upper and lower rods must be same length to avoid the axle turning when it articulates. And also with these short upper rods, I don't think you'll that much more articulation than with standard radius arms.

There are a few good 3-link and 4-link calculators online you can use, if you want to make it right. 3-link is a bit more straightforward than a 4-link, but still requires a panhard rod. 4-link does not.

I think that kit is for a Suzuki SJ only

There are pictures of the jimny kit below, but as Tom says the top link is far too short really, looks like the old 4 link kits we used to put on mk 2 escort rally cars 20 odd years ago lol

Picture shows some articulation, but not more than a std 3" lift setup IMO ?

Gary

the top links need to be at least 70% of the lenth of the bottom links for it to work without binding up

in the middle of a build with 4 link rear & 3 link front at min did try to do 4 on front but it just was not working out

vitara_mad wrote: the top links need to be at least 70% of the lenth of the bottom links for it to work without binding up

in the middle of a build with 4 link rear & 3 link front at min did try to do 4 on front but it just was not working out

I think there's more to it that just a rule of thumb about length of the rods.
The calculators online seems quite advanced really.

But must admit, don't know alot about it. Would never get 3 or 4 link road legal here in Denmark

www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-4x4-disc...er-request-help.html

www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/suspension-br...k-suspension-part-2/

Edit:
Looks like you're right about those 70%.. my bad

the rear housing in my opinion are good solution
for the front ones maybe it can combines something from this solution
item.rakuten.co.jp/hb-1st/878058/
and make it 70% from the longer arms

what do u think?

minare wrote: the rear housing in my opinion are good solution
for the front ones maybe it can combines something from this solution
item.rakuten.co.jp/hb-1st/878058/
and make it 70% from the longer arms

what do u think?

You already have asked what we think.
And I have already said that it's a complete waste of money. Read the articles in the links I've posted and you have you answer.

There's much more to a 4-link suspension than just making some arms longer than the others.
Also, that kit you are so interested in, is not a true 4-link. More like a 3-link with a extra upper arm.

If you want to pay that kind of money. Get in touch with ORA, and ask I they can help you out making brackets for a 3-link. I know Rob's been toying with the idea of a 3-link for the Jimny before.

Very interesting reading this forum. I have recently been experimenting with pushing my 4" radial arm suspension setup to its limits. And from my practical tests, the standard radial arms limit the flex, and add a substantial amount of resistance the more and more you twist the axel.

Purely by the geometry of the radial arm droping down, the bushes will want to twist, and you can only get so much twist out of them. My thoughts are that a 4 link would give a substantial amount of additional flex, given you put longer shocks and longer soft coils.. If you are flexing alot, I also think the 4 link will last longer as it won't be putting so much stress on the bushes.

I have some images to post to show what I'm explaining.

Where I am stuck with is the following two questions.

1: do I actually need more flex?
2: the radial arms binding act almost as an anti swaybar. Resisting flex the more you flex. If you go 4 link all that resistance will go away. How will this affect road handling? And will your car just flip over much easier when on a technical obstcle?

Point 2 worries me quite abit. And might have to end up putting on a rear swaybar, which then puts you back at the stock setup..


Images.


Bushes binding, and limiting full flex.

I then removed the bolt from the radial arm to relieve the binding stress.

the main problem I can see with a proper triangulated 4 link suspension is going to be space under the body for the links to move into. The Jimny is very compact and space for things like fuel tanks is at a premium. That said anything is possible with enough money and effort. YouTube is full of this kind of stuff just on wranglers but the information is out there.

Iv'e never liked polybushes and your photos prove the point.A standard void type bush does not extend past the radius arm so the arm can twist and it's this twist that allows the suspension to work in articulation mode. Look at the photo and you will see that the flange on the polybush is stopping this flex.
I would suggest you replace the polybushes with original void bushes and then you will see full articulation.

Roger

Unless you are ready to go through some serious modification, I would forget the pursuit of a 4 link suspension. Lambert provides the primary reason in his reply. There just isn't available real estate to integrate a reasonable 4 link design. I would recommend one of the posts from the past such as this one: 4 link Jimny build . It provides an idea of what needs to be done.

If memory serves, there are a couple of posts on this forum that contain 4 link designs and you can find some articles elsewhere. Most of them show about the same level of modification. For better articulation of the front you can disconnect the sway bar and generally, as Roger suggests, use rubber bushings.