measuring susp. links
 

I'm going to make up my own bent lower links out of some aluminum tubing but not sure about the length. What I'm wondering (sorry for the inexperience) is when how I should make my overall measurment. Should I cut to length at the final measurment I want or should I make my bend and then measure the length I want (and then I could also have the bend where I want it best?). Also if it's best or more accurate when bent what should I measure, Straight across from end to end or should I measure flat against the curve? Sorry again for the inexperience and if these seems silly to some but thanks for any help.

Someone has to have some sort of advise on this? Measure-bend or bend and measure?

if your going to make them yourself then if you have never bent anything b4 then i would bend then measure and cut. as bending is a bit off an art form and you could end up with different bends and lengths. so bend then cut. just keep check that your bends are the same angle off degrees. best off luck"thumbsup"

Yeah I'm going to make up a bending jig so they are all the same, I think bending then cutting is the way I'm going to go. Cheers.

get yourself a wire coathanger, use the wire to mock-up some links.
soft enough to bend by hand, flatten, re-bend until it's as desired. you can even cut a thread on it to put rod-ends on it for mocking up the links.
I used some aluminium brazing filler rod from work to mock up all my links, then started bending based on the final mock-up link. The diameter is different yes, but the angles will still be right. I bent with a bit more than I needed then cut a bit off the end I would thread to my final measurement.

I always build the exact link FIRST with all-thread....then I make copies of the link with the sleeves...