link question

[TwistedCreations]

well after reading another post on here about 4 links and setting them up, i had finally gotten to that step on my project. got the 4 link setup with my chassis links have about 1/2" seperation and my axle links are about 3/4" seperation. i wanted to do a double triangulated, but my chassis wouldn't allow it my top links are 5 1/4" long and the lowers are 5 1/2" long.

anyway, the axle seems to do great. it doesn't move and the pinion is always pointing at the t-case, but it seems to have alot of axle steer( which i hate) what is the actual cause of axle steer? anyone know what i could do to change it?

my last double triangulated setup didn't have any,but like i said, i really don't have the room to do it now. do i just need more seperation at the chassis? i don't feel like going over to Pirate and searching through nonsense for hours

thanks for the input


ohh btw-, yeah dave i know its not a real truck but i hate fawkin axle steer

[Grizzly4x4]

Far as I know the only cure for axle steer is double triangulation. I may be wrong but I have never heard of anything else, horizontal links help but only a little. You could take out some travel

I agree with ya, even though it is a toy it is better to make things werk right.

[TwistedCreations]

Originally Posted by Grizzly4x4

Far as I know the only cure for axle steer is double triangulation. I may be wrong but I have never heard of anything else, horizontal links help but only a little. You could take out some travel

I agree with ya, even though it is a toy it is better to make things werk right.

yeah i may just have to cut up the chassis some to make a double setup. i can't take out any travel, i barely have any as it is

i guess i'll run it how im setting it up now to see how it does. if it isnt what i want, i guess i can always cut it up some more

[Reflection]

Longer flater links will eliminate axle steer. I don't know from experience,it's just what I've always read.

[BigSmokinGun]

Dont think I've heard of axle steer before. I assume it is the vertical centerline of the droop side moving back when it flexes. There isnt any way to completely eliminate this, is there?

[TwistedCreations]

well i said fawk it!! i cut the chassis up to be able to do a double triangulated setup. it acts much nicer now


smokingun- axle steer is when a tires drops down, it wants to move forward also. yes you can eliminate it

[BigSmokinGun]

Well thats interesting Twisted. How could a tire move forward as it drops? Your links cant stretch. Is there lateral movement of the axle? Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe I'll run into it when I get a rig to that point.

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by TwistedCreations

my chassis links have about 1/2" seperation and my axle links are about 3/4" seperation.......the axle seems to do great. it doesn't move and the pinion is always pointing at the t-case

With them being only a 1/4" less at the chassis,is there truely NO change to the pinion? I'm needing,very badly,to do something for driveshaft angles. Setting the links up so the pinion is aiming at the output all the time would help a bunch. I was under the impression that the only way to get this was to mount the chassis end of the links on the same mount,horizontally and vertically. Something like this......


Currently my setup is like the one with the blue uppers and my pinion is moving around more than I can handle. Would changing my uppers, to mount like the red uppers, make the pinion stay with the tranny? Triangulation wise,they will stay the same(as pictured)

Originally Posted by BigSmokinGun

Well thats interesting Twisted. How could a tire move forward as it drops? Your links cant stretch. Is there lateral movement of the axle? Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe I'll run into it when I get a rig to that point.

It's all about angles. As the wheel drops the links gains more angle,therefore the distance between both mounting points gets smaller

[BigSmokinGun]

Would changing my uppers, to mount like the red uppers, make the pinion stay with the tranny?

Yes, your angle at the axle will stay basically the same through the whole range of motion.

It's all about angles. As the wheel drops the links gains more angle,therefore the distance between both mounting points gets smaller

Exactly, so there is no way the tire can move forward as it drops.

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by BigSmokinGun

Yes, your angle at the axle will stay basically the same through the whole range of motion.

Thank you,The way I was thinking,I kinda thought it would work but wasn't 100% possitive.

Originally Posted by BigSmokinGun

Exactly, so there is no way the tire can move forward as it drops.

But yes,there is.... Try this,put a pencil between both of your pointer fingers. Hold the pencil (with your figures) level (horizontally). Measure the distance between your fingers and write that number down. Now,raise your left hand straight up 6" and measure the distance between your fingers. You have to measure horizontally,not diagonally(with the link). The measurement with your left hand raised up should be (depending on the length of the pencil)and inch or two shorter than the first measurement. Now,imagine each one of your fingers as a link mount,the left is the chassis mount and the right is the axle mount. If you got an 1 1/2" shorter measurement while your left hand was raised,for this perticular set up,you would have 1 1/2" rear steer. Or as your sayin,the tire would move 1 1/2" foward because the distance between the chassis mount and axle mount just got 1 1/2" shorter.

[BigSmokinGun]

Okay raptorman, I was confusing myself by focusing on the front axle. You're right, the rear can move forward.

[TwistedCreations]

yes steve, if you mount them closer the angle will stay the same. mine were pretty close together and the axle stayed at the pinion no matter what. also, my links were the same length almost.


as for rearsteer smokin- stand on a skateboard with the " trucks" as loose as possible and then lean left and right and watch the wheels. the front move back and the rear move forward. also found that where i had my lower links mounted( close to the outside of the chassis) was the blame of it. as the chassis tilted up,it would bring the link up with it. causing it to bring the axle in forward also. now that i went double triangulated, my lowers are in the center of the chassis as where the links hardly move.plus having them in the center and my uppers mounted to the outside of the chassis now,it kind of eliminates both of them at the same time

[Monster572]

Hmm I had a case of axle steer on one of my 4 link designs, and the only thing that i found was causing it was a locked diff. After the wheel up in the air comes down the other one on the same axle want to turn and thus it incorperates any play in the ball ends or any link movement it can. When it uses the play at the ball joint it can move one side of the axle forward more so your axle ends up crooked compared to the other one.

If your ball ends and everything are tight and there is no play then it may just be the angle at which your links go to the chassis.