3 or 4 Link vs standard control mount

Eddie Greenlee

Eddie Greenlee

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Ive done a little reading, but thought I would ask the question here also. Of course when I hear the term 3 link or 4 link, its Greek to me. So how and why would you go to a system like that over a oem control arm set up, on a jeep tj thats a daily driver and trail rider.?? what advantages would the link system have over the other?
 
Be careful about the road you are starting down. One of my favorite subjects to research as a future project though and they offer huge advantages if they are done right... How is a longer discussion. The "why" is simpler. 3 and 4 links are custom CA set ups. The main advantage is you get to set the control arm mount locations yourself and eliminate one suspension link in the rear (trackbar) and one in the front (usually passenger side CA). Why is that an advantage? You can make the links as flat as you want, and as a general rule, flat control arms are better for overall driving performance. Remember, good on road performance doesn't mean bad off road performance

That's the quick and dirty. I can go into more detail if you'd like as well as dig up some links for learning about setting one up if you're interested.
 
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that helps and sounds good. Ill do a little more looking around before I ask too many questions.
do you know many people running a 3 or 4 link for TJs
 
Personally? No. Not a super common thing in Mississippi as you've probably noticed. But I think that's mostly because we don't have a huge wheeling community here...and people like mud too much. Not because we couldn't benefit from them. Just know that it's more than cutting some tube to length and welding some tabs on the axle housing. Gotta make sure you it all fits and that your rig and work can take the new forces.

But if you do reading on other forums, look for a member with the username "Imped". I love his set up and he has many posts that go into detail about drawing up and setting up his 3 and 4 link. He's also got a build thread that's hundred of pages long...but a good read through (I usually just scroll past a lot of the bantering and look for stuff he has to say about his rig).
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
3 & 4 link suspensions are cool but you don't need them to do trails that are far more difficult than probably 90% of Jeepers would ever attempt or even dream of doing. Kind of like running 35's to mall crawl. :)
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This is also important to keep in mind. Gotta keep your needs in perspective. I get really excited about suspension set ups because I have a need to tinker with things and a Jeep is the perfect thing to fill that need, regardless of how much it frustrates my wife at times.

But if you do get serious about it, feel free to ask questions and as always, don't be afraid to use google. I won't BS you if I don't know something, and it's been a little bit since I've looked at it in detail. However, once you understand it, it's not all that hard to conceptualize what a good setup would look like.
 
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Not sure if I understand your question...

Link is another term for a control arm. Typically a "4 link" is done in the rear (4 custom CA's or links) and a "3 link" in the front (3 custom links).
 
that answered my question fully. ha ill do a little more reading. I understand all about the control arms on a standard set up , I guess the links came from people building buggies from scratch and finding better places to mount control arms for better clearance and strength.?
 
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One point of clarification - know that a track bar is technically a suspension "link" as well. A link is anything that helps hold the axle in a certain place under the jeep as the jeep moves. But 3 and 4 link only refers to the number of "control arms". The track bar is typically deleted in the rear 4 link and retained in the front 3 link. Reason for that is because it's easier to get enough triangulation with the rear links to keep the axle centered laterally. On the front, it's usually easy to just retain the trackbar and delete one of the upper control arms.

Now I'll stop typing before I get too carried away and let you do some research and ask the questions:D

Chris said:
Just don't go down this route. Believe us when we say, you don't need it :D
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Don't be such a party pooper @Chris :p let him come over to the dark side if he wants too:abduct:
 
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Chris said:
I'm just trying to save his wallet and his sanity :p
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I hear ya for sure. Tinkering and thinking about it will drive you crazy. But honestly, I just figured this would be a good discussion to have on the forum. It definitely isn't something to do if you're trying to save money. And it may be above some of the users' technical ability, but installing a lift was once above my ability...until I read about it and tackled it myself.
 
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where would I be without friends like yall ha. at this point my wallet cant stand much but eventually i hope it will. right now im interested in single or double adjustable control arms. and the type of joint to use. to up grade my current lift. I have a plan , I just dont have it prioritized yet .
 
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with all the information and education yall have given me has me wondering how a jeep even stays together. there are axles and drive links and control arms and track bars and currie joins and oem bushings and brackets and its all held together with one little bolt and nut. my question should be whats the strongest and best nut and bolt to use that my life can depend on :pesas:
 
Eddie Greenlee said:
where would I be without friends like yall ha. at this point my wallet cant stand much but eventually i hope it will. right now im interested in single or double adjustable control arms. and the type of joint to use. to up grade my current lift. I have a plan , I just dont have it prioritized yet .
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Prioritizing upgrades is the hardest part for me. And my list constantly changes. Just keep it in perspective and prioritize by your needs at the time. Harder said than done when money is tight though.

Not sure if you want to hear more of my opinion...but I'm bored so I'm gonna give it to you anyway:D As far as double adjustable vs single adjustable, I'll be springing for doubles. The ease of setup and adjustment just seems too good to pass up. As far as joints go, I was a duroflex kinda guy, but lately I've been leaning very hard towards Johnny Joints and will likely be purchasing a set of arms from Savvy before next August. And Grade 8 bolts for standard or 12.9 for metric are the strongest you can buy.

Your wallet will hate you...but you'll forget about it as you ride around in your Jeep knowing you put it together.
 
well i have a stripped 8.8 with 4.10 gears and limited slip sitting out in the carport, so rear adjustable control arms are a must , along with SYE and new drive shaft. not to mention welding all the brackets on the 8.8. so im taking it slow.
 
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You've got the right idea taking it slow. That's the best thing you can do. The times I've gotten in a hurry have always bitten me in the ass either immediately or later on.

And sounds like you're gonna have a pretty nice set up going forward. Personally, I'm saving for some 30 spine Revolution axles and an ARB locker. But I also need a regear pretty bad...remember what I said about prioritizing is hard? Haha
 
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