3 Link Tacoma Prerunner Build Taco_Sos

One of the reasons I was told the upper link is lower is due to it hitting the frame cross member (the rear fuel tank one where the charcoal canister is mounted). So for the sake of less fab work, the link is mounted lower. The 3 link is supposed to be less evasive, so there are compromises made to be less evasive...

 

Help me understand the point of a compromised 3 link setup. If the parts are $5k and fab is at least another $5k (it would be closer to $7k in CA) what’s the point? You aren’t going to get more than 18” of clean travel with a panhard setup and that’s a lot of money when compared to a SUA setup that will get you about the same

 

Hey bud, the upper link isn't mounted as high because the link itself will make contact with the cross member. The upper link axle mount runs from the front to back of axle, spanning all the way across to fight the axle wrap similar to leverage you could get from a higher mount.

I haven't measured the lateral movement, but similar kits are seeing about 3" from bump to droop. A new driveline will be made, so I'll add that info when it's complete.

 

Feel free to run whichever setup you like. This is just a thread to show another option for rear suspension. You're also gaining the ride quality of a linked truck. At 18" of travel the build starts running in to more issues. Which would only be cured by back halving the truck. At that point you might as well run another upper link and throw a fuel cell in too. By the time you go down that road you've completely ruined the idea of linked DD. To wrap this conversation up, would you rather have 18" on links or on leafs?

 

As a side note (maybe needs to be a different t thread), what’s the legitimate gain from linked rear pulling 18-20” compared to a SUA pulling the same? My personal reasons for wanting a link set up is; it’s bad ass, better articulation, smoother travel, “better” travel, I was hoping for a more rigid rear end. Am I in the general area at least for wanting links over leafs?

 

Easier to tune. Since it’s a long travel build you want the suspension to keep the chassis flat at speed over irregular surfaces. Leaves with good tuning perform well, but links with a similar level tune outperform them every time.

 

I’m not hating at all, just starting a discussion on something that’s actually cool... not “what’s the best tent for my truck”

I don’t know if you know this but my 81’ is a tube frame 4 link with coilovers off the axle so I’m all about the setup. For me the biggest benefit was getting rid of the frame so I get way more up travel and throwing in the 4th link so the truck cycles correctly and has the appropriate amount of squat.

For a truck with a frame and stock gas tank location it’s really hard to beat a proper SUA setup for the money.

And most importantly I’m just stoked to see someone actually modifying their truck!

 

i am so appreciate for this thread. these are q's i have had for a long time, hoping to understand more about how variations of rear link setups can work on tarmac for DD use. seems the compromises here are the details I'm looking to understand better. the higher speed stuff may come naturally if the work is right, but preserving or even enhancing the lower speed and lower traction is where I'm focused at this point.

@81Trekker i have watched your stuff, totally awesome. but truth be told, that is too much for my needs and would totally overshoot my targets. so, compromises be damned but that's the way forward for my project as well.

 

Been following along on the Gram. Bad ass bro

 

thanks for mentioning. great pics!

 

Well for me, his build is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a DD that could perform VERY well off road. Basically like an almost 60/40 set up. A SUA would absolutely be sufficient for my wants. But from what I’m seeing, I’m willing to do 99% of the labor, that alone almost tips the scales form SUA to 3 link. If I can spend, say $1000 more and have a nice linked set up, that’s what I’ll do. I’m not going secondary bypasses, frame notching and back-halving. I still want “some use” from my bed. I would be happy with full bump on the factory frame. There could ALWAYS be more, always. My hopes are an “affordable” 3 link set up that out performs a comparable travel SUA set up. Ultimately I’d like a smoother ride over SUA. That’s my goal. Having a SUA vs linked set up that both pull 20”, I’d like the one with “smoothest” travel. And there is an out right “coil” factor. Stupid or not, non of us can deny it’s cooler to say my truck is linked, rather than leaf springs they used back in the gold rush on covered wagons...

 

SUA only gets 16.5" of clean travel in 99% of well setup trucks 1st gen and 2nd gen.

 

If I may play devil’s advocate for a minute. Then why do several companies advertise 20” SUA kits? DMZ, Giant and I think there’s others. Is this not “usable” travel? Like not bumped/strapped numbers? By clean travel, is this why you mean?

 

I could be wrong but I asked DMZ about the travel on their SUA kit and was told it was 18" of travel. Giant and now Dirt King are the only 2 that I know of that are capable of 20" I believe.

 

Giant is more like 18 i believe but @chasecamper can confirm. @Tacomoto23 and @snowsk8air2 can probably report in about their DMZ kits.

 

This thing is looking killer dude!

I know I am set on links for my rear suspension, and up until I saw this thread I was only considering Dirt Designs.

@taco_sos or anyone who can give me some insight; was your only limitation to running only a coil just that you didn’t want to cut the cab because you’re a short bed?

If so, would this exact setup (link length, frame mounts, etc...) also work for a long bed?
And therefor having the room to run both a coil and bypass ?

I’m quite interested in this setup due to the lower cost compared to the DD kit.

 

But the question still remains. What benefits does a 3 link pulling the same amount of travel that a SUA set have? What’s the pros and cons? Is it “just” easier tuning? Or is there an actual better ride quality?

 

Really just depends on what the expectations for the vehicle might be. Getting groceries will probably work with either one. Handling huge differences in weight for various trips will obviously benefit someone with swap-able coils. Mashing through the fast stuff will depend on shock tuning, but a good tuner will be able to make links work significantly better in bigger obstacles at higher speeds.

Leafs will handle most things fine with a good tune, but that's dependent on what the driver wants to travel over and how smoothly they want the ride to be.

I don't know if "easier" tuning will affect most of what most guys will use their trucks for, but it will make a difference the closer a rig is brought to its limit in uneven terrain. Of course the point arrives when installing a cage and other safety equipment becomes relevant.

Just cruising I'd imagine links will always satisfy and leaves will for 95% of things.

 

CDI factor bro... CDI.

 

I had the oppertunity to ride in a couple different trucks this past weekend:
- my truck (SOA pack with oem length shocks)
- SUA ranger with 16' kings
- Linked and beamed ranger (https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/vehicles-trailers-sale/2261241-blinger.html )
- Linked and A-arm ranger (look up @dzrtspar7 on instagram)

My truck felt good up front, but obviously bucked in the rear.
Sua ranger felt matched, still a little harsh in the rear, but didnt buck like my truck.
Beamed ranger was more planted and took everything you threw at it, while it was stiff feeling, I think that was just tuning - as it was a big step from the previous two trucks.
A-arm ranger had the same invincible feeling as the other linked truck, its valving was a bit soft - so smoother for sure, but bottomed out on jumps.

A perfectly tuned SUA truck with similar travel #'s will outrun a linked truck with no tuning. But if you get everything set up right on a linked truck, no SUA truck will go over the same terrain at the same speed with that level of stability and smoothness.

Seeing linked trucks work and riding in some now, I've made my mind that Im not going to bother with SUA, and just jump to links.