graebz28

iTrader: (5)

I already have a ladder bar car currently. The suspension was done over 15 years ago when cars had to make the choice of being all out drag or other. But now I want it to be streetable, so am considering some enhancements. This is my first car so the sentimental value rules out starting over with another car.

For now, i think that I will leave the ladders in and change the front mount to accommodate a Spohn Del-Sphere. But later, could I use the ladder bar links to connect a LCA and then either some version of a torque arm or four link? The concern I have is that the ladder links are closer to the pumpkin. Would having much longer LCAs mounted closer to the pumpkin be good or bad? I have a 9" rear right now, so it would be more work to use the stock LCA locations, but not impossible.

I have lots to do before this, but I just wanted to get my thought down on cyber paper.

Shagwell

A non-parrallel 4-link(typical drag race type) will create roll steer during any amount of body roll in a corner. So basically, unless you run the links parrallel they don't work well on the street, and if you run them parrallel, they won't work very well at the dragstrip.

Ladder bars are inherently similiar to a swing arm; No matter what bushings/ends you have, they cannot move independently. So if one tire needs to go up or down, the other has to go with it or bend something.

A true 3-link can be tuned to react similiar to a 4-link as far as hooking the tires and travel is considered. The good part about it over 4-link is that with only one upper link you eliminate the roll steer, even when running non-parrallel bar angles, but without being able to add/subtract pre-load they can be very finiky to properly dial in, and can require not only changing mount points but changing bar lengths to work well. - My thoughts on a 3-link are through research, I have no first hand experience with the system.

The stock tq arm type system is a bit of a compromise between a 4-link and a 3-link. Assuming your current width between your ladder bars is enough for the rear to be stable under the car, yes, you could build links to attach at the lower ladder bar bracket hole at the diff, and into the front frame mount holes. You could then add a tq arm to the rear and a crossmember closer to the trans to attach it to. Due to the un-equal bar lengths between it and the lower control arms, it requires some sort of slidding front mount, be it a shackle type design or a slider.

Most any suspension other than ladder bars will require an anti-roll bar to negate body roll and/or torque steer.

graebz28

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for the reply. I saw places like http://autoweldchassis.com/lb.ivnu and http://www.cachassisworks.com/cac_products.html that have urethane bushings in the front or all mounts. The first link said there bars help make the car streetable. I was thinking that with a del-sphere with 27 degrees of articulation I would be able to get even more flex than the urethanes, especially if I place them at each mounting point.

Have you seen what spohn offers and do you think they would help?
http://www.spohn.net/delsphere/

Thanks for the explanation of the different four links. I am starting to see the problems with going to that set-up. Might be the better route to just use the stock LCA mounting points and a TA.

Not to mention I have a diagonal link. A panhard would be better as well.

Shagwell

A watts link or wishbone is better than a panhard/diagonal. With a drag race rear suspension a diagonal is considerably better than a panhard. The diagonal's mounting points are at the suspension pivot points, thus no ark/swing through the suspensions' range of motion. A panhard creates a side-to-side ark through the suspension travel range. ]

With ladder bars, the front urethane bushings will absorb vibration considerably better than solid or spherical heims joints, but the bars and differential still will not allow either bar to travel seperately from the other. - There are no travel gains to be had from any mount type with ladder bars.