4 bar Or 4 link
- Thread starter butch27
- Start date
EX JUNK
Moderator
A four bar system is usually on the front and the bars need to be parallel. A four link is designed for the rear and they don't need to be parallel and they can be adjustable for how you want the car to "hook up" on hard acceleration.
Here is a four bar set up. As you can see the bars are parallel.
Here is an example of an adjustable four link set up on the rear. As you can see, the bars can be set in various combinations to in effect make a shorter or longer traction bar for drag racing.
Jim
Here is a four bar set up. As you can see the bars are parallel.
Here is an example of an adjustable four link set up on the rear. As you can see, the bars can be set in various combinations to in effect make a shorter or longer traction bar for drag racing.
Jim
Ex Junk is correct , a true drag race style 4 link(like the Pro/Stock cars use) has multiple adjustment holes, to put the front and rear ends of the bars in, to point them at a theoretical intersection point. (called the instant center) This affects how the car transfers weight, how hard it hits the tire , and whether it tries to lift the front end, or squat the rear. Weather , horsepower, track conditions, tire pressure, etc all dictate where the guy puts the bars. The parallel style "4 bar" was developed more for street rod guys to stop caster change during suspension movement in front ends, and works well on the back too. eg: stops your stuff from swinging in an arc, and make it go straight up & down.!
fordsbyjay
Active Member
Besides the P&J technicality can we have some pics of front 4 bar setups. I have been looking at switching out my wishbones and all I can find is stuff for 30's models with an I beam axle. Does the length matter?
ExJunk stuff is always amazing. Does someone make the other batwing? I assume because they are at a bit of an angle that the two brackets are slightly different.
ExJunk stuff is always amazing. Does someone make the other batwing? I assume because they are at a bit of an angle that the two brackets are slightly different.
Hotrod46
Member
Here's mine, but it was all custom built.
For what it's worth, Norm had it figured out when he built his car.
That is the "Lightnin' Bug " version before it became the Kookie Kar. It had 4 bars from the beginning.
I like the long bars that go all the way to the cowl, but it's really personal preference. The short bars will work just as well.
Mike
For what it's worth, Norm had it figured out when he built his car.
That is the "Lightnin' Bug " version before it became the Kookie Kar. It had 4 bars from the beginning.
I like the long bars that go all the way to the cowl, but it's really personal preference. The short bars will work just as well.
Mike
Speedway has all the pieces you need: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Search?query=4+bar
Here's my Speedway front end:
Here's my Speedway front end:
fordsbyjay
Active Member
Soooo.... last week I called up Ron and RPM and ordered some 1" rods with 5/8" threads and some rod ends to build my 4 bar. He included some tubing to weld through the frame as well. I used some 3/8" flat bar and made a rear mount. I used the original batwings for the front mount. Without having to change everything this seemed like the easiest route to go.
You can make out the tubing I welded through the frame. I used one solid rear mount instead of just a lower mount and just the tube through the frame. It is the simplest way to keep the bar spacing correct and inline. You can't see it but I angled the front out 4* so the mount is more inline with the angle of front batwings as well.
I need to get some proper length bolts, that is what I had laying around.
I am going to make a brace to weld onto the back of the rear bracket at a 45* under the frame to support the lower bar better.
Once the headers are on it all kind of disappears so I don't think it will take too much away from my original look.
I need to cut off my front shock brackets now and come up with something different as the shocks are farther ahead now.
You can make out the tubing I welded through the frame. I used one solid rear mount instead of just a lower mount and just the tube through the frame. It is the simplest way to keep the bar spacing correct and inline. You can't see it but I angled the front out 4* so the mount is more inline with the angle of front batwings as well.
I need to get some proper length bolts, that is what I had laying around.
I am going to make a brace to weld onto the back of the rear bracket at a 45* under the frame to support the lower bar better.
Once the headers are on it all kind of disappears so I don't think it will take too much away from my original look.
I need to cut off my front shock brackets now and come up with something different as the shocks are farther ahead now.
fordsbyjay
Active Member
Oh, I will also address the single shear/double shear mounting because I am sure it will probably come up. Double sheer mounting is better but everything you look at has single shear in the rear anyways... so I did not see why single shear in the front would be any different. The original stuff was only a single 1/2" rear rod end in single shear and now I have 2- 5/8" single shear rod ends so I don't see why it will be a problem. Just my opinion..
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