shakenfake

Honestly the only thing that was holding me back was thinking that the whole thing was going to have to be custom fabbed and completely welded up. I am fine with buying the kit and the shocks needed although it sucks that I bought all the stuff for a different set up I also did not have the money at the time to do it this way and it got me the way I wanted.

From everything I hear the ride quality with a 4-link is just so much better than leaf springs and it is more fun in terms of handling. This is really pushing me to do it later this year.

adriver

iTrader: (1)

Wait a second, So it's clear a 4 link alone is not going to help your suspension RIDE SMOOTHER. The reason some people have a better ride is because they do multiple parts of the suspension at once. A 4 link is not designed to make you have a softer ride. All a 4 link is designed to do is to make it so the axle doesn't twist. You're eliminating a variable out of all the suspension movement. They 100% handle better. I have a right turn up a slight hill, and before adding them, I could never take that turn in the wet without major wheel hop. Since installing, I can't even find wheel hop. It also catches grip better on hard acceleration, getting grip sooner, (If I had a wider tire then 265 it would be even better). Caltracs alone won't do anything to help your up and down suspension comfort, they will ONLY take out the play that leaf springs are designed to give a truck with it's variable rear end weight. If you want it to go better, than do the caltracs/4 link. If you want it smoother comfort then you would be better off spending the money on the shock relocation and coilovers, (then the 4 link down the road).

I like my Caltracs and all, but they give a much harder jolt when I hit speed bumps fast. If this wasn't my daily driver where I have put 2400 lbs in the bed before, (which was way too heavy, but sometimes you just gotta do it), I would have gone with a dedicated 4 link, but ONLY if I was going to also do coilovers and add a coil spring back into the suspension. A dedicated 4 link has better dial in compared to the Caltracs and removes the weight of the leaf springs. The Caltracs are a compromise. The caltracs are ~$400 vs $2K for what would be the better way to do it.

shakenfake

Leaf springs vs. bags or double adjustable coil overs is not even an argument for comfort in my opinion. It’s a no brainer.

I haven’t heard a single person say ride quality is lesser than after a 4-link.
Just ask any of the guys in this thread that have one about ride quality. Handling is easy


I’m pretty sure there is no way to do a 4 link without eliminating the leaf springs

adriver

iTrader: (1)

Well, coilovers will improve handling because they can be adjusted and dialed in for you want them to react to how and where you drive, and airbags are for comfort, that's easy. The leaf springs are the, factory compromise because pick up trucks experience a varied weight in the back.

Many of the people on here that have done 4 link have also done coilovers or at the least, a shock relocation. If you separate that out, and talk only about a 4 link, it will do nothing to improve a smooth ride, that's not how they are designed. A 4 link's only purpose is to stop axle wrap/twist / wheel hop, and to keep the axle from moving forward/backward by adding fixed, triangulated/parallel mounting points as opposed to the variable leaf spring. When you improve other aspects of the suspension, the 4 link removes the variable of twist / lets you better isolate the other variables.


Caltracs act as a 4 link because they have preload on the leaf spring, and are accomplishing the same thing the same way. It's just using the leaf springs as one of the bars, and not a dedicated, adjustable bar. The pivot point is adjusted to the leaf spring. Caltracs keep the leaf spring in, and use it as one of the bars. It means you don't need to add a coil spring back in, you keep the leaf springs for when you need em, and it's the "cheapest bolt in option" to improve handling.

shakenfake

Yeah so basically this whole thread is for a 4-link with coil overs, at least that is what I intended for it to be.

I just am looking to get some better ride quality out of my rear, which probably could be obtained with a notch lol, as well as increased handling.

terravast4

iTrader: (25)

the only thing a notch will fix is if you are bottoming out and the axle is hitting the frame. It will not affect ride quality other than that

shakenfake

I do bottom out. But it would allow me to soften up my shocks. That's what I meant by that my bad

SilverSquared

Any update?
I've had 4 link with panhard, 2 link with panhard (current), triangulated 4 link, and a 2 link with wishbone. (different trucks)
I am about to have my current 2 link with panhard changed to a watts link.

If you will NEVER bag your truck, run a panhard.
If you will eventually bag it, DO NOT run a panhard.
A wishbone for tracking is really nice, IMO. EASY to install too, in comparison to other track bars.


The guy I got my truck from 8 years ago had taken a denali awd frame and drive train and put it under his single cab.
To make it work, he shortened the bed a few inches and moved fuel filler to rear stake pocket. He told me the extended
cabs were FAR easier because the drive lengths were the same, so no shortening was needed. Bolt truck body to SUV
frame and roll with it. Now, I am not 100% on the details, but he autox his rcsb like a MONSTER and was hanging with
subarus and evos. He ran a mild cammed LQ4 and was right at 360 hp to ground. Just an idea to add to the mix.

shakenfake

I never knew this thread got bumped a year ago! But I am back because I think I have finally made a decision.
I plan on going with the Twisted Metalworkz kit instead of the RideTech mainly for price reasons. RideTech's kit increased in price by like $800 this past year AND that is without shocks and coils. I will run a panhard bar as that is what comes with the kit. I am trying to find out if their kit includes a c-notch.

I just need to finish my Impala and I will be ready to get back to this. Originally I had planned to do the four link this year but plans changed. Looks like mid to late 2024 at the earliest. Driving around with no notch blows and is the main reason why I put maybe 1000 miles on it this year.