[Jake1996d1]

I drove to and from the wilds last year 6 hrs each way with a SG 3-link. It did great off road but that trip was what made me decide to get rid of it. Guys have done it right but like Frank said it's not a bolt on setup. From my understanding the best route is - lowers wide at the axle narrow at the frame. Upper needs to be high on the axle and frame. Rerouting exhaust makes it possible to mount the center on the frame. Lots more info over on pirate4x4

 

[Jake1996d1]

I found it to be very unstable. It flexed up great. Incredible even but there wasnt much pinion control when it did flex up. The 3rd link wasnt to the pinion, like you would see normally, but to that box section between the lower arm mounts. There wasnt much separation either so there was a good amount of roll in corners and under braking, mine dove pretty hard (as well as being squirrely). It might be different on a lighter weight D90 but on the D1, it was scary.

OP, do your research. Know what is good and what is not. Then, if you dont want to do it yourself, find a good shop to do it for you. Then, pepper them with questions. Suspension is too important to gamble on.

I'd agree while it is managable I like to be able to drive my truck on the highway and not have to worry about swerving for a deer or something.. I could have chopped up the SG to make it better but it wasnt worth it in the end. I may do something again in the future..

 

[Jake1996d1]

Sounds more like a damper valving issue to me.

No it's a roll axis issue..

 

[Jake1996d1]

I think a higher valved shock will help the scariness of it.

You have to also look at how the 3-link works and why they are really only run on the rear of the trucks. (except DIIs, why did they take it off?) I feel they work great in the rear because at high speed they effect of bumps and speed in the road drag past 3-link. In other words you are lifting the 3-link, tailing arm from the trailing arm side.

In the front you are doing the opposite, bumps are hitting the 3 link directly first then move past the radius arm.

Higher valved shocks dont make up for terrible suspension geometry... My fox shocks are valved pretty stiff.. I think they are originally valved for the rear of a D2 as I thought the same thing. It is a bit rough on the trail and still handled like **** going down the highway.

A triangulated 3 link works different than a regular 3 link as well. What makes a 3 link stable or scary is the gemotry, link length, placement and verticle separation. It works the same way if it's being pushed or pulled just like radius arms.

 

[Jake1996d1]

So if I understand correctly, the radius arms can sort of behave like the lower links on 3 link if you removed the front of the two bolts holding the radius arm to the axle.

What is missing is something on the axle that prevents it from "wrapping" when it hits a bump. the front radius arm bolts play that role on the standard defender front suspension.

The panhard cannot play this role because it is in virtually the same plane as the axle.

I think see the problem with the 3 link front. Basically, the upper link controls pinion angle and therefore caster angle under suspension travel. If designed badly, the pinion angle can change drastically when cornering and braking.

I'm guessing that because the upper link is fixed in length, the longer it is, the better.

axle wrap can be minimized if the links are placed properly...

------ Follow up post added January 3rd, 2013 10:12 PM ------

Defender, Disco and Rangie front suspension is basically a 3 link front end to begin with. The rear is a triangulated 3 link. Are you looking for more flex from the front axle? Easy to get more flex but handling at speed suffers.

Yea and Land Rover rims are beadlocks

 

[Jake1996d1]

There is so much bad information in this thread it's not even funny...

I dont know what youre talking about, I think some of it is hillarious!