question regarding rear suspension involving torque tube and airbags

hey there,

I havent actually made an introduction here yet, but i have been browsing around for the past year. My current project is a 1952 chevy sedan deluxe, stock running gear minus an updated 6 which i am not sure exactly what size it is. Anyway, I am planning on bagging the thing front and rear, fronts I already have figured out completely, but the rear is causing me to toss and turn at night. I am planning on a link style rear, with a gambino notch and bags on top of the axle with brackets off the the notch itself, incorperating a bridge. I have searched a lot through as many archives as I could, both here and ruffrodders, and couldnt find exactly what I was looking. Since I am retaining the torque tube rear, is it possible to use a 2 link rear that incorperates a superflex type joint on one, or both end of each arm? I know that since it will bind when flexing say left to right, the superflex or johnny joint has about 30 degrees of unrestricted motion available. This should correct the binding problem, no? Therefore, the torque tube itself is basically a third member, if im not mistaken. Since the stock rear has a bushing and joint where the leaf pack meets the mouting block allowing the axle to "swing" in the arc of the torque tube, not just 100% staionary on leaf itself, i would ***ume that the tube itself is what keeps the whole ***embly from torsing on itself and breaking apart under acceleration.

If i am completely wrong please let me know, or if anyone has done something similar in the rear, please shed some light for me, I would really appreciate it. I am getting ready to buy all of my materials and would rather buy it all at once and get it right the first time.

thanks!

-Austin

 

i don't think the johnny joints are necessary. a regular suspension bushing, like the ones available at suicidedoors.com would do the trick fine.

are you planning on mounting your links to the factory front leafspring mount? don't. the best way to run this type is with the arms pointing in towards the center of the car at the front. this is what will give you good flex.

 

I wasnt planning on running my arms in the factory leaf mounts to the frame, but I was considering utilizing the factory mount on the axle itslef that already has the provisions for the bushing as it was stock. I havent sketched everything out exactly yet

 

and on another note, this really wont be built with major flex in mind, just really the ability to dump the thing, not to hop or flex out. I will just need to raise it a tad to get around, I have had a few other cars that were low on coilovers and I ended up bending the front subframes and taking out the oil pans on small road debris.

 

anyone else?

 

Yes it can be done, Here is the missing link that will reveal the mysteries of the infamous "torque tube bag job"

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?

 

I think you're correct in the torque tube essentially does the work that lower links would in a 4 link set up.

Now MY question (threadjacking in progress! ) is can you run triangulated top links (without the straight bottom links) to locate the rear from side to side? This would eliminate the need for a panhard bar. If that's feasible, then I could do my '54 stock driveline that way and be halfway home to a triangulated 4 link if I ever go to an open drive line.

 

that is a good question though i think no matter what the panhard is just extra security, im not sure that just triangulated top links would hold steady, there will always be play in a bushing or something

 

Huh??



Screwman=Tri 4 will bind, If your looking to be half way home just use the lower links of a tri 4, add a panhard temp, then when you go open drive just add the upper bars,

 

dont mind me its been a long day

 

Yeah, I like the sound of that better. Thanks for the disaster check. Of course, if I'm already welding mounts and gettin' dirty, I suppose 2 more links isn't that big of a deal.