My Indy 4x4 Adjustable Rear Links just arrived........

[Triathlete]

I basically did just what 'Swede sujested.

[LittleBeast]

I believe mine are 1" longer than stock now, but anything more than 3/4" longer and you will start to see the teeth of the driveshaft spline start coming out if the rubber cover. That is why I had my driveshaft lengthen about 1", now the teeth of the spline on driveshaft are not showing anymore. Depends on how much lift you have to match the pinion angle at the transfer case. Easiest way is to measure exactly the length from pinion joint to pinion joint on the transfer case top pinion to diff top pinion, and transfer case pinion bottom to diff pinion bottom.

[Marlin]

Good info, I got my new trailer today, so I have been working on that for the last 4 hours.
It is a Lifetime Sahara tent trailer. I will start a new thread on that later.

I wonder if there is a rhyme and reason to the kink in the lower links? My wife's are perfectly straight.
Although mine has a huge bend in it, the other side still has a kink at the same point where mine bent even more? Hmmm, I would have to crawl under my troopers to look. Too bad the junkyard is 40 miles from here.

Anyway, hopefully I can finish the trailer tomorrow, at least the assembly, and get the links on friday or sat. Still have to figure out how to straighten the bottom tab on one of the perches, it is in the way of removing/installing the links. Not much room to hammer in there, and I doubt a punch will help much. We will see.

As for wheel chocks, I even chocked the trailer axle while I was putting it on

[Ldub]

Still have to figure out how to straighten the bottom tab on one of the perches, it is in the way of removing/installing the links.

Try heating it up to red with a torch...then bend it with a BIG crescent wrench...

[BigSwede]

I wonder if there is a rhyme and reason to the kink in the lower links? My wife's are perfectly straight.

I'm sure the kink was intended to provide a small increase in ground clearance along the link, but I have to think the kink also makes it more vulnerable to pretzelizing.

And in any case, some Troopers have the kinked links from the factory (as did all three of my Troopers 93, 95, and 99), but some have straight links.

[Marlin]

Alright! Nothing more gratifying than doing something new on your own.
I managed to get the worst one off the truck today. Some prying, a 1.5ton breaker bar (I like to use my jack on the breaker bar, I am out of harms way and can control the force far more consistently) It actually wasn't as bad as I thought. The perch is long enough that it has some flex to it, so I popped a cold steel chisel in the gap and pried it enough to get a real pry bar and the rear link popped out. There was no tension on the links, I was waiting for a pop or something when I punched the bolt out. Notta. Some flashbacks to the whole driveshaft thing. I overcame that and got the new link in. About 1.2 hours to do one side start to finish, not bad at all.
I did say "Damn You Matt!" at one point. Lifting the new link in place, got the bolt through the ball joint and wouldn't you know it, different size bolt than the OEM. I crawled out from under the truck, correct size socket and wrench in hand, and damn it all, the nut is a different size than the bolt head. Another trip from under the truck to get the right wrench. Managed to get both in with minimal issues. They are well machined, I can adjust the rake by hand just by loosening the locking nuts and turning the tube. No wrench needed except to lock the nuts in final position after adjustment. Tomorrow will do the other side and take it into Firestone for lifetime alignment, just got a 25 dollar off coupon and they do military discount too.

Here are a few pics of the links side by side:





The bend in that link is way more than the bend in the other side. I think that is the culprit in my popping sound when I first turn the truck each day.

There is no mount on the new tube for the ebrake cable, but I am not concerned, that line is pretty stiff and now it is well protected by that monster tube of a link.

[JoFotoz]

Nice!!

I sprayed mine ..and they are sitting ready to be done.
Hope mine goes as well as yours..and I'll keep the sockets sizes in mind

Jo

[Marlin]

Nice!!

I sprayed mine ..and they are sitting ready to be done.
Hope mine goes as well as yours..and I'll keep the sockets sizes in mind

Jo

I probably should have painted mine red to match the torsion bars an axle, but I figured, I am gonna scratch it all up anyway

[tom4bren]

... I am out of harms way ...

Do tell: how was this lesson learned???



I know, I know - you coulda gone all day without hearing THAT reference again!

[Marlin]

Do tell: how was this lesson learned???



I know, I know - you coulda gone all day without hearing THAT reference again!

I think I laid under the truck for 5 minutes with a punch and the same hammer in my hand staring at the layout. I Nuked it out best I could. The rear axle is connected to the truck at 3 points, the two lowers and the center upper. By removing one side of the triangle, there was no way it could go anywhere, and if the link was under load, it could only go down, so tapping the bolt out from the other side, I convinced myself it was safe...

[Triathlete]

Those included grade8 bolts go nicely with the beefy links and joints!

[Marlin]

The bolts that came out of it were grade 8. If it wasn't for the rust on the exposed threads, mine looked brand new.