Which Link Material?

Mr. Uunderkill's thread got me thinking. I want to upgrade my links before the LCQ race. I know my uppers are 1.5X.250 DOM, I was told the lower's were bigger walled (.380) DOM but I don't really believe it. I have clearance issues on the upper so it has to stay at 1.5" OD. I really want to run aluminum for the memory factory and the bling, but I think 2" OD lowers with my small 3/4" hemis will look goofy. I was thinking 1.75" 7075 lowers and 1.5" 7075 uppers. Will that be strong enough, or should I look into 4130 from Poly?

what about square tube?

point taken, I got my AL number wrong

Mr. Underkill said:

what about square tube?

point taken, I got my AL number wrong

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I don't like square tube at all

Matt 7075 all the way SON!

1.5" uppers, and 2" lowers who cares about looks of a 3/4 hiem on a 2" arm. You will never bend that 2" to a point it wont spring back.

look up the 4link or 3link calc on pirate

It has accurate material allowables for AL and Steel of different grades
It will also calculate a pretty accurate factor of safety depending on how well you estimate weight and stuff

those sizes AL would be just fine for your buggy

I've analyzed the break in my 7075 link and it's due to the taper/ small cross section. and I've remade them
Your 3/4" heims will actually help you with AL by not making the hole larger
remember to be easy on the wrench flats and make sure there's the largest radiuses that you can afford

Oh - for normal use 1.75 is the minimum I'd suggest and I think you'd be plenty fine with it

but for the LCQ race were your gonna hammer it and need durability and insurance - go 2"

I use .188" wall tubing on my uppers and 2" solid 7075 for my lowers. Holds up greast in a big-azz buggy.
The aluminum is SOOOOOO much lighter than the 2" x .375" DOM that I took off.

What was Derek Trent running in his 100 Proof buggy? 2.5" .25 wall DOM with 2" 7075 rod hammered in?

Matt, Sean can hook you up with 2" 7075 very reasonable. Did you look at the links he brought me last weekend?

Yeah those were sick as ****, I will probably end getting some from him, just trying to weigh my options

Cool, he normally does 1.75" 7075 for the uppers. He recently signed up on here, so hit him up when you are ready.

InDaShop said:

What was Derek Trent running in his 100 Proof buggy? 2.5" .25 wall DOM with 2" 7075 rod hammered in?

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the same ones that he folded up? lol...eveything is bendable...

Travis said:

Cool, he normally does 1.75" 7075 for the uppers. He recently signed up on here, so hit him up when you are ready.

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Yeah I figured out who he was. I will need 1.5" uppers and 1.75 or 2" lowers. This is my big ticket item for KOTH prep, the rest should be easy.

Matt O. said:

This is my big ticket item for KOTH prep, the rest should be easy.

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Hit him up for a discount and some stickers to run at KOH LCQ.

I run 2" alum with 3/4" heims. Doesnt look bad on my rig, but I polished them. I think that helps. laughing1 I will look for some pics.





Pic worky?

B Gillespie said:

I run 2" alum with 3/4" heims. Doesnt look bad on my rig, but I polished them. I think that helps. laughing1 I will look for some pics.

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Yeah a close up pic would be killer. Just thought with such a small joint it might be overkill

I bent everything else; havent had any problems with the 2" stuff yet. I never had any problems with the 3/4 x 3/4 heims, just bent links. I rounded the last ~3/8" off on the links to help with the looks a little and no take away strength, but they are kinda goofy looking. I have a Campbell Ent. buggy instead of twisted customs, so my link mounts are double shear, therefore you can't even really see the heims. I dont have any close up pics and the buggy is not at my house.

I have 1.75 uppers on the front and when I had to re-order the ones for the rear, I stepped down to 1.5" like my tie rod. That is plenty.

On your lowers, with 3/4" heims, I would do the 1.75 lowers. They will be fine and look way more propotional to the 3/4 heim. I know looks are not everything, but 1.75" lowers are plenty really.

Matt, Kelly can also get you the link material, and cut to length, and have my brother-in-law tap them, left and right. I bought the tooling to have it done, so I can get links made anytime. He will more than likely be making RBD if you are willing to wait. I know the price was over half what I could get the material cost for in texas, and I know since then the costs have gone up. I'd hit up Kelly.

InDaShop said:

Matt, Kelly can also get you the link material, and cut to length, and have my brother-in-law tap them, left and right. I bought the tooling to have it done, so I can get links made anytime. He will more than likely be making RBD if you are willing to wait. I know the price was over half what I could get the material cost for in texas, and I know since then the costs have gone up. I'd hit up Kelly.

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Yeah thank Wyatt I will ask Kelly. I am in no rush, so RBD would be fine by me. Can he machine the hex heads in them to put a wrench on them? That is a slick feature and looks cool. Branik is actually really cheap on them also, but I have not heard from him all week from a PM I sent on PBB. I am basically just looking to get them on the cheap since I have some other stuff to spend money on for KOTH.