3 Link upper link

[btrush]

I am having a problem with the upper link being too short for needed adjustment. The rod ends barely engage the tube and the rear is touching the panhard barframe mount.

Do I need a longer upper link, and if so, where can I purchase one.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks T. Rush

[tcoon]

the panhard frame is very close to the bottom of the rearend when the car is unloaded, but once the weight is on the springs it will settle down. the upper link should be fully engaged, in fact adjusted to its shortest position to give the proper slightly nose down pinion angle (5 degrees down). If your upper link is too short it probably means it is not mounted correctly...that is a tough thing to do sometimes. which rearend are you using? I have a challenge racer with 90 mustang rearend and hot rod with sn95 rearend and in both cases the upper link has fit well (with a little persuasion!)

TMC

[btrush]

Hi Tcoon;

I'm using a 1988 Mustang 8.8 rear. I tripple checked, and the rod ends are still only engaged by a couple of threads, and the pinion angle is 0.

Still hoping that maybe I was sent an incorrect part?????

Thank you'
T Rush

[Olli]

My upper link is 12" long.

Olli

[Arrowhead]

I was tallking the FFr guys and this very subject came up. Is it possible the three link arm got swapped with one of the front lower ajustable tubes? They are the same excpt the length.

[Olli]

That is exactly what I was thinking. That is why I posted the length.


Olli

[geoffav]

yep 12 for the upper and 11" for the lca links. I've had a different problem with the 3 link. Because I have a couple of Mustangs and want to keep all the brackets on the rearend so they can be used in any of my cars, I didn't weld the banana bracket. Instead I used the support brace from VPM. Now it looks like the opening in the trunk sheetmetal is too small. While this gives me a chance to use a blister formed by my friend Don it still looks a bit tight. Is anyone else dealing with this? I may just tack the thing and not have to deal with the sheetmetal. That part of the trunk us useless anyway.

The other option is to use the 4 link filler piece for the sheetmetal and move the cutout inboard. If I split that piece and use it as a wide doubler it might even add some strength and help with the noise.

[btrush]

Thanks for the input. I measured the upper link-----12". Now I'm back to square-one. Maybe the bannana link for the Roadster is different and I got one of those by mistake. Man am I reaching for straws!!!!!

Terry
33HR #134

[Racerboy1a]

I found the same problem (#99) using a 94/95 Mustang 8.8.
My fix was to loosen the clamp bolts holding the 3 link bracket to the axle tube and rotate the bracket forward in order to shorten the distance for the upper llink. I determined how much to adjust it by setting the rod ends in the tube at about 1/2 of the available thread and then installed the bolts. Then I tighened up the clamp bolts and made a spacer (approximately 5/8") and used a longer bolt for the bracket that runs forward to the cast in flange of the pumpkin. I have not checked the pinion angle but it appears to be about right (slightly down).

I don't know if this was the right way to do this but it seemed to me there was not enough length in the upper tube to adequately engage the threads of the rod ends and it needed to be addressed.

I checked the length of the upper tube of the 3 link. It's 12". I doubt there is any difference between the bracket for the 33 and the roadster.

Racerboy1a
#99 302/347, TKO 5spd, 3-link, coupe

[btrush]

Racerboy,

Thanks for the input. I'm going to give it a try. I think you have ended my nightmares.

Terry

[thomas colina]

I think the pinion angle should be aprox. 2 degrees up.