Well I think during the hollidays I will re-work my entire rear suspension.

I am going to go with Marlin crawlers rear set up with most likely 4" springs and all the goodies they have in their kit.

So, I will be building a crossmember for the longer shocks.
Really I just cant make up my mind what I want to build it out of.
So I'm open for suggestions.
What did you guys use? would you do anything different?
Thanks anything will help
Jed <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I used 3" channel for mine:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/4R_suspension-III.shtml#RshockUpdate

I fabbed my own copying budbuilt's design. Both top and bottom mounts. Beefed it up some though. The lower mounts are bent and drilled 3/8 flatbar, with 2 exhaust c/clamps per side.

Top mounts:

i sort of copied Rogers design (2 plates mounted to outside of the frame, & a 1" square tubing crossmember bolted to the side plates (sitting at the gap btwn the top of frame & under the bed with no body lift) with a 1.5 feet long/1.5" angle iron welded to the middle of the bar, with top shock holes drilled to the angle iron. )

"It lasts me 20000km b4 it snaps when i was in B.C. because I had too much weld on one end of the angle iron to the thin wall square bar. (Cracked around the weld from fatigue) ...Been repaired by plateing it & not putting too much weld "

Bottom mounts:
muffle clamps each side (left & right) to the rear axle housing with a 2"x4" plates mounted to it (each plates are drilled with 2 holes for muffle clamps bolts & the other one for lower shock mounts.) I'm really surprise how this is holding up after 30000km! It was just for a temporary setup until i fab a mounting bracket welded to rear axle, but that still haven't happen yet!)

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

wow, I guess I've never looked at budbuilts before.

I would have never thought the factory tube "crossmember" would be nearly strong enough for that.

I was just thinking of keeping it very simple and using a peice of 2x2 1/4" with a a plate of 1/4" on each side and bolting it to the frame or perhaps welding it.
Roger or chris, do you guys have some more/better pics?

Roger, how close are the top shock mounts from being directly above the axle? (strait up and down/or how far towords the cab if at all) looks like you got it pretty much strait up for where your lower mounts are on the axle.
thanks (sorry for the lame noob questions.)
Jed

anyone ..
hello ... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />
last try before I head to the steel yard and leave feeling violated but greatful they let me at least keep my wallet.

Amen to the steel yard comment <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />, they steel your money, and you get steel tubing, atleast around here, i've got one supplier that i know of, that will sell to an individual. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I broke mine after about 4 years of using it.



Upper mount is above the lower mount, shocks straight up and down. More pictures on my web page (link posted earlier).