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    Results 1 to 19 of 19
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Mar 2022
      Posts
      124

      Reasonable price for 4 link install

      Hey guys,



      I have a first gen ridetech triangulated 4 link. I am swapping it out for a second gen with the new adjustable ends. What is a reasonable price to get this work done? I figured it was a 8 hour job give or take. Does that sound reasonable? I would do it myself but I don't have a lift.

      Thanks.


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Mar 2022
      Posts
      124
      bump

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Jul 2019
      Location
      Ohio
      Posts
      313
      Country Flag: United States
      you can't just change the links?

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Mountain Springs, Texas
      Posts
      4,488
      Country Flag: United States
      By second Gen do you mean the version with the orientation of the upper bars changed? So you need the new cradle and axle brackets installed?
      1969 Camaro - LSA 6L90E AME sub/IRS
      1957 Buick Estate Wagon
      1959 El Camino - Ironworks frame
      1956 Cameo - full C5 suspension/drivetrain
      1959 Apache Fleetside

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      In my head that is essentially a complete new install. Off the top of my head without seeing your car.

      -Back seat out
      -Remove old cradle
      -Mock up new cradle
      -Make new cradle fit, install nutserts, add strategic welds to hold it all together.
      -Cut old upper brackets off of housing
      -Mock up new brackets, set driveline angles, tack in place, run through travel and check for bind in all moving parts
      -Disassemble rear axle (9" or 10/12 bolt?) weld brackets and then straighten housing with fixture
      - Spray bomb housing and reassemble rear suspension
      -Align rear to rest of car and center wheels in opening
      -Add diff fluid and bleed brakes and test drive

      20 hours plus the following

      Do fuel lines and brake lines have to be relocated? It would be a miracle if the tailpipes worked. Is the current cradle welded?
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Feb 2019
      Location
      Kankakee IL
      Posts
      362
      Hours X shop rate. Everything else is dependent on how smoothly it goes.
      Tracey

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Dec 2010
      Location
      Fredericksburg, VA.
      Posts
      3,155
      Country Flag: United States
      I actually think 20 hours is way under estimated to remove the old cradle and axle brackets then reinstall all the new suspension and new axle brackets. I bet 40 plus hours is more likely. If you just want adjustable suspension links you might be better off having new links built with adjustable rod ends for the current suspension setup.

      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      In my head that is essentially a complete new install. Off the top of my head without seeing your car.

      -Back seat out
      -Remove old cradle
      -Mock up new cradle
      -Make new cradle fit, install nutserts, add strategic welds to hold it all together.
      -Cut old upper brackets off of housing
      -Mock up new brackets, set driveline angles, tack in place, run through travel and check for bind in all moving parts
      -Disassemble rear axle (9" or 10/12 bolt?) weld brackets and then straighten housing with fixture
      - Spray bomb housing and reassemble rear suspension
      -Align rear to rest of car and center wheels in opening
      -Add diff fluid and bleed brakes and test drive

      20 hours plus the following

      Do fuel lines and brake lines have to be relocated? It would be a miracle if the tailpipes worked. Is the current cradle welded?
      Steve Hayes
      "Dust Off"
      68 Camaro

      Given sufficient initial acceleration, even pigs can fly!

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Mar 2022
      Posts
      124
      You might be right, it may be easier to just swap out the links. I ordered a complete new one because I have a banging in the rear end and I think it's the cradle somehow. I can't pinpoint it, but it comes from either the left or right side of the car and sometimes both sides, so it's not the rear end or driveshaft. It happens on down shifts and again, sometimes on the left side and sometimes on the right but mostly I get the "bang" from both sides at the same time. So that's the reason I went with a completely new setup. But I don't want to pay $4,000.00 to install a $1700 unit either.

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Mountain Springs, Texas
      Posts
      4,488
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Pedigry View Post
      You might be right, it may be easier to just swap out the links. I ordered a complete new one because I have a banging in the rear end and I think it's the cradle somehow. I can't pinpoint it, but it comes from either the left or right side of the car and sometimes both sides, so it's not the rear end or driveshaft. It happens on down shifts and again, sometimes on the left side and sometimes on the right but mostly I get the "bang" from both sides at the same time. So that's the reason I went with a completely new setup. But I don't want to pay $4,000.00 to install a $1700 unit either.
      Sounds like the infamous ridetech bang. This has been discussed before. I think the shocks might be bottoming or topping out. It happens in abrupt steps in the pavement. Progressive bumpstops on the shocks might help. YMMV.

      Don
      1969 Camaro - LSA 6L90E AME sub/IRS
      1957 Buick Estate Wagon
      1959 El Camino - Ironworks frame
      1956 Cameo - full C5 suspension/drivetrain
      1959 Apache Fleetside

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      Get your wrenches out and tighten all hardware that attach the links to anything. Like 120 ft/lbs tight.
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      1,414
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by dhutton View Post
      Sounds like the infamous ridetech bang. This has been discussed before. I think the shocks might be bottoming or topping out. It happens in abrupt steps in the pavement. Progressive bumpstops on the shocks might help. YMMV.

      Don
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      Get your wrenches out and tighten all hardware that attach the links to anything. Like 120 ft/lbs tight.
      Even if the shocks did bottom out, you wouldn't get a bang with these really, you'd feel it for sure though. It's 100% what Donny is leaning towards. If those bars have any side to side slop, it resonates through the body (I'm guilty of it myself on my car, tightened them down and everything's all good).


      Ridetech Suspsension
      Tech Specialist
      Phone: 812.481.4734

      Project Fox
      1979 Trans Am

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Mountain Springs, Texas
      Posts
      4,488
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Josh@ridetech View Post
      Even if the shocks did bottom out, you wouldn't get a bang with these really, you'd feel it for sure though. It's 100% what Donny is leaning towards. If those bars have any side to side slop, it resonates through the body (I'm guilty of it myself on my car, tightened them down and everything's all good).
      Interesting. There was a couple of threads about this and no one mentioned this, including former ridetech employees….

      Don
      1969 Camaro - LSA 6L90E AME sub/IRS
      1957 Buick Estate Wagon
      1959 El Camino - Ironworks frame
      1956 Cameo - full C5 suspension/drivetrain
      1959 Apache Fleetside

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      Not the same sound. The "happens on downshifts" gave it away. I was convinced something was broken in my car and it was top drivers bar, forward mount that was a tiny bit loose.......like an 1/4 turn with a my biggest 1/2" ratchet.
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Mountain Springs, Texas
      Posts
      4,488
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      Not the same sound. The "happens on downshifts" gave it away. I was convinced something was broken in my car and it was top drivers bar, forward mount that was a tiny bit loose.......like an 1/4 turn with a my biggest 1/2" ratchet.
      Ok thanks Donny.

      Don
      1969 Camaro - LSA 6L90E AME sub/IRS
      1957 Buick Estate Wagon
      1959 El Camino - Ironworks frame
      1956 Cameo - full C5 suspension/drivetrain
      1959 Apache Fleetside

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Oct 2009
      Posts
      220
      I think ridetech sells a second gen conversion kit. Just have to weld a bracket to the current cradle and weld tabs on the axle. Suspension geek sells them too
      1969 frost green camaro
      LS3
      Speedtech pro touring front subframe
      ridetech rear 4-link
      moser 12 bolt eaton tru trac 3.73

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      1,414
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by dhutton View Post
      Interesting. There was a couple of threads about this and no one mentioned this, including former ridetech employees….

      Don
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      Not the same sound. The "happens on downshifts" gave it away. I was convinced something was broken in my car and it was top drivers bar, forward mount that was a tiny bit loose.......like an 1/4 turn with a my biggest 1/2" ratchet.
      ^^^^ Exactly.


      Ridetech Suspsension
      Tech Specialist
      Phone: 812.481.4734

      Project Fox
      1979 Trans Am

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Mar 2022
      Posts
      124
      Thanks guys, I'll go back through all of the mounting points. I checked the cradle nuts and they were hella tight, I couldn't budge them. I'll check where the bars meet the cradle but I believe those are just bushing, non-adjustable ends. I don't think the shocks are bottoming out. The ride height is exactly 14.5 inches, which is recomended. I would think the shock is in the middle of the throw but maybe not, I haven't had the shock out of the coilover so I don't know the throw of the shock absorber. The "bang" is always abrupt, I never hear it when I am going through the twisties or hitting bumps on the road. If it were the shocks, I think I would hear it during other situations. But the only time I hear it is on the downshift.

      Thanks again for your help, I'll throw a wrench on everything back there and see if there is a problem. Here is a couple pics of the setup.
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    18. #18
      Join Date
      Mar 2022
      Posts
      124
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      Get your wrenches out and tighten all hardware that attach the links to anything. Like 120 ft/lbs tight.

      Donny!

      You are the man. Went under the car and tightened every nut and bolt in the rear suspension, NO MORE BANG! Thank you. Just wanted to give this thread an update. Rear end fixed.

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!





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