offset 3-link

[jerome]

I'm planning an 3-link rear for my S10, and would like some opinions on the numbers I'm getting just to make sure it will work out alright. Here's the theory of the offset third link:

http://home.earthlink.net/~whshope/id5.html

I am also using the calculator on this page.

All links will be 4" from the axle centerline vertically, directly above or below the axle centerline.

I will be using a panhard bar, as long as possible (about 40"), adjustable for height, and parallel to the ground and rearend.

Will be using coilovers, very close to vertically mounted

The lower links will be parallel to each other in plan view, and basically parallel to the ground in side view. I am assuming that only the lowers define roll axis, so I would have a neutral roll axis at ride height. I guess optimal would to have the roll axis slope downwards towards front so there is roll understeer, even in bump. The lower links can be very very long, but I am assuming that the gains are negligible north of 36".

The upper link will be offset to the passenger side of the car. It can be long, but it must be angled downwards (towards front) to provide anti-squat so it must stop around 20" in order to not reduce ground clearance.



The results from the calculator are attached.

I have 3 concerns with this suspension setup.

13" of offset to the side for the third link is very significant, will this cause problems with uneven braking because of squatting force on the passenger side?

Pinion angle change. From what I can see, the shorter upper link will make the pinion rotate downward in bump, which is good. I would assume that I should try to match the degree change of the pinion to the degree change of the driveshaft in both bump and droop. Is there a theory on what works best here?

I currently have the links sloping very slightly down towards front of car to create roll understeer. I havent ever seen a suspension that does this, is there something wrong with doing that?



Thanks,
Jerome