Thread: 4 Link-vs-Spring Pockets

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I'm ready to start on the rear suspension of my '55 210. I was going to go with a spring pocket set up to get more tire width. A little cutting on the inner wells and this coupled with traction bars, it would probably be a good set up even with some strong launches and for daily driving.
Ran across a coil-over 4-link set up complete that costs out almost the same...and that looks really cool! But, is there a draw back?? Good Ride? Stability? Difficulty in installing?
Anyone out there that's using one on a "driver" (preferably a tri-5 chevy?) wade in on this for me ok?
Thanks...and by the way...I've got to say this.....I've pretty well cluttered up the Forums while I've designed and began my build up and I can't believe how much help all the great "hold nothing back" comments, opinions and directions have been.

Leaf springs and housing floaters or coil overs? Straight 4 bar with leafs on housing floaters rides and hooks good. A triangulated 4 bar with coilovers rides rough and hooks better. Thought I would just add to the confusion !!!!

First, by "spring pockets" I presume you're talking about leaf springs moved inboard to give you tire clearance (as you stated). Dave's comments about the floaters and some form of bar set up; e.g. "traction masters", ladder bars, four links; something to control the rotation of the axle housing on acceleration forces are well founded.

I comes down to how you intend to use the car MOST of the time. Both systems you are contemplating can work for occasional drag racing (or acceleration demonstrations ), as long as the axle housing is secured.

If most of your use, and hopefully enjoyment, is going to be the "driving around" kind, then I'd strongly suggest the leaf springs and some good gas shocks. Some people will probably disagree with me on this point, but on a car the weight of a tri5 Chev coilovers are not real satisfactory. (My personal belief is that coilovers are inappropriate on any car over something around 3000 pounds if ride quality is to be preserved) Yes, there are units with spring rates high enough for the load, lots of guys have used them, but carrying the load, and doing it with "grace" are two different things. Now I'm not talking panty waste "grace" here, I'm talking ride quality and handling on anything besides a straight and flat surface. If you grew up enjoying buckboard rides then the limited spring travel of a coilover won't bother you. But you need to understand that as a coil spring compresses it tends toward binding, thus yielding less, and stiffening it's compression. Look at the coil springs under cars with good ride quality and road holding ability. They're not coilovers, they're larger diameter wound springs, usually with a "progressive rate", that give readily at low rates, and provide adequate travel to dampen sudden jolts (e.g. potholes, drainage swales, etc.). Just to add more controversy to the mix, most pro street setups use a coilover; mounted vertically!! That sucks for lateral control.......like going around corners. They're patterned after the drag racing setups of the pros................whose primary interest in life is going in a straight line for the briefest amount of time. Not the ideal model for a primarily street driven suspension. Hey, it's great for the ricky racer image, and if sacrificing ride quality for appearance and occasional performance is something you can live with, great! Go for it. It just depends on what the use goals are.

Bob and Tech, thanks for correcting my post, I just edited it to put the rides "rough" that I left out. Good thing you two pay attention, it's obvious I don't !!!!!!! Thanks for correcting my error before 210 redid the back half of his chebbie, then beat on my head with a hammer !!!!!!

For me the pendulum swings the other way. I am lookin' fer the teeth rattlin' ride of short travel shocks n' no give chromoly rod ends on a 4 link suspension. I can get a smooth ride in the family car. Anybody wants a ride they gotta' fit through the cage to get in. That should weed out all but the most serious passengers.
Just my twisted version of massage therapy.... OOOOOOOOOOO I get goose bumps jus' thinkin' about it.

I have a four-link on my sled, but that is so I can set the frame on the ground with the airbags. The four-link does well except on an uneven surface (like a parking lot entrance). I get a nasty wiggle from the rear of the truck accompanied by squeaking.

The frame is boxed and notched for rear axle clearance and I added two tube crossmembers to support the fuel tank in the rear, so there is little-to-no flex in the frame. The "give" on an uneven surface is absorbed by the four-link. I'm sure this is leading to premature wear and a possible risk later-on.

I always inspect my suspension when the truck is in the air for maintenance. I also built a set of bolt-in bumpstops for use if the air ride system fails (so I can get home) I keep them and the wrenches to install them in the tool kit.

Sorry for rambling, bye...

THANKS!!! I appreciate each of your responses. It's pretty clear to me that based on how I'm going to be using this car, the four link set-up isn't what I'm going to be happy with.
I'll stick with the spring pocket set-up and some decent shocks coupled with some traction bars....that'll handle it.
Thanks again to all you guys for the quick responses. Hope I can shed some light on some project for someone in the future.