4 link and rear cross bar

[1moretoy]

Anyone running a 4 link in the rear ever remove the old shock tower crossbar? The one that sits in front of the gas tank? I'm having a hard time trying to plumb the fuel lines from the tank to my filter and Ethenol sensor. I was thinking I could remove it and replace it with a round one bar similar to the four link cross bar. I have a Rick'sStainless steel tank and the pump hat isn't in the best location. In order to clear the rear end and not rub the fuel lines, I have to come out of the tank and almost straight up but the fittings will run into the factory cross brace. I notched it a little but it didn't help much. As much as I need to notch, it would almost take half of it out. I figure why not just remove the whole thing. If i ran the line straight across it would be smashed bt the rear end. Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

A tubular bar there would be stronger & give you the clearance so why not .

 

[1moretoy]

I was going to use some short pieces of Stainless tubing and 90 straight up past the cross brace. This would work perfectly, but then I was told not to mix Stainless and aluminum as it could cause them to corode.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I have done this very thing on my car. However, it is not a four link car. I am still on leafs. This is how we installed mine. My upper shock bar serves 3 purposes. 1) from the rear horizontal hoop I have 2 trunk down bars that tie in from above. 2) it is the upper shock mount bar. 3) it also ties my anti-roll bar off of it as well.

 

[1moretoy]

Is the factory shock brace just spot welded? I didn't see any welds anywhere.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Is the factory shock brace just spot welded? I didn't see any welds anywhere.

Yes, It is very thick material. It took quite a while to get it all cut out.

 

[1moretoy]

Ok, got the factory shock tower removed. I should have the new 1-1/2 round bar installed tomorrow. I have more than enough room already just by the looks of it.

 

[1moretoy]

Would an 1/8" thick plate be good enough to weld to the end of the bar and then weld the plate to frame? I would also do a couple of plug welds.

 

[ItsJustMe]

Would an 1/8" thick plate be good enough to weld to the end of the bar and then weld the plate to frame? I would also do a couple of plug welds.

I didn’t think there were hardly any structural properties to that at all. Mine was only held on by three spot welds on one side and four on the other. I think your idea would be more than enough.

 

[1moretoy]

I didn’t think there were hardly any structural properties to that at all. Mine was only held on by three spot welds on one side and four on the other. I think your idea would be more than enough.

Yeah, I don't think so either. The thought behind the extra plate was just to give it a larger surface area. I didn't want to go too thick of metal being the frame rail is already really thin and Welding thick metal to thin is a lot harder and I don't think I would gain much if anything at all. It's pretty much how my 4-link bar came from Riley's Motorsports.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Would an 1/8" thick plate be good enough to weld to the end of the bar and then weld the plate to frame? I would also do a couple of plug welds.

Yes, that is what I used. You can see it on the third photo I posted above.