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Introducing the Lateral Dynamics 3-Link System, a true road race
inspired, performance rear suspension system for early muscle cars.
Exhaustive R&D has resulted in a setup that offers unparalleled high
speed stability and performance potential, a system that is equally
at home on the street, road course, auto cross and dragstrip.
 3-Link
Control: Simple, lightweight, bind free. When it comes to
mechanical devices, nature prefers triangles. A three legged stool
never rocks, three geometrical points define a plane, triangular
structures offer stability, strength, and simplicity. When it comes
to precisely locating a live axle assembly in an automobile, nothing
performs better than a 3-Link system.
The Lateral Dynamics 3-Link system utilizes three control arms to
locate the rear axle assembly precisely in the car. These three
links connect the acceleration and brake forces of the axle assembly
to the chassis of the car. What sets the 3-Link apart from other
methods of retaining the axle assembly is the fact that it does so
without bind; the system is designed to be “kinematically free.”
Unlike virtually every other competitive rear suspension
arrangement, the 3-Link is free to move vertically and is also free
to roll in cornering situations, all without undue strain on either
the chassis or suspension components. Exactly what your car begs for
in virtually every driving scenario.
Ultra Long Control Arms: Size DOES matter in this
case. We engineered the 3-Link system to utilize very long control
arms relative to our competition. Longer is better, the physics say
so. As the suspension moves through travel in real world behavior,
critically important attributes go through far less abrupt
transitional changes, creating a system that is dynamically more
stable. FAR more stable. This directly translates into predictable
driver feel with no sudden surprises. Surprises like wheel hop,
chatter, brake hop, roll steer. These potentially disturbing
realities present in so many other setups are specifically addressed
and mitigated. By design, Dynamic Stability is at the core of our
existence.
 Watt’s
Link: Lateral Control, Precisely. While the 3-Link system
handles the acceleration and braking reactions, it needs help to
locate the axle assembly from moving side to side. Often, a device
called a “Panhard Bar” handles this. However, the Panhard Bar
suffers from two unacceptable downfalls. One, it allows a sideways
motion of the axle assembly, as the suspension moves vertically.
Two, a very important attribute of the suspension system, called the
“Roll Moment,” changes as the suspension articulates.
A very long time ago, a smart engineer invented the Watt’s link to
assist in motion control for the steam propulsion industry. His
design was so effective that it was borrowed by the automotive
industry and racing community in the 1950’s, so effective in fact
that is still used today in many road racing applications. We too
use it, because it works, in a simple, extremely effective and
precise manner. Unlike every other commercially available lateral
locator, the roll pivot location of the Watt’s linkage does not move
dynamically, it is completely precise, and exactly the solution we
require. Our adaptation of the Watt’s linkage eliminates both of
these downfalls simultaneously. Is it more complex? In relative
terms, yes it is. Is it worth the extra effort? Without question,
yes it is.
Unparalleled lateral axle control, and no roll moment migration,
all in a highly precise, smooth and bind free mechanism. Lateral
Control, Dynamic Stability: Lateral Dynamics.
Adjustable Geometry: The Lateral Dynamics 3-Link
system is designed to be highly adjustable. Let’s face it, there are
a lot of variables when we look at our cars, ride height, intended
primary usage, tire selection, and on and on. It would be terrific
if we could wave a magic wand and create the perfect, ultimate setup
to handle all of the variables simultaneously, but unfortunately,
that just isn’t physically possible. Instead, we developed a system
that can be manipulated to bias the car for a particular
environment. To make it straightforward, we have done all of the
hard work for you; a very complete setup guide is provided with
every kit that makes setting a baseline as easy as following the
instructions. Many people won’t ever need to move beyond the
baseline and won’t need to adjust the system at all; others might be
inclined to do so. For those folks that do wish to adjust further,
our instructions will put you on the right path, so you won’t get
lost in the setup, ever.
Ready To Install: Our kits come complete, ready to go
directly into your car. We make it as easy as possible to minimize
the time between when you receive the kit, and the time when you are
enjoying the car on the road. Our differential housing comes
completely fixture welded; all the brackets are precisely located
and securely welded into place, there’s no need to “wonder” if the
folks who built it did it right and no risk of destroying expensive
parts trying to do it yourself. All necessary hardware is included,
no chasing some silly bolt that no one in town seems to ever have.
We even provide Loctite for those locations where locking hardware
is not possible. For those areas where we require sheet metal work,
we include laser cut, formed pieces to minimize fabrication time. On
top of it all, a detailed set of instructions with photographs of
actual installation steps is included in every kit. We sincerely
want you to succeed in installing the kit, and enjoying your car in
as little time as possible.
D.M.a.P.S. The primary feature of the design and
manufacturing process of the Lateral Dynamics 3-link system is the
Design-Process and Material and Process Selection. Compressed into
the acronym – D.M.a.P.S. - it is the ethic by which we engineer each
component and the system as a whole, how the materials for each
component are selected and the process by which it is fabricated.
Lateral Dynamics is driven by a commitment to doing things right
through attention to detail, choosing the best approach to solve a
problem, nothing less, and nothing more.
Our Design Process starts on paper. We thoughtfully construct a set
of critical Design Requirements that define the problem to be
solved, and the engineering truths that affect it, before we ever
attempt to design a solution. Without question, we utilize
contemporary tools to help us through the design phase, such as
software tools from Solidworks, Win GEO, and many others, but these
tools are an aid, not the overall design solution. If traditional
hand calculations don’t confirm the software results, we determine
the disparity and solve the issue.
 
Each and every component within the system falls under this strict
scrutiny, and is the key to our Material Selection. The goal?
Maximize the strength and durability of each component, and the
system as a whole, without undue penalty in terms of weight,
material costs and in turn the cost of the finished product. We
could easily design an entire system out of solid billet aluminum or
cold-forged titanium. It would be absurdly strong and freakishly
light, but would have cost more than most completed cars. We think
you’d agree, that is not a viable option. Instead, through Finite
Element Analysis we closely examine the stressors on each critical
component within the system and match the appropriate material to
that application.
The final component of D.M.a.P.S. is the Manufacturing Process
Selection.
Regardless of how good the design and raw material is, without
appropriate manufacturing practices, all of the positive attributes
can be thrown out the window. Each critical component in the Lateral
Dynamics 3-Link system is meticulously fabricated using some of the
highest quality Laser Cutting and CNC equipment available. Dedicated
assembly and welding fixtures for each specific part are employed to
ensure the five-hundredth system we build is as perfect as the
first.
A very important part of our manufacturing process is welding, and
is a science that we take extremely seriously. It’s not enough to
say that a joint is “TIG welded,” the specific parameters need to be
appropriate for every single weld; there is no “one size fits all.”
Every single joint has a specific set of process parameters,
including weld current, cover gas type/flow, filler material, feed
rates, and more.
The bottom line is that the process (D.M.a.P.S.) by which we
manufacture your suspension system is not based on wild guesses or
backyard overbuilding. It is built through a meticulous attention to
detail using proven competition level engineering, fabrication
practices, and common sense thrown in for good measure. |
