anyone make a linkge

[TacicalRedneck]

so..,,. looking at aftermarket linkages im wondering if anyone has milled their own.

an mx linkage looks pretty easy to make, looking at gt thunders stuff, the bearings are only $60.


any thing i may run in to???


pics of linkages? angles? measurments?

[ben300]

so..,,. looking at aftermarket linkages im wondering if anyone has milled their own.

an mx linkage looks pretty easy to make, looking at gt thunders stuff, the bearings are only $60.


any thing i may run in to???


pics of linkages? angles? measurments?

for what it would cost you to build one, you could just buy one

[TacicalRedneck]

not at all. i have access to a mill and tons of scrap stock

[400man]

my brother made me a "copy" of the gtt xc link. I got him a solid piece of steel from my work, and he works at a machine shop and made it for me in his spare time. I just used the bearing from a extra stock linkage I had.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp255/ky2stroker/gncc400ex011.jpg (http://s417.photobucket.com/user/ky2stroker/media/gncc400ex011.jpg.html)

that's the only pic I could find on my computer, I could take more though

[81dasher81]

if i remember right, i had 13 dollars in the one i made. i used nylon bushings temporarily just to make sure that it was where i wanted my pivot points to be, and after they wore out i was always going to ream the holes out and put stock or oem replacement needle bearings in.. they havent worn out yet lol.

i dont have any measurements right off hand, but it all depends what you want to do as far as ride height and suspension travel. i made mine to increase travel and lower ride height. make sure that you have enough clearance for the shock as well as the pivot point on the frame. i didnt have to bend my sub-frame out like everyone talks about having to do for the GTT links.

if you already have your rear shock set up for your weight and such, depending on what you do with your dimensions, you may want to stiffen the shock with preload, spring rate and dampening.

if you'd like i'd be more than happy to txt you pictures of it..

[KKiowaTJ]

If you are off on the tolerances it will throw the whole rear off and ride like poo. But that's not to say it cant be done. If it were me, Order one and copy it and return it when you are done, Or sell it. That way you have one in hand to compare/have exact measurements to it.

[MtnEX]

Cool that the nylon bushings are holding up... hummm...

[chronicsmoke]

It's possible, but I think unless you do what 400man didn and make a copy of a popular link you'll have a hell of a time getting the shock setup for the link that nobody would have any information on.. At least copying a well known linkage would make it easy to have the shock built.

Post your progress though sounds like a pretty cool project.

[Scro]

As long as you're OK with a potential lawsuit for copying a patented product...sure...mill away!

[2001400exrida]

the gtt seems to be the standard, but what some people odn't know is all the good shock builders have their own linkages. derisi, jet, elka, for some reason gtt trumps them all and i think that's just because it's been around longer, but i'd say unless you're selling them you would probably be fine trying to make a replica linkage, maybe just change it up a hair so it's not identical.

[KKiowaTJ]

As long as you're OK with a potential lawsuit for copying a patented product...sure...mill away!


That wont hold up for crap, Even if he had a GTT link and cloned it. No matter what, It will not be the same, His will be mill cut and others are production. His wont have their logo or anything else for that matter but 'the look'. How do you think other companies get their products? Only time it will fall under patent infringement is if he claims its a GTT link and sells some under GTT label or a reference to, GTT.

Just like the famous 'johnny joint' currie enterprises made. Now every lift company sells a knock off of their arm end calling it 'super flex' or extreme joint, X-Flex joint etc. They are all the same copy of the original JJ.

No grounds or reason for a lawsuit for a person making his own parts for his own machine. Until he makes that claim, Its just a one off link.

[ben300]

That wont hold up for crap, Even if he had a GTT link and cloned it. No matter what, It will not be the same, His will be mill cut and others are production. His wont have their logo or anything else for that matter but 'the look'. How do you think other companies get their products? Only time it will fall under patent infringement is if he claims its a GTT link and sells some under GTT label or a reference to, GTT.

Just like the famous 'johnny joint' currie enterprises made. Now every lift company sells a knock off of their arm end calling it 'super flex' or extreme joint, X-Flex joint etc. They are all the same copy of the original JJ.

No grounds or reason for a lawsuit for a person making his own parts for his own machine. Until he makes that claim, Its just a one off link.

ever do any research on patent infringement? Patents are so loosely worded that a tree branch could fall under the patent for a toaster oven. he could very easily get slammed by GTT. no to mention, to sell something like that to the public, it has to be aproved by a professional engineer (that is, if our doing it in mass quantities and not a few one-off products). Because if its not, and you sell it, adn someone gets ****ed up or killed as a result, you open your self to a whole new world of financial hurt.

[ben300]

With that said...make one. GTT wants way to much for theirs for all the more they got into it. its jsut that thats pretty much the gold standard link for OEM swiner/OEM rear shock combos.


Vanilla Gorilla Racing now makes the "banana link" for the 04-05 adn 06+ trx's and are currently working on ones for the yamaha bikes. They have way more machining and are waaaaaaay cooler looking than the GTT or derisi links and are about $20-40 cheaper (depending on what special Brannon is running.).

[2001400exrida]

That wont hold up for crap, Even if he had a GTT link and cloned it. No matter what, It will not be the same, His will be mill cut and others are production. His wont have their logo or anything else for that matter but 'the look'. How do you think other companies get their products? Only time it will fall under patent infringement is if he claims its a GTT link and sells some under GTT label or a reference to, GTT.

Just like the famous 'johnny joint' currie enterprises made. Now every lift company sells a knock off of their arm end calling it 'super flex' or extreme joint, X-Flex joint etc. They are all the same copy of the original JJ.

No grounds or reason for a lawsuit for a person making his own parts for his own machine. Until he makes that claim, Its just a one off link.

there's a reason for patents and if somebody directly copied a link and then sold it on the market, you would bet that patent would come to light. There's also a reason that GTT puts a patent on such a product, it's to protect it from being copied. Now, would it be easy to get around the patent? of course, make a slight change in something, but then you wouldn't have the same product and it wouldn't be tested with the same r&d that gtt put into there's, so more than likely it wouldn't work as well.

[81dasher81]

Cool that the nylon bushings are holding up... hummm...

yeah, i didnt want to spend money on the needle bearings before i knew how it effected the ride, and if i'd like it or not.. its survived a trip to the dunes, some pretty good trail riding and 2 or 3 mx races.. plus just screwing around at my house lol

like i said, i'll send pics of it, just message me your number or email adress

i didnt have a problem getting my shock set up for it, i just had the heavier spring that came on my elka when i got it, then adjusted the compression.

[KKiowaTJ]

I agree and mentioned it in the op, Nothing can be done unless he takes it outside personal use. Yep, The main lawsuit would be injury(s).
Either way, He wants to make his own vs buying, Nothing wrong with that. Not looking to make a buck, Looking to save and also to say he made it.

I really haven't priced them, But know its something ill buy and throw in a closet until I have the rest to have the shock done. But im not to that point yet, But close and glad to hear there is more than one player that's good. I never put much time in that area long ago, I wanted to 'go fast'. Now id rather be comfy and faster with less motor lol.