Hi,
I don't really understand why you mean buy drag link facing "up" and "down".
The drag link threaded tube on the wishbone should face up, but the drag link bolt into the upright should face down. Long tube of the top front wishbone in the font is correct (that what is setting up the caster angle)
Perhaps this picture can help :
2013-11-26_13-48-38 by
Voucht71, on Flickr
The shock has a 5 inches maximum movement, and it is leaning at 45°, so the maximum vertical movement of the wheel will not be more than 3-4 inches anyway.
Hope this will help
