Projects Are these radius rods OK to use?

In the pile of bits for my '34 project are a pair of '38" long radius rods, Heim joints and brackets to mount them on the rear axle. I mocked the rear end up in the chassis today, and I don't really like the way these things look. They're short, 38" long, and seem like they'd be bendable with torque loads and/or braking. I have a set of '36 front bones I was going to use, but since these came with the car I decided to mock them up. Thoughts? Good to use with a gusset in the middle? Too short? Do I need a sway bar with these split radius rods? Using a '40 mono-leaf spring and '40 crossmember, flattened. I've never set up a buggy spring suspension before, any (helpful) comments appreciated...

 

They are shorter that I'd like to see, but I have made them that short.

What I don't like is their position. They should be almost touching each other on the leading end.

Here's on I did, with shorties:

You have room for much longer ones. I would take advantage of that real-estate. Pete and Jakes make a nice set, with a crossmember.

Look like a familiar chassis?

 

You should have a generous gusset in them.

As for an anti-sway bar, I am going to go out on a limb and guess that you mean a Panhard bar. The answer is no, so long as you have a properly tensioned spring. You should need a spreader to install the leaf spring, with the shackles under tension with no load on the chassis.

If you really do mean an anti-sway bar, that will require a spirited test drive.

 

x2. Just follow the Ikea instruction sheet as illustrated.

 

Thanks guys. The position was dictated by the fact that right there was the only place I had to clamp the vice grip to! I thought if I used them I'd extend the bottom of the center of the "X" member back to make a crossmember (incorporating a driveshaft tunnel on the bottom) to hang them from. That would stiffen the chassis considerably, and it'd let me mimic the original wishbone mount. Otherwise I'll make a new set using the original '36 'bones I have, split and use them as the bottom rod, with some DOM tubing for the upper. That'd look better, I think... And Yes, I meant Panhard bar, it wouldn't come to me. ;-)

 

Got an 8' stick of heavy wall DOM tubing today, and steel plate for the center section. Sparks will fly...

 

I don't remember the exact measurements, but the Pete and Jakes are pretty close to four feet long.

 

So are mine from R-Jays. They are super nice and you cant beat the price.

 

Brian
They are actually hair pins and yes I would throw a gusset in the middle. They are always best to land somewhere near the front U joint but sometimes that isn't possible and they seem to work OK shorter.

If you are running a cross leaf then a sway bar is optional.

 

Here are some photos of what has been done to the 33-4 chassis rear radius rods/torque arms. I have used the P&J rods and they work great but using the early rear bones you mentioned works good also if you add a torque arm.


These are 40 style rear radius rods that have been reinforced.

This chassis uses the 36 radius rods with a torque arm added. I prefer this method as it has the early look.

Here are the P&J ladder bars that are 47 1/2" long. Easy to install in a stock chassis.

Here is another approach using the 36 rear bones and a torque arm on each arm.

 

Pew, how about a closer shot of how the 4 bones come together at the back of the trans? Interesting set-up. Couldn't help but notice the bottle of "idea lube" sittin' on the crossmember. Great stuff being built there.

 

I don't have any photos from that chassis, but basically they attach to the front of the bones and then the lower bars are mounted to the center crossmember. The adult beverages are required for this deep thinking!


Here is Cory's 32 chassis build using the same set up except only one torque arm. The torque arm attached to the top of the lower rod as shown. The lower bar is attached to the center crossmember as shown.


Here a sample of a crossmember to hold the lower rods.

 

I like the Ford rods with the addition of a torque arm, that looks like the winner. That works OK simply tying the torque arm to the lower rod? Looks almost too easy. ;-) If one works OK, I could use the remaining 4 feet of the DOM tube for a rear spreader bar...

 

Now that's some nice work! Great take on a different kind of trans mount. Is that a folded top support plate that can be removed from the bottom? Strong but you can get it out if you need to. Very cool.

 

Do I need a sway bar with these split radius rods?
are you using the buggy spring (side to side) ? if so the rear wouldn't move side to side . if not , put a good heavy sway bar (adjustable) from the rear end to one side of frame .
I'm coming in late here so I may not be revalant

 

So here's what I did. I made the front wishbone into hairpins, sort of copying the P & J bars, longer and much heavier than the hairpin rods, with an upper bar of 1 1/4" DOM tube. I'll make mounts for these from the bottom plate of the X member behind the trans, as close to the center as I can get them. One (almost) down, one to go.

 

Much more of a fan of heim ends than a single clevis..... I'de rather have double brackets holding my bars, than one single... And, with one single= what's the diameter of such clevis? say a half inch? 5/8 at best? NO THANKS.
You did good Brian!