Not that it would have mattered, the car's rear brakes functioned. No e brake was just another rule violation, who needs an e brake with an auto trans? Young and invincible. Even with the rear brakes, it was still a long wild ride. With the front end sliding down the road on a steel skate, going where ever it wanted to go, the rear brakes sure didn't seem to be much help. It is entirely possible I had the rear wheels locked up, which probably complicated the problem. That event happened years ago. I still remember the experience and the helpless feeling of just being along for the ride, but not many other details.
I don't have a Vulva......I mean Volvo... The Ole Hotrod of mine is a pretty raw primitive rattlecan, loud, no seatbelts, no wipers, bias ply equipped, oh, with drum brakes all around...like I said what the hell was the point of this Thread...I pick and choose my minor repairs that I tackle and farm out what I'm unsure of aka alignment, brakes and such...I think Army should chime in wtf...I accept the advice and scrutiny...he should too and if he has spent any time here he should expect some fireworks...lucky he doesn't have E & Js nobody would have noticed the suspension issues...
Even being young, dumb, and invincible, I knew how lucky I was on that deal. Our experiences shape our views on safety rules. We usually view them as a waste of time, money and effort until we find out why they were established as rules. Then we start sounding like Volvo drivers, as T man calls us. LOL!
Live fast die hard comes to mind and that doesn't just pertain to Bikers many times...it's hard to strike a balance here sometimes...the Cowl Steering Thread comes to mind...
I don't think this has anything to do with laws and authority and obedience. Most of the cars which are built in the HAMB community are built according to heuristics, i.e. rules of thumb, which don't belong to anyone but exist as a sort of floating technological commons. That's a good thing. It doesn't prohibit anyone from designing from first principles instead, but it makes it possible for a lot of people to create stuff without having to reinvent the wheel every time. I enjoy reinventing the wheel: a few might not have the ability, but a whole lot more probably simply don't have the inclination. That shouldn't stand in the way of anyone's creativity. I wrote something about it here: "I have seen this in action in the world of hot-rodding and modified automobiles. Many prefer to follow rules-of-thumb despite the underlying theoretical principles being known and freely circulated. Thus a probable majority will set out a triangulated 4-link rear axle location with 'the bottom links should be horizontal at ride height,' rather than plotting the resulting imaginary instant centre against the imaginary 100% anti-squat line. And while it is possible to misapply such a heuristic quite badly, in the vast majority of cases this works admirably. When it doesn’t, there is an entire message board’s community on hand to point out why, and argue about it for days." That's what's happening here: not arguing about it for days but refining our heuristics. We're looking at scrub lines again, making sure we understand what they're about, trying to see if there are preconditions or limitations or exceptions nobody has spotted before — without the need for meetings or agendas or for anyone to be told to do anything. It might make the heuristic more useful than it had hitherto been. This is one of the most important functions of forums like the HAMB.
I can't add anything to what has already been said and I haven't read any reply's by the OP, if this is something you bought or are building I suggest you rethink ever driving the truck as it sit's, if you were to have a flat at speed you will not be able to control the truck. Please look into reworking your front suspension and getting rid of that axle. HRP
@armymike, please chime in here our bark is worse than our bite here...please talk about this...we have seen worse...MUCH worse but that's not what this is about...through all this talk is a want to help you get this right... I'm going to start my reaching out for civil discussion of your so called Deathtrap by saying first Thank you for your Service... Secondly I am going to go out on a limb here and say you are an Engineer. How do I come to this conclusion?...it's that ring on your finger...is that made perhaps from a failed bridge?...anyway please chime in here...I don't believe this Thread should be closed...I WANT YOU to get this right and as @Tman said it may be a relatively straightforward set of moves I believe you are well capable of handling yourself...We want you here... I truly want to know more about The Bowtie...what's under the hood?... Anyways Stogy's long winded...we All look forward to more pics and please some written feedback... Regards, Stogy
I think not, I believe he was put back by the heavy handed response...I think we all want the issue restructured so he can have a more safer better riding Hotrod...I would hope he would chime in and have a talk about it...nothing to be shameful of meeting a wall that can be climbed with some straightforward adjustments...
I think he’s just messing with us. That’s SO bad that nobody would do crap work like that. I think we’re being punked.
Maybe a shop took him to the cleaners...promised good work but really delivered a terrible outcome... Unfortunately that happens...again, I looked at his 4 posts...seems a civil dude to me...and he had things to say...You can't post an issue without a story however it came about...truly overall it's a good looking truck...
Don't be surprised, one of our local hot rod "legends" had an F1 that sat bitchin like this Chevy. The front AND rear was setup this bad to get the stance. Of course, most of his shit was just mocked up for show in the shop and never actually hit the road. Anything he owned that actually drove was built by someone else
To me one way would be if keeping the parallel leaf, perhaps a standard axle as they seem to have a drop in standard config, with a frame notch and a reposition or modding the spring hangers or perhaps reverse eye spring with a frame notch...are those possible options...running a taller tire...if it has to be a Radial perhaps those Auburn's... Obviously the steering and other details would need tweaking as well... What's the fixes Hoodlums in the know...I am very limited in knowledge of such things but not daft of it either...and of course think Hamb Friendly... Does Parallel Leaf present disadvantages over Transverse? Perhaps this is one of those reasons some prefer Ford over Chevy in that department...
There has been no HAMB activity by the OP since he posted this thread. He has not even checked in to read any of the responses. Doesn't seem like someone who was interested in opinions or recommendations to me.
Maybe he's out and about...we'll see as he did communicate in his other posts...I exercise patience and asked unbombastically as others have to chime in...we're here to help...but yes you have to be ready to digest good advise...
Thank you...for your constructive ignorance. We cleared the red carpet for your professional opinion...
...Actually the front tires are fine...yes a taller tire would bring better ground clearance to the bottom of the axle but not change the fact if a tire were to blow, the fact the bottom of the axle is lower than the rim you would lose a significant amount of control due to the rim being above the axle with the axle skidding on the ground and the rim in air...that is called a scrub line issue which in this case is caused by the heavy dropped axle used. Secondly if you look at the tie rod connection there is a 3" or so long bolt with several nuts used as spacers with a lock nut used which is truly I suspect not to code along with that scrub issue... This Thread despite a lack of communication by the OP'ster is a good eye opener for what to avoid when achieving a look which could have been done in a much safer and correct manner...compromises like this could cost you, others with you and anyone caught in the path of the aftermath of an unpredictable blowout or steering issue caused by that unknown bolt setup failing or bending under load. The whole geometry of that front end is all over the place... Someone also mentioned the possibility of tie rod colliding with the spring as it looks close but I believe it all moves up and down as one unit with the axle and connecting arm off the spindle...
SCRUB LINE as explained to me by a Washington State Patrol officer who had stopped me for the front end of my 48 being too low when it was lower than in my avatar. To quote him, If I let all the air out of your front tires and anything touches the ground it is below the scrub line, I don't care if you have 20 inch wheels and 2 inch tall tires as long as nothing touches the ground with flat tires and I can push you off the road you are good. With 14 inch front wheels and the stock axle under my 48 I don't have a lot of wiggle room as far as scrub line goes. Truthfully while that axe has way too much drop for the OP's truck with the wheels he has on it, it would be pretty cool under my boat tail roadster with 18 inch Chevy wires on it.
I think people prefer Ford simply because it's more familiar. They stick with what they know. Like I said, heuristics. Transverse leaf does have an advantage over parallel, especially at the front: a wider spring base is possible, meaning a softer spring rate for any given roll stiffness. With parallel leaf, the spring base is limited by clearance needed for the wheels to steer.
So did he write you up and give you a time frame to correct it with a visit to a service center to verify? Maybe he'll give you a deal on that axle...
I've seen them mount the parallels on the outside of the frames with the mounts on the sides getting things lower and I suppose further outbrd improving the handling I suspect. It was on Dry Lakes Racers in the 40s...
The vertical distance between the bottom of the axle and the bottom of the wheel rim looks to be about 2"? If that's right, and assuming those front wheels to be 14", you'd need at least 18" wheels for that axle to work. Stock '31 Chevy is 19" — tyre size the same as the Model A that year — so that would work, as would 18" '32 Chevy wheels.
Essentially the consensus is that axle is in an incorrect application...to achieve the stance the OP has, it has to be achieved in a different configuration using a combination with less drop in axle and perhaps a 16" rim...and several other details of course...to eliminate unsafe details observed...without upsetting the spirit of Hotrod...
The usual unintelligible crap. Check out the 'signature' dribble at the bottom of the posts (#108 & #110). Impressive huh.... (Edit April 19) Oops, looks like the signature has been cleaned up. It's a shame. It was a good insight...
The Jalopy Journal
