Ok first off im asking this because I want to live Ive been working on a front end set up for my Model A and theres always height and clerance issues with every setup But my buddys came up with this Idea, and i told him i dont know if it will or will not work, But i will ask to see if it will work and be safe All right 28-29 mode l straight axle with custom frame that can be altered as needed is being used. With the front crossmember set in place per standard factory specs, a Reverse eye spring (To help with ride & clearance Hight)is mounted Per normal setup, on the crossmember. The Axle is then slung Over the Top of the frame with the axle bow down, the wishbone Perch eyes are then mounted on the underside of the axle ( IE,pointed down toword the springs) the spring eyes and Perch eyes are then connected with Longer shackles estimated to be between 4 & 6" with split wishbones mounted back to the appropriate location Its somthing i have not seen, can this be done safe, if so why havent i seen any pics if not which i find a bit more likly, why will it not work and i need a better answer than because it wont work i need detail so my friends will listen to me on this befor they try to kill me I hope this is clear enough of an explination for folks to understand
it's not clear to me , but it sounds like the axle will be upside down? that would severly efect the kingpin inclanation and the camber maybe a drawing or picture?
Hay the Axle will be right side up only above the frame with the wishbone eye perches in upside down... i'll try to get a drawing done in the morning...
I understand what your trying to do, and in theory it probably would work. You would have to do the math to determine tire size, oil pan clearance etc. and keep in mind you will need clearance between the bottom of the axle and top of frame. I have seen B'ville cars with a axle plane close to what yours would be, but they don't have to drive over pot holes, diveways etc. either.
I would think you would need really tall front tires, if you look at a picture of a typical I-beam front axle, usually there is just not that much room underneath them for a frame and suspension travel, maybe if you had a strait axle with no drop, and real tall tires?? Dan
When you said shackles 6" long, I didn't have to read any further. Won't be right. I wouldn't ride in the thing.
If your trying to get it in the weeds a dropped axle and a reversed eye spring should get you down and have a nice safe ride. Or am I missing what you are looking for?
Rootie the first ones is correct, like i sayed ive been betting these a reason its not done and ive not seen it this would be with a stock axle and 16" wheels with somthing like 6.50X15 tires The second Pic i like much better and seems alot safer but the pick you showed me is the only one i have got showing that setup why is that.?
I would never do this but check this one out. Your idea of the spring down there with the axle the normal way but above with real long shackles sounds very funky and weird. There's no reason for it. There are much better ways to get the front end down. On the flip side, I really dig the car in the picture and it went over 154mph it's frist time out! Can you imagine how it feels going 154 in this with the engine on the verge of letting go, no roll bar, lap belt and probably a T shirt for fire protection. Brave, brave men! Or maybe not so smart. I think both. We've come a long way!
Because most people are sheep The easy "acceptable" or "traditional " way requires less thought and effort. Given time I'm sure I could come up with other similar examples. The issue of long shackels could be relitively easily overcome with some longer, beefy perches, and then use standard shackels. A spring is a spring and a axle is a axle, neither one of them know (or care) how they are mounted, as long as they are secure and function as intended. I would have to be shown conclusively that this setup wouldn't meet either crtieria, and not just "oh it's unsafe, you'll kill youself, I wouldn't ride in it " kneejerk reaction. Having said that, it may all be moot, as clearance issues may prevent it's use (?) But the basic concept is valid.
Rootie I agree PPL tend to stay with the proven, and in this case being my first build i need proven cause i admit i need to know more before i jump off the proven path once i get a bit of exp under my belt i'll be much more willing to try new things
Certainly, build what you're comfortable with and capable of. Here is a example of what I was getting at: In 98 Neal East built a T modified using a underslung frame and parallel springs. Up to that point that suspension was seldom seen and quite unusual. After it made the cover of S/R that suspension started showing up quite regular. I reckon that if , in 97 you would have said "I'm going build a underslung/parallel spring modified" there would have been those who would have said: "it won't work- it would be unsafe- it will look like ****- I wouldn't ride in it-blah- blah- blah" My point?-- A few lead, many follow.
It probobly will work but the long shackles will let it move alot sideways, you will need a panhardbar! The shackles should be pretty short and at a 45 angle to keep it from moving sideways! I hope that made sense to anyone!
You need something other than the long shackles, with the shackles being that long and hanging parallel vertically car will swing on them when you go around a corner, the axle will be turning but the frame and you will be trying to go straight. A good panard rod can fix this. When I was a kid everyone had a 40 or a 46-48 and we all used long shackles to lower them, made them ourselves from strap steel, if you didn't have a panard rod you could really scare the **** out of yourself. Your no.2 idea with the spring upside down can work but you have to have a strong clamp on each spring leaf on each side of the center line to make the spring work. Look at the picture of the blue race car, big clamps on the spring. Rex
You don't need long shackels if you use extended, beefy perches. And yes, a panhard bar would be needed. The spring clamps would need to be about the same as a typical rear parallel spring as it would be working in the same plane/function. The axle will still be located by ones choice of hairpins/bones/4bar etc.
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