front axel

have question for you guys. I wanted to be different for the front of my 30 A truck . I wanted to run a original a axel with suicide front. So cut the front croo member out replace with square tubing and weled a plate to that to mount the front spring to . So my question is was this the wrong way to go about it. Also I done this to get it lower. Now i'm also thinking about leaving th e frot the way it is and mounting the spring to the wish bone. Is this a bad idea. thanks

 

for those how didn't get to read my intro . my name is kevin I'm from indiana married. also have 3 kids . Weld and fabricate for a living.

 

Heres a photo of my mockup of what your talking about. Also do a search for "60's style" tech on this setup!

 

and another

 

I'll get a pic of what I have done so far.

 

Check this link out

front end

 

I was thinking of doing it the way you have it in you pic . but i cut the cross member out put square tubing in it's plase then added a plate tha sticks out away from that . like they do on t buckets.but know i want also mount the spring on the wish bone also .

 

That would work just fine.

 

i like this way because you can leave the frame horns on. I have more frame i may just start over . does this way get the front low.thanks

 

is 7 degres on the agel on the front axel to much or not enough.

 

I'm going for a wild look somthing different throwing in a little of everything on this project.but still driveable and road worthy.

 

rrtruck axle

 

I am running a 4 inch drop on a model a coupe. I was wondering how putting the spring behind the axle effects the ride? how does it work with vega cross steer? I think I may not need to z the front just the rear to get the look Im going for. any info on running your spring this way would be helpful.

 

7degrees angle should be just fine. make sure you set it with weight on the rest of the car,to get it right.
Another solution would be to use a higher suicideperch.(mount..) like this pic... (its not roadtested yet,thoug..)

 

zodoff & rrtruck,

isn't putting the springs on top of the mount putting about a hundred times more stress on the u-bolts than what they were meant for?

not trying to rain on your parade, just concerned.

 

[ QUOTE ]
zodoff & rrtruck,

isn't putting the springs on top of the mount putting about a hundred times more stress on the u-bolts than what they were meant for?

not trying to rain on your parade, just concerned.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree with atch,,,,,,,,with the spring on top of the mount,,,,,I fear that you may be asking for more than the u-bolts can take and mayshear off if you hit a pothole or a railroad track!

again, not trying to rain on your parade, just concerned. HRP

 

I have what they call a flip kit on a lowered pickup. this puts the axle on top of the springs. It also uses the u bolts in the same manner. (holding the weight of the vehicle.) this is on a fullsize truck and there a 4 ubolts holding the rear end but you can still hall stuff and a trailer.... I think the u-bolts are strong enough to hold there light cars.

 

I agree, but don't have numbers to back it up.

By putting the spring on top, the u-bolts are holding the entire weight of the truck. Add in the forces of spirited driving, and that's a lot of stress. In their original use, the u-bolts only hold and locate the spring. Also, a suicide perch like that does not have any way to prevent the frame from dropping to the gound in the case of u-bolt failure. That would be catastrophic at highway speed.

 

Concerning the u-bolt loading, Jeeps have used the axle over the spring design with the U-Bolts taking all the abuse and I haven't heard of that problem or any U-Bolt failure yet.

 

[ QUOTE ]
I agree, but don't have numbers to back it up.

[/ QUOTE ]
The strength of any bolt in tension is found by:
the Area of the Minor Diameter of the thread multiplied by the Tensile Strength of the material.

I would be looking for a safety factor of at least 10.

Alot of the Muscle cars(Camaro,Mustang,Dart)
had the rear ends mounted so the U-bolts were loaded in Tension.
Of course,they had 4 u-bolts to hold up the back half of the car,but the principle is the same.

The center bolt should locate in a hole in the perch to handle any side loads.

When in doubt,use the next size up for the u-bolts.
Or better yet,subs***ute Grade 5 bolts.

 

yup,your completely right. all the tension is on the U-bolts this way. Same as the bolts in the shackles,the welds on the front member....
Four FAT bolts,equals the thickness of the spindle,Ill guess it will hold. (oh,btw those seen in the pic are for mockup only..! )

Z

 

This 7 degrees on the front axle, is this for bumpsteer? or should the straight axle be mounted straight up and down (90 degrees) to the frame/

this 7 degrees, should the axle point upward or downward.

this is new info im seeing...on mounting the front end to the frame.

thanks guys.

 

Scanned this from a Hot Rod Spotlight book i have. printed in 1964. And they are building a T Hot Ch***ie in the book.