As usual I bought parts prior to doing all of my research. I am building a 34 Ford PU w/o fenders. I found a very nice 48 Ford I-beam axle drum to drum w/disc brakes and drove my **** off to get it. I was concerned about the length, and expressed that to the seller, and he said thats what he ran on his 33 Ford. I planned on getting some suicide batwings, hairpins, and moving on with my collecting of parts. That was until I read (most likely on the H.A.M.B.) that I would run into trouble with my tires rubbing the bones in tight turns. I quickly panicked, took off the spindles, and posted the rest of the parts for sale. Before I spiral out of control, and spend more money I don't have (like usual) I thought I would ask the experts. How concerned should I be of tire rub on the bones? Should/can I run hairpins on the 48 axle? I probably have alot more questions, but I don't know what I don't know....you know? Give it to me straight! v/r
RP, any idea of of what backspacing would be too much? I have 3 1/2" from where the wheel meets the rotor to the tire bulge. 26" tall tire. Thanks for the speedy response. ken, I haven't done anything else. Just sitting idle waiting on the tax man! v/r
Here's a '34 ford pickup with a 47 front axle, which is dimensionally the same as the 48, running 5.60x15 fronts. No rubbing of the bones! It can be done, just make sure it's set up right. Mount the bones as close to the centerline of the vehicle as possible, use the long steering stops, etc... I think if I was running 16's they might rub, but so what?
Thanks T-Bird. I am pretty green to the whole fab thing. When you say centerline, can you break that down Barney style for me? I would also love to see a few more pics if you have time. Where the bones mount to the ch***is, spring brackets to bones, and a side shot. A quick schooling on long hoops would be great too. I am chomping at the bit. v/r
I am really diggin the wide look of that front end. I saw a couple of ideas on the suicide spring mounts to the bones, but nothing really jumped out at me. Any suggestions? Drill/weld.......? Pics/ideas? v/r
I was getting some great feedback, and then it came to a standstill. Really looking for some ideas on how to suicide these 48 bones! v/r Russ
Where the tie rod ends mount the rear of the bones--- try to mount them under the frame and near the inside of the framerails or moreso to keep the bone out of the way of the tire. This also keeps more triangulation in the design and keeps the bones from acting like an anti-sway bar. My pickup, although it doesn't rub, is a terrible example of this as the bones mount to the top of the outside of the rails. My spring perches are regular ford perch pins hung upsidedown in tubular brackets welded to the inside of the wishbone. It works, but it's kind of clunky looking. If I were to do it again, I would p*** the pins through the bone and weld them solid the way we did with my buddy Terkeyjerk's T found here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272639 My whole frontend setup is slated to be changed up real soon. I just scored a wavy mopar tube axle which will get custom hairpins with the spring hung from behind. No real gripe against the front end as it sits now, but my wheel bolt pattern will finally match and I dig those mopar axles! Plus the truck is mopar powered, so it just makes sense. umm... anyhow, there's a ton of good info here on the HAMB in the tech archives. Probably everything you need to know is there, check it out if you haven't already. Good luck. Thanks, Chad, I dig your whole coupe!! Lotta neat stuff going on there, keep it up!
put your frontend together and see how everything fits if you have all the parts...you should be fine.......
Thanks Gents, I have been going back and forth with this whole front end thing for weeks. I am leaning toward spring-over with my 48 axle now. I think I am going to put my grille over the front end anyway, and will feel a little more comfortable not butchering my bones. Especially with a built Hemi that I will be brutilizing. I am also leaning towards hairpins instead of the 48 bones. I found a few guys who are building hairpins, and have also seen the cookie cutter same old same old from all the parts peddlers. Anybody know of any *****in looking heavy duty hairpins? I probably only need standard parts, but I'm trying to exceed the standard on this Rod. Thanks again, and sweet looking Rods! Russ
I'm using a 48 front end on my 28. I have 6.00 x 16s and with the standard steering stops, they rub. Someone suggested long steering stops. I didn't know they existed but I just modified my originals to prevent the rubbing. If you are still considering a suicide set up with the 48 bones here's a pic of my ch***is with that arrangement I mounted the spring between the split bones with these brackets Pete
Pete, those brackets are really nice! Nice clean solution to what irks me about my current front-end setup. mjrsr, be aware that you'll need a custom width spring to run it spring over on the 48 axle.
Striper, are those one off brackets or do you have a supplier? Also any ideas/ suppliers for the spring. I talked to Posies yesterday and they said I need a 1205h I think... (I wrote it down at home) and it was 35 1/4" spring. That was running spring over. I think that would be the same if I go suicide..... your thoughts? Thanks tbird!
The Jalopy Journal
