This thread kicks ass. I just saw this thread earlier today - and need to thank Irs30 for starting it. When I saw rab71's front end it solved the axle problem I've had for the longest time..... I have an early 50's ford F-1 axle and haven't been able to figure out how to mount it up - even with lurking and actively searching the forum. This (in my FNG opinion) is the reason for the hamb's existance, to help each other out and share our experiences - both positive and negative. That is what I strive to do in every post, either help someone out, congratulate them on their victories or share in their sadness all the while learning more about his great hobby with every thread I read. Once again thank you Irs30 for starting this thread and hanks to all who hae contributed to it, especially your pics rab71- they really did help.
Hey Neophyte thanks for postin up the Ackerman Angle thread.I printed it up and it will come in handy when I set up my front axle
Who's spring are you referring to as there are quite a number of pics? No problem dude. That's what we're here for...to share
I didn't read this whole thing so I don't know if this FYI was already posted but look at Speedways catalogue and it shows you a couple of good ways to measure your spring. It helped me, I also ordered their spring perch and it is a real nice piece which saved me a lot of fab time. It fits a 3" tube, I couldn't find 3" tube so I went to the metal yard and bought 2.5" pipe which measures 3" Outside diameter and is 3/16 thick, nice and strong. Got that advice from SKotychops. It seems to be coming out real nice. Also gonna run front shocks which will take alot of the stress when I hit big holes and speed bumps. Good Luck with your build.
I know I'm a little late on this one but I think that the Death's Doorstep car from Littleman has a Suicide front end on it,and if you do a search on it you can see the whole build.
Never to late for a post or pics...Yhea this thread started out a little rockey but lots of people with ton's of know how helped it along.. It led me to a whole 'nother idea on my project,I'll be posting pics by the weekend on my front-end. It's a PLY-DODGE Wavy tube mounted by split bones, different yes, reason? Thats what I had....Thanks to all who helped on this post...
The green sedan is Steve Blackwells, he is a HAMB'r and the frame is stainless steel. Ask him how fun it was to polish it out.
regardless of what a couple of jerk-offs think, I think this thread was a good idea. Not everyone has had the fortune of knowing all their first time out on a project. I learned alot and spent alot of time going through this thread taking notes. Just like other guys on this site, I'm at this poibt in my build as well and not sure exactly how to go about doing whati need to do. Now I do. Cheers, good thread.
Here is a pic of my front end. I am not running the wires on the car like some of the previous pictures showed.
Search 'brianangus' on this site for an amazing amount of pics, detailed drawings and plans to build. Very useful info indeed!
I've progressed more on the front end since I last posted pictures on this thread. I have some changes to make with the horns that extend past the crossmember so the tie rod will clean and I still have to finish boxing and reinforcing on the crossmember and, OH... the mounting points for the shackles on the bones will get gussets as well... but here's how she sits now. Still just mostly tacked in place... The shocks will work something like this...
Zoom on down to #30, Paul's way to do it. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103232&showall=1
I don't mean to be a pain by kicking up an old thread, but I really like the looks of this style with the radiator mounted ahead of the spring and the axle still up front, seems very clean looking. Anybody have more pics of one like this, on a "completed" car?
By looking at all the pics it seems that everyone mounts their spring to the bones. Can't you use the stock perch's in their origional location on the axle with a suicide perch?
The concept of a suicide font end is relatively new to me. I was wondering if the setup on the track t in the picture is considered a suicide front end.
It's an unusual execution of one, but I would say yes it is. Generally, suicide front ends locate the axle in front of (rather than under) the frame. The story goes that the term "suicide" came from the idea that if the spring broke, the frame could dig into the pavement, making the car flip end over end.
I've since redone this setup. The pain with doing this front end is if you want to make ride height adjustments or change a spring, you're in trouble. The front ended up settling much lower than I planned and I had to exchange the spring with something that had more arch, so the crossmember had to change shape and position to accomidate the new spring. So word to those who are planning this... make sure you know EVERYTHING about the spring or at least have a way to adjust things if you're going this direction. I don't think I would do this setup again if I had a choice or I would do it much differently. Drives me nuts I won't ever be able to adjust or shim things to fine tune the ride height. Here's the front redone. Still not finished with the shock mounts. They will get some gusseting. There will ALSO be some pretty severe gusseting where the spring hangs from the bones. Pretty critical area! The whole car is hanging from these two points. The four mounting bolts will also be changed to 1/2" just to reduce the "pucker factor" a little bit. Math wise, 7/16" grade-8 bolts is fine, but I have room for 1/2" so just to increase the safety factor of the whole thing, I'm stepping up.
I like the axle located in the front of the rad shell. Im running radius rods w/bat wings-is there a way to run the axle up front the way you did with my set up? Ive seen it done here and there, but not really sure how they did it...
i did a search and found this thread. i learned two things. 1 that one guy's a jerk! 2 most of you guys are gems. i am learning a LOT here! thanx bill
HI I'm building a 31 model a pick up rat rod and I was wanting to suicide the front end. The only problem is I don't want to chop off the front of the frame I like the down turn. I saw in old school rods a set up that lets you put the axle over the the frame leaving the frame intact. I can't tell the specifics from the pic thogh all I can tell is that the sway arm goes trough the frame. My other question is about the rear end. I'm leaving the rear end stock so the car will be raked. I was wandering if I might have front end clearance issues since the car will be raked at a pretty steep angle. Thanks
Thanks for all of the pictures. Scooter do you happen to have the dimensions of the spring you used, eye to eye. I am wondering if a single spring from durant would work to bring it a little lower along with a flat crossmember. Bill
Here's one with a 37 tube axle and reversed 40 Ford hangers done in the Grabowski & Ivo style. The radius rods mount to steel plates welded to the axle. Let me know if you want additional photos.I don't know how to insert the photo as a URL but you will find them on my early T coupe project.
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