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Anyone ever try this suspension setup??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by LowMOJO, Oct 25, 2009.

  1. LowMOJO
    Joined: Mar 6, 2007
    Posts: 522

    LowMOJO
    Member

    found this on ebay, just wondering if anyone has tried it or used it? says it for either chevy or ford cars otr trucks(specify whether ford/or chevy when ordering i guess) from years 46-54? I run a stock parallel straight i beam axle on a 40 chevy pickup with traditional sidesteering. Would a setup like this help or work with such a setup? seems the steering arms would have to be reversed and or go back to using the original chevy arms? Anyhow just wanted to get some input on this, thanx[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2009
  2. moon man
    Joined: Nov 1, 2006
    Posts: 871

    moon man
    BANNED

    ????? hummm looks awfull chincy???/
     
  3. LowMOJO
    Joined: Mar 6, 2007
    Posts: 522

    LowMOJO
    Member

  4. Saw a setup with the same design as that but was homemade. Used a cross spring. Looked like he drove it to the getogether but it also would be called a rat rod in most circles
     
  5. Racrdad
    Joined: Jul 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,208

    Racrdad
    Member

    Its kind of rat roddy looking but I dont see strength as an issue. The plate the hairpins mount to look plenty thick.
     
  6. Drive Em
    Joined: Aug 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,748

    Drive Em
    Member

    That's no different than mounting a batwing through the perch bolt hole on a Ford axle.
     
  7. brokenspoke
    Joined: Jul 26, 2005
    Posts: 2,988

    brokenspoke
    Member

    Ackerman is all wrong
     
  8. fordcragar
    Joined: Dec 28, 2005
    Posts: 3,198

    fordcragar
    Member
    from Yakima WA.

    It looks like the mixing of several designs, which could cause some problems. It just looks like a kluge, not very clean looking.
     
  9. LowMOJO
    Joined: Mar 6, 2007
    Posts: 522

    LowMOJO
    Member

    yea it does look like if that plate could bend or break
     
  10. Patrick Kidder
    Joined: Jan 22, 2007
    Posts: 22

    Patrick Kidder
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Mr MOJO if you plan on istalling it on the truck in your avitar I think it would hold up OK. I wouldn't install it on a heavy vehicle though,it looks a little light ( material ) .And please screw the clevices in all the way!
    ps: You already have a Picture-build your own-......Pat
     
  11. Fogger
    Joined: Aug 18, 2007
    Posts: 1,965

    Fogger
    Member

    As Brokenspoke stated "the Ackerman is wrong". For this to work correctly the tie rod must be behind the axle not in front. The FOGGER
     
  12. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 36,033

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    There is a guy in the Cle Elum, Wa area that runs a couple of rods with similar setups that are welded on A T bucket and something else. I don't know the name but he has a Mean blown A I think Coupe that usually shows up at the Run to Roslyn. The setup he had on one of the T buckets a few years ago looked pretty strong. I'm pretty sure he had the batwings between the bolts that held it to the axle. I've got some detail photos in the archives somewhere but I'm sitting a hundred miles from the house right now and for the next three days earning a bit of extra cash to spend with Welder Series on his front end kit.
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  13. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 25,027

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California


    nothing wrong with ackerman... but the hairpins pointing to the front of the car might pose a problem:cool:

    I'm not seeing a spring there. better check with ol skool rods to see if this is acceptable.
     
  14. scottybaccus
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,109

    scottybaccus
    Member

    This is simply untrue.

    [​IMG]

    Front steering arms Ae & Bf have exactly the same input as rear steering arms Ac & Bd. Putting the arms in front is less convenient to package and usually presents some compromises in bump steer to squeeze it in, but it is not a requirement that it be in the rear.

    We now return you to your regular programming...
     
  15. Fogger
    Joined: Aug 18, 2007
    Posts: 1,965

    Fogger
    Member

    Scotty your drawing is correct, but to reposition the steering arms far enough outward to follow the correct line they would either be into and past the backing plates or hitting the wheels. In practical application I have only seen the forward facing steering arms on brakeless front axles. But again your drawing is correct just not practical. If you have a shot of a tierod in front of a axel with the correct ackerman i'd like to see it. The FOGGER
     
  16. scottybaccus
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,109

    scottybaccus
    Member

    Ever look under a jeep? Pretty standard fare in 4x4 trucks. If you read my post, I already stated it is difficult to package, but it can be done. In the off-road world the arms are really short to maximize clearance or really long and tucked into the backspace of the wheel. There are a great many variables, but my statement stands. It is untrue that proper ackerman can only be achieved with tie-rod behind the axle. If you doubt that it is correct ackerman angle, try making a u-turn in a YJ sometime.
     
  17. shadetreerodder
    Joined: Aug 4, 2006
    Posts: 291

    shadetreerodder
    Member

    I have seen that type setup done on a 55 chevy pickup. It was set up by a ch***is guy for one of the NASCAR teams located in Charlotte. The guy who owned it said it worked fine. That said, I saw the car at an indoor car show 25 years ago , so I don't know how many miles he actually puts on the vehicle.
     
  18. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,772

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    There are many many T-buckets running the tie rod up front and a good number of them have good Ackerman angles.
     
  19. Muttley
    Joined: Nov 30, 2003
    Posts: 18,501

    Muttley
    Member

    Looks like the perfect recipe for constructing a deathtrap.
     

  20. Over the last 40 years Total Performance built over 1,000 T's with the tie rod in front. Add to that the thousands of component parts sold by them and other's.
     
  21. Boyd Who
    Joined: Nov 9, 2001
    Posts: 2,196

    Boyd Who
    Member

    Corvair & MII IFS has the steering arms in front from the factory.
     
  22. shadetreerodder
    Joined: Aug 4, 2006
    Posts: 291

    shadetreerodder
    Member

    After closer inspection of the setup in the photo the one I saw was setup with a similar axle mount but the builder used a four bar setup and a transverse leaf spring and tube shocks. The stock steering arms were not used as a vega cross steer setup replaced the stock steering box.
     
  23. AgentOrange
    Joined: May 20, 2008
    Posts: 18

    AgentOrange
    Member

    good answer:cool:
     
  24. James D
    Joined: Feb 8, 2007
    Posts: 4,982

    James D
    Member

    Aesthetics on the other hand....:D
     
  25. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    The clevis's look to be entirely inadequate for suspension use.
     
  26. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    What, it's got a little pointy thingy on the steel to make it look fancy.:D
     
  27. WhoDoYouFink
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 391

    WhoDoYouFink
    Member

    Those look to be the same clevisis that Mr. Roadster sells with the hairpin kits. Again with a light weight build MIGHT be ok, but you have to ask why? Like everyone else has said.... Not pleasing to the eye at all.

     
  28. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    Yeah, needs little pointy things on the clevis's to make'em safe!
     
  29. oldiron73
    Joined: May 26, 2009
    Posts: 400

    oldiron73
    Member
    from WISCONSIN

    It is Different, but needs to be beefed up in certain areas.
     
  30. Ice man
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 983

    Ice man
    Member

    Well it my look chincy, but I was faced with the same situation. Living in the Islands you use what you got. I had a 65 Chevy Van solid axle, dropped, Hyd brakes, FREE, so I used it. Took a couple of changes to make it right along the way, where it needed improving. But it workes very well, and it was all on Island. Shipping and taxes will kill a project here.Its a little wider them the Ford axle but I also used the Van rear axle and you don't notice a thing and it handles VERY well. Iceman
     

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