I'm in the process of fabbing up the straight axle on my Henry J drag car. I bought the car a couple months ago, it appears to have gotten a new box tube frame back in the mid or late 70s and then was forgotten. It hasn't had anything installed yet, so nothing to go by as far as 'how it was'. Included in my purchase was a straight axle of unkown origin with 4 bar and disc brakes, which had been installed on another H-J with a modified original frame. I also have that frame, so I have a little bit of reference to go by. I'm trying to make as much as I can out of stuff that I have, so I'm trying to figure the best way to set up my steering box, a manual mopar unit out of a 70 Hemi Cuda. I've been cruising the site and the net trying to get as much as I can from pics of other people's cars, so I thought I'd start a thread. Let's see some detailed pics of how yours is done, crude or beautiful don't matter to me. Here's a couple of my mockup so far, feel free to critique.
I too am hoping some pics are posted here. I am also building a henryj but I am using parallel leafs and straight axle. The only pics I have of the mock-up are prints and I don't have a scanner. I am planning a vega or corvair box and cross steering.
I'm sure mine will come together, I spent today basically hanging things by bungy cords, setting things up on wooden blocks etc and standing back scratching my chin and just lookin', thinkin'....
You are going to have a hard time controlling that axle with shackles on both ends. You need a panhard bar to locate right/left. It will ride batter with both shackles. There are a bunch of old G***er threads here with pictures of axle jobs. There are couple of g***er build threads with pictures. Any thread about installing a dropped axle for a 48 and prior Ford should give you reference material.
There seems to be no side to side movement with the spring loaded. The rear attaching points of the 4 bars will be narrower than the front, giving it some triangulation as well. I was told that a panhard bar was only necessary with drag link style steering setups (to nullify bumpsteer), and parallel leafs, which seemed to make sense.
Here are two I built. The yellow one uses F100 56 ford spindles but not recomended because you need to redrill the spindles for Chevy or mr/fd bolt pattern. Why did I use it? It was free a gift. It uses two 1/4 eliphitc springs fabbed from a single Utility trailer spring and a set of upper links Shocks fit from top upper frame bolt to bottom lower axle bolt. Very efficient light and stable set up. Does not require a track bar. Very stable. The rail axle I fabbed using Chev handi van spindles. Very good choice BTW. It is also sprung 1/4 eliphtic but a single centre spring with two longer upper links. It is very stable and I have raced it several times. It goes and I quote from my pals who helped me run it "As straight as an arrow." It also does not need nor use a track bar. While I have had other cars with transverse leaf and parralel leaves I have been come almost addicted to the 1/4 eliphtic set up. So simple so light so stable and takes up so little room. i think in either of these pics you could use the % zoom to get a real good look if you so desired. BTW both cars weigh about the same . Around 1450# With the single eliphtic i used .250 Wall mild steel for the tube and with the double 1/4 which is also narrower i used .180 wall mild steel. (both 2 1/4) Don
holly ****.are you building a tank or a g***er?get rid of all that extra weight.buy some coilovers use the 4 bars and put a track link in it.
In the pic the 4 bar is just sort of hanging in space not attached to anything. I made the box brackets on the rear of the bars with plans of welding them on below the frame rail, keeping the bars as close to parallel with the frame as I can while still giving sufficient clearance to the tie rod. Any suggestions for a better way? A coil setup may be in the cars future, but for the next few seasons this is what I have. Once all the prize money, sponsorship and endor*****t funds start to flow though, who knows....
"a better way?" !/4 Els, Work so well you will wonder why anyone would consider anythig alse. Simple strong stable light compact. Whats not to love? Probably that is the problem. "Too simple , cant possibly be any good" idea. "How could it possibly work?" thinking. D
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