i am building this frame for my '53 chevy 3100. this frame is 7" shorter and 14" narrower than a stock channel frame. i have a narrowed 9" and 32" ladder bars. If someone used ladder bars back in the day, what did they look like?
Another thread w/ ladder bars.. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=663683 Maybe try those...
Yeah, I've seen those. Got to love the square tubing with the threaded bung designed for 1" round tubing splattered on.
replace the brace with flat stock and drill progressively larger holes from front to back OR just paint the boogers flat black to hide from eyeballing.
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0907rc_model_a_ladder_bars_hairpins/photo_10.html Look at those
How are you going to make a prostreet truck look period correct anyhow ? I know my 41 sure doesn't, I wouldn't worry about the ladder bars.
taking the center bar out and welding a plate would clean it up a little bit....and changing that blue color..haha how much of them do you see though..is it worth it?
Think about what the widest tire that was made in the 50's would be, not very wide. Hell a 11 inch wide slick was pretty damn big in the 60's. Like I said I wouldn't get to hung up on period correct unless it's the period of late 80's - 90's with a tub job.
Best you could hope to replicate with that is a traditional build that someone revamped to prostreet in the 80/90s and later tried to bring it back. Lol Build what you want and don't worry about it. But if what you really want is a period correct traditional build you have got some decisions to make.
Okay, I'm not building a traditional Hotrod here. I am basically asking if someone used ladder bars in the late 50s, what did they look like?
Is that a street driven truck ??? If so parralell ladder bars are a no no i'm afraid, Ladder bars should triangulate otherwise they turn the rear axle into a big anti roll bar, sorry
you *can* drive that on the street with the ladder bar system- it wont kill it, but that "Z" link bar that goes from one side to the other really is what puts a big bind on stuff. i would run a watts link or panhard if its going to be street driven.
The bars look great, and like everybody else said, pro street aint traditional; but who cares? Either way would have been fine, but they did turn out well. Now, if I can give just a bit of criticism, and take it for what it's worth, your rear suspension system is set up in a manner that is great for hooking up at the strip, but not as friendly for corners and street stuff. If you took the front ends of the bars and brought them closer together to form more of a triangle (say about 6-8" apart) for the rear to axis around, then went with a regular panhard bar hinged from the drivers side, you'd find a whole world of more comfortable ride and better cornering capabilities. Less stress on the rear end housing too. Please don't take this as telling you what you have will absolutely not work, 'cause lots got built this way back in the eighties when everything was pro street. But there are better ways to go about what you are doing.
Even with a panhard rod it will still act funny as the axle will act as a anti roll bar, Even more so with the short bars, Sorry to disagree.
I tried to use a pan hard bar. It just wasn't going to work on the very narrow frame. It also blocked the uses of tailpipes. I like the idea of triangulated ladder bars for the street. But theses Chris Alston bars use poly bushings instead of solid rod ends. I have used this setup for 20 years without issues on the street. I just can't use a spool on the street. I broke enough axles that way. The poly bushing make this very streetabe. Either way, this truck will see only 20 miles a year. Thanks for all the tips and advise. I do appreciate it.
you can put a watts link on the top off the differential spools are no big deal- get better axle shafts i ran spools in a few offroad trucks on the street..... 350hp/490 tq truck with 38.5 super swamper boggers and an idiot behind the wheel that was on a 9".....
I broke moser 31 spline axles. Just backing out of the driveway was enough to snap one. I now use Detroit lockers. I love these differentials.
thats hard to believe. there must have been a defect. racing in a mud circuit for a season and a half, tough truck challenges, low range, full size truck, heavy throttle, manual transmission and some crazy hard thrashing, never broke a 9" axle shaft. broke 3rd members/rings/pinion housings/mini spools/bearing caps a bunch of times on the rear, but never an axle. detroits are neat, but some people get all sensitive with the ratcheting around corners..... and i have had on a few occasions during rain and cornering..... the detroit would be ratcheting, then LOCK in the corner, making the rear end kick out. no funs. at least IMO, a spool is very predictable, unlike a ratcheting locker. ARB air locker, or Elocker for the win!
Well described. I've been fighting this arguement for many years. Thank you. As for your ladder bars, Langy is correct. Without the rear spring in place, lift one side of the axle at a time. The opposite side will lift at the same time. There will be no articulation from side to side which translates into stress on mounts, twisting of the frame and body which may be less than desirable. Pulling the front of the ladder bars closer together will make for a much more enjoyable ride. BloodyKnuckles
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