Ok, I havn't posted much here since my intro, but I've been working on getting the truck disassembled and in the garage. Both of which are complete and pictures will be coming soon. Anyways, I guess I lucked out sorta because the previous owner started a mustang II install in the front. The only thing I know for sure about this right now is it was made by heidts. Other than that, I have no paper work on it to tell me if it is installed right. So to start, could someone show me where I can get a list of measurements to make sure the crossmember is installed right? or just some general technical info on the mustang II? Second, I plan on using tubular arms in place in place of the stock mustang II stamped arms, so they will be replaced, but I don't like the strut rod setup. In the advertisements I read it is possible to use A-arms on the bottom rather than the control arm/strut rod setup? What would this take to setup on mine? third, I am going to use coilovers on this truck but I need to know what spring rate to get. I would love to get the variable rate springs (not sure of technical name) so that compression determines rate. How do I go about determining length of spring and spring rate for traditional springs? and then if I get the variable rate springs, how do I do it for those? I know this is a lot for one post but it all relates. thanks in advance.
Go to the Heidt's website and I think they have some dimensions. If not I have a buddy that did a 48 and he has quite a few pics.
While under my car unhhoking crap to yank the motor, I noticed that my HEIDTS tubular arms are BENT!!! Right at the shock mount point... looks like the shocks may have bottomed out or something and the impact bent the arms???? All I know is that I'm PISSED!
If I was installing or using a M-II IFS I would use a stock or stock style lower control arm and a stock style strut rod with the stock style rubber mounting on a really strong bracket at the frame, again the same design and at least as hefty as the stock ford counterpart. Some aftermarket lower control arms and their brackets have strees fractured possibly due to poor or under-engineering (IMAO) and that has been documented on this board. IMO, The strut rod, as designed by Ford is there to absorb road shock from bumps and road irregularities and eliminating it or altering it's design in any way renders it vulnerable. The stresses it must endure are fore and aft forces along with lateral forces and the aftermarket designs only deal adequately with the lateral forces.
Another important thing to notice is. Be sure the whole frame is boxed clear past where the control arms attached to the frame. There's alot of stress that goes on and if its only partially boxed you could run into problems with the frame cracking at unboxed areas. (my experience).
I second what DrJ said, use the factory design with the strut rod attached to the frame. As for the install, make sure you have it in square and weld with good welds that have proper fusion and penetration. No pigeon shit welds. I have two rods (38 Chevy sedan and 37 Chevy truck) with the Must II front suspension and both have the stamped factory arms and strut rods without any troubles. If your truck has the fenders covering the arms, why pay money for soemthing that is not any better (or potentially worse!!) and you don't see. Spend your money where you can take advantage of it.
Ideally,the strut rod runs from the front to the lower arm.So the strut is loaded in tension. The common aftermarket lower arms concentrate too much stress on the rear attatchment point. The little after thought gusset has proven to be inadequate. Any of the OEM chassis always mount an arm,similar to the popular aftermarket style arm, with the pivots in double shear. It has become common for street rod component manufacturers to compromise good design for the sake of appearance.And 500 trouble free miles on the Freeway isn't sufficient product testing.
[ QUOTE ] I would check with Heidt's website for info. Don't forget to flash your fish! [/ QUOTE ] I don't fish... will a Mogan David do?
Not from this wine country it won't! Hell this is where I learned about the fish in the first place! Welcome to the HAMB.
[ QUOTE ] I have no paper work on it to tell me if it is installed right. [/ QUOTE ] They had a pretty detailed how to install page on their site, but you really had to look for it.Don't know if it's still there.
I have stock Must ll with strut rods. 104K miles, only problem wore out some bushings but replaced them with poly(from the RV shop, cheaper than Ford). I think Ford spent more time testing than the other guys........OLDBEET
ok, that's some good advice. Here's a little bit more information. the crossmember and mounts are already installed. In fact, everything was already bolted on, but I want to clean it up before anything goes back on. While its off though, I want to check the installation of the crossmember and spring towers. I didn't install this and I want to make sure everything is all right before I use it. The truck has never been driven with the must II crossmember in, so I want to double check it. The hiedts site doesn't really give the measurements that I'm after. At the very least, the length of the rack to use, but I was hoping for measurements relating to positioning of spring towers and crossmembers. Especially for how you position relative to each other. petejoe, the frame is boxed from the front most crossmember back to where the strut rods mount. I would like to box the whole frame, but I might not be able to due to time and money (1.5 years till college graduation) I guess I'll wait and see how the stock arms clean up, maybe all this is just because sears is 5 days late delivering my sandblaster and all i can do is wonder about the future. But I would still REALLY appreciate some info about using coilovers on the must II and the spring questions i asked. thanks again
Pro shocks has a calculator http://www.proshocks.com/calcs/imotion.htm Carrera's web site just gives you spring rates based on front end weight. http://www.carrerashocks.com/MustangII%20Coilovers.htm There is a flat spot on the side of the spindles you can put your protractor on to get the caster angle. This is the critical number. Also El Polacko builds crossmembers and was kind enough to post a detailed how to in June of 2001. I was not computer literate enough at the time to save it, but if we could cajole him into finding it on his computer and resubmitting it, it would be a service to many.
Don't want to hijack this thread, but some of the MII crossmember manufactureres advertise bolt-on crossmembers, etc. Would a bolt-on be more or less desirable if the frame is one of those top-hat design Chevys (37-39) where the frame metal isn't all that thick?
there is a complete pinto stationwagon at the junkyard,i can get everything pretty cheaap,,is this ideal to use???? i guess ist the same as mustang 2??? i know ill have to change the rotors(is this a simple bolt on swap?)
if you fellas are part of the HAMB chat group on MSN you can get the complete How to Mustang 11 article. just go to the tech stuff section, and click on the article. if you are not a member, you might have to join. its easy. just follow the steps over there. here is a link: http://groups.msn.com/ZekesHAMBerChat/techstuff1.msnw?fc_p=%2FTech%20stuff that one hopefully will get you right to the tech stuff. if not, this one gets you to the home page: http://groups.msn.com/ZekesHAMBerChat
I finally signed up. All that registration stuff had put me off, but if there's tech to go along with the BS, maybe more will sign in.
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