Help the guy out..... You mention a 40 passenger car axle, on parallel leafs, and one inch radius rods going back to the frame. More pics of this set-up would be good but I bet you have geometry and set-up problems. I see an aftermarket $129 Copied Vega box with the tell tale black paint on it. There have a been a few posts of those boxes breaking while parking. Ditch that and find an OEM Saginaw or a heavier 525 Saginaw. It's not your grade nine fasteners in question, its the execution. More pics would be helpful for the axle mounting, springs, radius rods, and your box mounting and frame strengthening needs to be improved.
I would start by boxing the frame and welding the front cross-member in. I have a Vega box in an A frame running a big block Olds so I don't understand how you don't have room to box the frame. Putting "angle Iron" outside of the frame rail will do nothing, but it will sure look cool.
I'm all for helping anybody I can,,,, Where do you think we should start? Is the of the "WHY" of the current set up important? Is a "WHAT" of the current set ups details important? Or is an "EXPLANATION" of why the current set up is wrong important? That may help lead the original poster into making his own conclusion that there is a big problem here that needs correcting. More pictures would help us in the EXPLANATION of "WHY" the current set up is wrong with much more detail but ultimately concludes on a "what not to do and why not to do it" note. Examine the force exerted into the frame from the steering box with an axle mounted on parallel leafs VS one mounted on a single point transverse leaf with pan hard bar.
31vicky and others are probably curious as to why I'm not saying anything here. I have typed two or three posts out, and wind up deleting them, theres no way I can think of to phrase my opinion of what I see there in politically correct, warm fuzzy cute and cuddly HAMB speak, so I think its best to just sit this one out. As a rule, its probably not a great idea to try to mate a transverse leaf axle with semi-elliptic springs with what appears to be u-bolts and a couple chunks of c-channel! start here, and work back from there... I wont even comment on that steering box mount.
I don't typically critique much. but this looks unsafe. I know it was said before, but removing all the angle iron and then boxing in the frame would be a better start if using a vega box also they make I-Beam axles designed for use with parallel leaf springs, but the one your using is not one of them.
I see no reason to delete the thread if we can encourage the OP to upgrade his front end by way of this thread. Never hurt anyone to show a little tolerance and compassion, IMO. And the OP has shown interest in correcting the problems and appears receptive to our comments. Now if he were showing arrogance and resistance to logic and experience, it would be adifferent story.
Have someone else start over if you plan on living.....why do you think you are qualified to do this?
I thought I was helping him out when I told him to just stop and to take the car to somebody else who is qualified to do the work. I didn't say that to be mean to him or insult him, but it is apparent that he's in over his head, and the resulting work is not safe to be operated on the street. It all needs to come apart and be done correctly, as several people here have posted. I don't see how he can be talked through it here, that is not practical.
1. Remove all bodywork from the firewall forward. 2. Remove engine and transmission. 3. Remove all axle, steering box, steering linkages, and anything else attached to the frame. Sell off axle. 4. Remove radius rods. 5. Remove spindles and brakes front the axle, put aside. 6. Box entire frame rails from cowl to horn, competently welded, with metal the same thickness as the frame. 7. Through drill steering box holes and weld in heavy wall tubing to prevent frame from compressing. Use the steering box as a jig to get everything tacked. 8. Acquire mild drop tube axle that will accept early Ford spindles. 9. Mock up said axle on springs with u-bolts and saddles, level, at ride height. 10. Reinstall engine and transmission. 11. Reinstall all bodywork. 12. With all weight now back on the chassis, and the axle on stands, set the caster angle as 7º. 13. Weld spring saddles to tube, making sure that they are at the same angle, and the axle is centered. 14. Reinstall spindles and brakes on new axle. 15. Reinstall all steering components, altering as necessary to compensate for any dimensional differences. 16. Install good tube shocks. 17. Paint to taste. 18. Don't get yourself killed. 19. Know that I left out a metric ass-ton of information, as there is a character limit on posting. 20. Bob's your uncle.
That's a very valid recommendation. First stage of recovery is admitting you have a problem! I assume from his personal information that he's retired and has been around antique cars, so modifying and fabricating stuff is not his strength, but if he posts more pics we could give some constructive advice or recommend a local shop that could get him headed in the right direction without lane changes!
Someone more local to him will have to give a shop recommendation. His profile just says that he's from Illinois. 57,915 mi² is a lot of territory to play pin-the-tail-on-the-hot-rod-shop.
Go ahead and delete the thread. Everyone will probably be happy to know that I bought a store bought part to change from an enclosed drive shaft to an open shaft. the car in the picture has a conversion I machined that is in the drive line. I have no idea how many miles I have put on the car since I built it from a picture. NEVER LEFT ME SETTING OR FELL APART. I don't build my cars out of parts catalogs. They didn't make them when I built the car. THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS. ( PO RODDER THANK YOU ESPECIALLY THE BRACKET WORKS GREAT. I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT. ) Necessity is the mother of invention!!!!!
You have obviously learned nothing here and prefer to carry along in your ignorant bliss of poorly built and designed front suspension. This tells me that you are a prime example for reasons why some people should not build cars. ( Because they are hacks who lack basic knowledge and skills) Please post where you live and when you will be driving so that everyone nearby will be able to avoid the area
Blue One, in the past you and I have at times disagreed, but on this deal we are in total agreement. I have no problem with properly set up straight axles with either spring setup. But the workmanship on this one is awful and it is unsafe, IMO. I also think that jacked up suspensions belong strictly in drag racing and not on the road, whether straight axle or IFS.
Now what does an open driveshaft have to do with you not being able to design a mount or box a frame which is safe
I think this has run it's course. The guy asks for help, he gets logical , safe recommendations and chooses to ignore common sense and safety and roll the dice his way. Haven't figured out why he posted in the first place if he's not willing to listen and learn. Absolutely nothing wrong with making your own parts if you have the skill set to do it safely, I guess recognizing the fact that you can't is the first step.
I cant believe no one asked why there are whisbones on a what is supposed to be a parralel leaf spring front end? yes the mounts are scary on those springs, looks like something off an old doodlebug on a farm. the springs should locate the axle, so if the wishbones were left in place (and split and mounted t the frame) then the builder of this set up knew that the springs would not hold the axle in place well. Either that or they are ladder bars for the front axle, to plant the tires into the pavement on hard breaking....
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