Looking for an after market I beam to put under a full rendered 34 ford PU. Considering both SoCal and Chassis Eng. as both are forged. Both are 47", Chassis Eng. advertises their's as not for PU. I believe because of fender brace and shock bracket. SoCal makes no mention of not for PU. Also advertise a better turning radius. Does anyone have experience with either. Before you ask, have been looking for an original for quite a while both on the Hamb and Ebay. Haven't found one and need it to move along. Thanks to all for your input.
I can't imagine what would make one pickup or not pickup specific. I am not sure that henry made a distinction. But that is something that you would know more then I would. I have heard good things about the Socal axle. I know that chassis engineering markets a good product but I have heard good things about the Socal product. If that is any help at all.
You might be surprised which axle you get when you buy from Chassis Engineering. When I spoke to one of their salesmen at the Back to the Fifties event in June, he said they could not get any more CE axles (supplier problems). They are now actually selling SoCal axles. But, it is dumb to think either axle would fit the car and not a pickup. Now a big truck I can understand, but a pickup should be the exact same size/capacity as a car. And, if you really can't find an original '33 thru '36 Ford axle, you sure don't know how to network.
Try a wanted ad on fordbarn.com and earlyfordv8v.org. I would rather spend time looking than deal with reproduction parts. Charlie Stephens
They are probably both forged in the same facility anyway. I doubt that either company owns a foundry. Funny that we network all the time and don't really think about it. We are actually networking right now. I personally don't have an axle like the one being sought after but I know that at least one of the fellas on this thread would help me find one if I asked him.
CE had their axles made in the midwest, not the "far east" like SoCal. But, being that a few dozen axles a year is small potatoes to foundries that usually produce a few thousand of a part for John Deere, the CE order is too small to mess with. The CE salesman told me they are looking for another foundry, but in the meantime are supplying SoCal axles with their kits.
Strange,I used a Chassis Engineering 4" dropped axle under my 1932 Ford pickup,wish someone would have told me 7 years ago it wouldn't work! Seriously,It worked just fine. HRP
About a dozen years ago when CE was struggling with their tooling/forging source, it took nearly a year from time of order to recieve mine. The cost was about $200, I bet you won't come close to that now. Pretty frustrating but in my opinion it is still the best one out there.
What ever happened to Lucky 7 forged axles? We're they forged in the same country as the So Cal ones?
Original 33-36 axles are 50-1/2" king pin to going pin. Later brakes and offsets make the track width too wide. Looks fuggly on a highboy and hangs out of the fenders. That is why aftermarkets are narrower. Used to be a guy would have narrowed an original and got a custom spring made, that's why aftermarkets are narrow.
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