Front Suspension Options

Hi, I'm Truckster.

I'm a 1941 Ford pickup truck

Straight axle

Advantages:

• Seems cheaper, but not always
• Strong, Rigid, & Tough
• Good camber control
• Nostalgic, Old timey look
• All work can be done at home with few tools
  No welding necessary
  Doesn't require removal of engine, radiator, or sheet metal
• Can be done in stages
  Doesn't require laying up truck

Disadvantages:

• Worst is steering problems
  bump steer
  shimmy
• Ride quality not as good
  High unsprung weight

References:

• Tuning '53-'56 Ford suspensions: Custom & Classic Trucks 10/94 p. 40
• Swap to Disk Brakes: Custom & Classic Trucks 8/96 p. 76

Manufacturers:

• Flatlander's Hot Rods 804-440-1932
  Disk brake kits
  -----For '28-'48 Fords
  -----Others available
  Tube and Beam dropped axles
• No Limit Engineering 888-297-6032
  Disk Brake Kits
  -----'47-'59 Chevy
  -----'48-'56 F-100
  -----$ 149.00 to 389.00

Volare/Aspen clip (Torsion bar)

Advantages:

• Fairly available
• Can be cheap
• Gives ifs, power steering, & front disks
• Frame not cut completely off
  front portion of truck frame not cut completely off
  only notch the lower portion of the frame rails
  easiest clip to install
• Low crossmember allows easy access to any engine
• Good ride
• Torsion bars are cool
  wide range of ride height latitude
  -----get alignment done at the height you will use for most driving

Disadvantages:

• Requires real welding and fabrication skills
• Earlier ('70's) steering was sometimes too critical
• Brakes although large & effective often feel mushy
• May have limited alignment range?

References:

• Volare Rebuild: Custom & Classic Trucks 10/95 p. 20
• Volare in F-100: Custom & Classic Trucks 2/95 p. 19
  done by Bob's F-100 Parts

Manufacturers:

• Specialized Auto Repair 714-635-6901
  Oldtruckman, reports on his '56 F100
  -----trim up to bottom of frame
  -----box the frame back in
  -----add fish plates on outside surface
  -----all sheet metal & radiator mounts were retained
• Gibbon Fiberglass kit 308-468-6178
  $ 450.00 to $ 750.00
  '75-'79 Chrysler Cordoba
  '73-'78 Midsize Dodges (Charger, Coronet)
  '73-'74 Plymouths (Satellite or Road Runner)
  Custom & Classic Trucks 10/94 p. 66
• No Limit Engineering 888-297-6032
  Volare IFS
  Volare IFS Kit $ 389.00
  Video only $ 29.95
  Volare Motor Mount Kit $ 67.50
  Tubular upper A arms $ 229.00

Tips from Custom & Classic Trucks 10/96 p. 72

• Always at least replace steering box seal
  Good idea to replace steering box input shaft
• Pay careful attention to routing of front brake hoses
• Be sure to get wheels with the larger center hole
  Though lug pattern the same as Ford
  Chrysler rotors have larger bearing cone section
• GM columns attach easily to Volare steering box
  Use correctly splined U-joint from Borgeson
• For Ford engines place a 2x4 flat on the crossmember
  set oil pan level on it
• Easiest motor mounts to use are the ones secured with 7/16" bolts
  GM '60s nonlocing V-8 rubber mounts
  Mounts from 351 Cleveland-equipped Mustang for Ford engines
• Offset engine and trans 1" to 1.5" to the passenger side
  Provides more room for steering box hookup and exhaust system
  Make the transmission crossmember first
  -----set engine and trans in place before installing trans crossmember
  -----then make engine mounts
  Remember this offset when making fan shroud
• Use master cylinder with at least 7/8" bore and 1.5" stroke
  Brake booster & master cylinder from Mustang II work well
  -----Junk yard boosters from late '70s can be OK
  -----New ones are better
  Use new or at least rebuilt master cylinder
• Use 3/16" steel or stainless for all hard lines
• Pressure switch for brake light work better than lever-type switches

Templates:

GM clip

Advantages:

• Similar to Volare
• Pretty available
• Quicker steering
• Better brakes
• Bigger sway bars

Disadvantages:

• Requires cutting frame off
  Most difficult to install
  Need to make many careful measurements over and over again
  -----Be especially aware of front core support
  Ford setup may be slightly easier than on Chevy trucks
• Need to make mounts for sheetmetal & radiator
• Headers can be tricky if not planned carefully in advance
• Ball joints are smaller than on Mustang II
• Lug patterrn won't match Ford differential

References:

• Install a Camaro Front Clip: Custom & Classic Trucks 6/95 p. 40
• '78 Camaro in F-100: Custom & Classic Trucks 2/96 p. 32
• Camaro Clip Rebuild: Custom & Classic Trucks 6/97 p. 98

Tips:

• Avoid rear steer clips
  '67-'69 Camaros
  Nova up to '74
  Chevelle up to '72
  Many don't have disk brakes
  Inside wheel gets bad negative camber in a hard corner
• Pontiac clips often cheaper to buy than Chevy
  Pontiac Grand Prix may be the best GM clip in the yard
  -----Contains all the best handling parts
  Look for Factory build sheets with the option F-40 or F-41
  These are RPO codes for suspension upgrades
  Package includes:
  -----Quicker variable ratio steering box
  -----14:1 with a heavy road feel
  -----Front sway bars up to 1.125" Rear to 1"
  -----Higher front and rear spring rates
  -----Much better shocks
  -----Front disc brakes with 10" to 12" rotors
  Late-model Corvette calipers adapted easily
  Best master cylinder is Corvette with a 7-inch booster
• Measurements to take
  1. Top of bumper mounting location to floor
  2. Axle centerline to reference bar/temporary crossbrace
  3. Forward edge of frame rail to reference bar
  4. (Ford trucks) Core-support crossmember to reference bar
  5. (Ford trucks) Top of framerail at core support to floor
  6. (Chevy trucks) Centerline of core-support hole to reference
• Tack weld bars or channel pieces before cutting out truck's original crossmember
  Across the framerails forward of the firewall on both top and bottom
  -----ensures the rails remain same width as stock when crossmember removed

Manufacturers:

• RB's Obsolete Automotive 206-670-6739
  sells new clip that accepts GM A or G-body suspension
• Fat Man Fabrications 704-545-0369
  Tubular control arms for GM subframes
  -----stock or narrowed width
  '68-'79 Nova
  '67-'81 Camaro
  '64-'72 Chevelle
  $ 695.00 set of 4
  complete with new bushings & balljoints
• Aim Industries 602-829-6000
  Lower control arm for 3" drop
  -----retains correct geometry

Torino (& possibly Cougar) clip

Advantages:

• Keeps in the Ford family

Disadvantages:

• Requires complete cut off of the frame like the GM clip

Dodge Dakota clip

Advantages:

• Frame not cut off
• Smooth ride
• Gives power rack & pinion steering
• Disk brakes designed for a light truck
• Lowers truck 2" w/ stock spindles
  Can get two more with dropped spindles

Disadvantages:

• Easier if engine and all sheet metal are removed

Manufacturer:

• Industrial Chassis

Pacer clip

Contributed by Jack Halton

Advantages:

• No frame cutting
• Complete IFS bolts in, includes disc brakes, A-arm suspension, sway bar and rack & pinion steering
• Very affordable - bracket kit is $100, Pacers can be had at wrecking yard for cheap
• Will not lower truck severely
• All AMC factory geometry, alignment can be done anywhere
• Very little fabrication needed - don't even need to remove engine or sheet metal!
• Extremely smooth ride, very good handling

Disadvantages:

• Pacer parts may get scarce in future
• Won't drop truck "In da Weeds"
• Stock power steering has typical '70's numb feel

Manufacturer:

• Pacer Kit manufactured by Chassis Engineering, sold by Jim Carter Antique trucks and others

Mustang II kit

Advantages:

• Moderate fabrication skills
• No frame cutting
• Often includes frame boxing
• Sheet metal mounting retained
  radiator may or not
• Ball joints larger than on Camaros
• Rack & pinion steering
  No steering box to interfere with exhaust
• Wide range of options & replacement parts
  easy to go with coil-overs and tubular A arms
  -----Tubular A arms eliminate the need for strut rods
  -----Can be very pretty, especially with coil-overs
• Retro-fit airbag suspension now available for Heidt's kits

Disadvantages:

• Appears expensive at first
• Can be hard to find in junk yards

Manufacturers:

• Heidt's 800-841-8188

• No Limit Engineering 909-275-9004
  $ 375.00 '47-'54 Chevy PU
  $ 425.00 '55-'59 Chevy PU, '48-'52 F-100, '53-'56 F-100
  Hub to hub kits from $ 1,725.00
  Tube A-arms upper $ 250.00
  Tube A-arms lower $ 280.00
• Total Cost Involved 909-984-1773
  $ 1,795.00
  All needed parts are included
  Includes tubular A-arms
• Fat Man Fabrications 704-545-0369
  starting at $ 795.00
  including tubular upper control arms
  Also makes kits to use '84-'87 Vetter components
• Michael Thomas Enterprises 608-787-7058
  $ 1,400.00
  Complete hub to hub
• Chubby Chassis 800-200-1425
• Innovative Products 214-293-9449
  Makes a crossmember to use Mustang II
  -----Designed to fit between the framerails instead of under them
  Allows adjustable ride height without the need for dropped spindles
• Jonny's Street Rod & Custom 970-962-9821
• Kugel Komponents 800-350-7006
  all made by them
  expensive
• Martz Chassis 714-642-9807
• Jim Meyer Racing Products 541-994-7717
  '28-'59 Chevys
• Chisolm Suspension 800-848-2333
  Makes parts for Mustang II, GM, & Volare
• Art Morrison Enterprises 206-922-7188
  Makes subframe to use stock Mustang II components
• Pro's Pick - Tubular Independent Front Suspension

References:

Completely New Custom Frame

Advantages:

• No rust or metal fatigue
• Crossmenber often widened to accept great variety of engine and transmissions
• Comes already boxed
• Can pick whatever front & rear suspension desired

Disadvantages:

• Expense
• Requires total major disassembly of truck

Suppliers:

• '35 - '41 Ford Truck
  Rods-N-Rails
  2876 Apopka Blvd.
  Apopla, FL 32703
  407-297-9205
  -----Features:
  four-bar rear suspension
  independent front susp
• Flatlander's Hot Rods 800-882-3711
• Weedetr
• Performance Fabrication 415-595-3663
  Exchange your old frame for core charge
• Johnny's Rod Shop

Email me at goodwrench@cyberranch.org
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Y'all please come back soon and visit me.

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