46 Ford rusty cab, my first build

[Ratcrazy]

Frontend Update

Building this frontend has been a true learning experience for me. It seems the more I build the more I have to rebuild....LOL!!!!

I got the spring in place tonight only to find out that the spring bosses have to be relocated and the batwings will have to be rebuild so the shackles will have enough room to move without hitting the mounting bolts on the plates. See photo...

The R&P will also have to be relocated but that part I expected, but where and how???

Anyway here's couple of pic's of what I have and what I have to redo.....LOL

Oh well thats part of building one from scratch I guess. Learn as ya go I guess!!!

Larry

 

[C1ph3r]

Hey man. Looking good. We are planning on trying next saturday to drive up and meet you and take a look at the project in person if you're going to be around.

 

[Ratcrazy]

Hey C1ph3r, next Saturday would be good for me if this ride dont drive me crazy first....

We go to the grandson football games on Saturday mornings and will be back around 1pm. Give me a call this week to let me know.

If you like bring your work clothes......LOL. No just kidding.


Larry

 

[Ratcrazy]

OK, Got the brackets all rebuilt today and finished welded and cleaned. Works much better this time around.
Had to remove the R&P till I figure out where and how to mount it.

Here's a couple of todays work pic's.

1) checking to see if everything clears the bolts
2) all welded and cleaned
3) mounted back on the frame.......I like

Larry

 

[C1ph3r]

pretty cool stuff. i dig it.

 

[Ratcrazy]

Before and After pic's of the change.

 

[C1ph3r]

dang ratcrazy. R u running bags or is that ride hight?

 

[Ratcrazy]

No bags, come see

 

[Shea Laking]

Ratcrazy,

Just curious, what kind of front spring, spring shackles and shackle mounts are you running on there? Looks like a trailer spring, wasn't sure...

Truck's lookin' GOOD!!

Regards,
Shea

 

[Ratcrazy]

Correct, it is a 2000 lb trailer axle. I made all the brackets and shackles with grease fittings.. Works great.

 

[hotrod preacher]

lookin' good.....
i too, have learned from the build it, rebuild it school of thought
i think that's just to be expected when building from scratch-so many components working together/affecting one another

keep up the good work-and posts

 

[Ratcrazy]

Thank you my brother in Christ. These lessons are sometimes hard to learn but we do learn and at least we know what doesnt work now!!!

But all in all I do enjoy building my own brackets and so forth. And I love the money saved...LOL

 

[Ratcrazy]

R&P mounted

Yeah me, got my R&P mounted this weekend. Machined the sleeves and spacers I needed and got the tie rods cut and rose welded in place. Spaced the mounted out from the axle 3/4 inch to help aline tie rod on the rack to meet up with the stock tie rod ends.

The exhaust clamps will be replaced with with some new mounting brackets that I havent machined yet but will in the near future. They will be made from 3/4 flat stock, cut 2 1/2" diameter and the center machined to fit around the rack. Two shoulders will be machine on each bracket, drilled and tapped to recieve 5/16" allen head bolts. Then split across the diameter.

The Omni rack gives me 1 1/2 turns center to center. [cl SWEET!!!

Still have to trim the mount to match the axle profile but will do that at a later date.

Let me know what your thoughts are. Thanks

Larry

 

[RoddingRon]

My main concern is with your set up like that, is your rack is going to have to move with the axle. That means your steering shaft is going to have to move also, which I see as a problem (not only will the shaft have to move up and down, but it will have to have a slider in it to expand and contract as the axle moves). I'm not saying it can't be done, but I would have to question how reliable (safe) it would be. Also with that much movement, you would have a heck of a feed back through the steering wheel, and I'm not sure it would be a positive feel. Plus, you'd be looking at premature wear on any steering u joints

Steering boxes and racks are normally mounted solid to the frame so they can't move.

 

[earthman]

With all respect to RodRon, BobW posted in another thread that he had used r&p's on three builds all mounted to the axle with slip joints on the shaft. You can do a search for r&p's. Thanks for sharing your build Larry.

 

[Ratcrazy]

Thanks for your concern RoddingRon.

A slip joint is in store for the shaft when the steering is complete. Its my understanding that with the rack being mounted to the axle instead of the frame will help downgrade the bumpsteer and give better feel throught the steering wheel.

See this link: http://www.customclassictrucks.com/techarticles/0602cct_rack_and_pinion_steering/index.html

Thanks earthman.

I have done tons of research and talk with several people who have also use R&P on straight axles and all say how much they like their set-ups and how good it steers. BobW was one of the threads I studied before making my final decision. I tend to goes with experience and not rely on guess work.

Thanks for both replies.
Larry

 

[rainman]

What about a steerring cable?

 

[RoddingRon]

Thanks for your concern RoddingRon.

A slip joint is in store for the shaft when the steering is complete. Its my understanding that with the rack being mounted to the axle instead of the frame will help downgrade the bumpsteer and give better feel throught the steering wheel.

See this link: http://www.customclassictrucks.com/techarticles/0602cct_rack_and_pinion_steering/index.html

Thanks earthman.

I have done tons of research and talk with several people who have also use R&P on straight axles and all say how much they like their set-ups and how good it steers. BobW was one of the threads I studied before making my final decision. I tend to goes with experience and not rely on guess work.

Thanks for both replies.
Larry

See..... your never to old to learn something new. As many years as I've been around the old cars, I never heard of this, and I guess I missed BobW's post on this subject. Guess I gotta go look up some threads and do some more reading. In the mean time, I'll follow along with your build[P

 

[Ratcrazy]

I hear ya RoddingRon. The day I stop learning is the day I want them to bury me.
Again thanks for your concerns and comments.

Larry

 

[Ratcrazy]

What about a steerring cable?

[S Steering cable????