1934 Dodge Brothers 1 1/2 Ton build

[MercuryMac]

I've been watching your build and grinning, because I'm also building a '34 Dodge Brothers truck. Mine is a pick-up so it is a wee bit different. My front spring hanger brackets are lighter, and more abused than yours. Both brackets were riveted to the frame and both made a broken, ripped up mess of the bottom of the frame. Your hangers are better looking than mine but your going to have a way heavier motor and more working conditions for the suspension. My two cents would be to ask if you thought of putting a 2"x4" rectangle tube underneath the frame horns all of the way across and sticking out three inches on each side of the frame to bolt the hanger brackets to. This way the suspension movement won't keep flexing each frame horn until it cracks.

Nice truck! My dream is to do almost what your doing, someday.

 

[X53Gunner]

MercuryMac thanks That is a great Idea also.

 

[X53Gunner]

Anyone have any Idea how I could get the old 1934 wide 5 lug wheels to mount on my 1992 8 Lug hubs?
I could weld the 5 lug holes shut and redrill. However i'm not sure I could come up with a way to get everything completely centered. I also don't see any adapters unless I'm missing something.

 

[rusty46]

That is way cool. I'm a Mopar kind of guy anyways and Cummins makes an excellent engine. Win/win!

 

[kenny c]

Anyone have any Idea how I could get the old 1934 wide 5 lug wheels to mount on my 1992 8 Lug hubs?
I could weld the 5 lug holes shut and redrill. However i'm not sure I could come up with a way to get everything completely centered. I also don't see any adapters unless I'm missing something.

You could cut the centers out of a set of a set of 16" or 16.5" dualy wheels and weld them into you original wheels after cutting the centers out.

 

[MercuryMac]

Gunner, I needed to buy some unique adapters once. I kept looking and looking until I stumbled onto a site that sold a lot of different renditions of adapters. I don't remember the name of the company though. Just keep trying.
Barring any success on the internet, could you go to your local machinist and get him to make you a pair of adapters to fit your application?

 

[05snopro440]

Running the original wheels at modern highway speeds may not be the best idea. Especially if you wanted to weld on them. Are they split rims?

Most wheels of that era for big trucks are designed for tubes, bias ply tires, and aren't intended for the usage of modern driving. You're better off to find something modern that looks somewhat vintage.

 

[X53Gunner]

Thanks again for all the info and ideas!!!!!!The rears are not split rims, the fronts are not split rims but have the ring in them. I think I'm just going to run modern wheels and tires and sell the old wheels and tires.
Thought I would update you guys on what I have done. I needed to extend the leaf springs out away from the frame so they would fit on the 1992 axle leaf perches. So after long hard thought on how I wanted to do this here is what I came up with. They need to be finished obviously so don't be to harsh on what they look like now.....LOL However once again I have thick skin and love others criticism or other ideas!

 

[kenny c]

Nothing wrong with that. I like it.

 

[Old Iron]

It all looks good.
You may already have it planned but, I'd put gussets on the rear spring mount and a piece of tubing across the frame horns to help with frame twist.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

It all looks good.
You may already have it planned but, I'd put gussets on the rear spring mount and a piece of tubing across the frame horns to help with frame twist.

Cap your open ends, too.

.

 

[X53Gunner]

Well I started to box in the ends just not sure I like how the back mount looks. Trying to figure out a way to dress it up a bit. I know it needs cleaning up. I'm just talking about the whole mount over all. Maybe it will look fine once the whole frame is black and finished. I can't box in the front mount as I wouldn't be able to get to the nuts on the inside of the mount to remove front of leaf spring.

 

[Old Iron]

Not Doc quality but, get the idea across

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Priorities:

#1 - Make it functional.

#2 - Make it safe.

# 58 - Make it pretty.

.

 

[X53Gunner]

Old Iron I kinda like that Idea!!!!
Dr Crankenstein Love it may have to steal that one from you also if you don't mind...
I know it isn't much but did the other side. So it is functionable and safe. Will do number 58 on docs list at a later date....

 

[X53Gunner]

Well I have the axle hung to test fit everything. I have a bit of twist in both leafs. I think I may have to move my rear mounts in about a 1/2" to get the twist out. Its very slight not sure if it would even matter.

 

[Old Iron]

I think you'll find most parallel leaf springs are not parallel at all. They're closer in the front of the axle than they are in the rear of the axle.

 

[MercuryMac]

Gunner, could you hog out the 'centre bolt head' holes in the two axle housing saddles, a quarter of an inch outwards.

 

[Torchie]

[P [P [P [P [P
Torchie

 

[X53Gunner]

MercuryMac not quite sure on what you mean by axle housing saddles? Are you talking about the top of the leaf spring? Or the spots the leaf springs are bolted to on the frame?