Front axle set up.

[blacksheep]

Ok, I have read some threads here about setting up a front suicide axle. My plan is this. I plan to attach my spring to the bones up front. I think they need to be mounted as close to where the bones attach to the axle as possible. One idea was to weld a plate to the bottom of the bone on each side for strength and also give me something to attach my spring pivot to. But, it is a little spooky thinking about something equivelant to a bolt holding my whole front end up. Should I drill a hole through my bones attach the pivots that way, or like I had planned and running a stud type pivot through a 3/8" reinforced plat at the bottom? Also, I have reads some threads about front steering and how some folks hate it. I do know that I need to figure my angle at 5-7* , but is steering really as hard as some folks make it sound by moving the steering rod up front? My search yielded no real definitive answer.

 

[ssimpala]

I've got the same concerns...main reason I signed up here to try to figure it out. Something I came accross yesterday at the junk yard. The front suspension on the '03 and up Ford Crown Vic is an aluminum bolt in assembly that is only held in with 8 bolts. It's a big chunk of rectangular cast aluminum...about 5X8 and would need some trimming with a grinder and something to pretty it up once you get it bolted on, but sure would be a strong and simple install. Also, the cop car version has a positrac with a 3:55 gear ratio and four bar link that looks like it was "made" to fit a T bucket. I think Mustang wheels will fit the bolt pattern, so aftermarket is pretty good. I don't know enough yet to recommend any of this....just looking and thinking. Bill.

 

[ssimpala]

I found a Ford pickup site that talks about this Crown Vic swap a little and shows a few pictures: www.ford-trucks.com/forums/716058 . You seem way smarter than me...figure out if this will work on our rides and how we could "pretty it up". Bill. I can't make this link work on here but if you type it into google it does??? Sorry, I'm so ignorant with computers. Bill.

 

[dmw56]

Something like this. Caster should be more like 7*-10* but ir really varies from vehicle to vehicle.

 

[donsrods]

I set up my 23 exactly like what DMW shows, and had no problems at all. In fact, I just bought a new set of the wishbones Speedway is selling, and they come with a 1/2 inch threaded section so you can screw in a perch and mount the spring that way. As long as you use a FORGED perch you won't have any problems, but I have seen some cheapie perches where they weld a bolt head to the tube and call that a perch.

Here is how I did my 23.

Don

 

[LOWANDRATY]

bones

If you have orignal bones, there is a seam on one side, that normaly go's down, I dont think it would hurt anything if you mounted them upside down, just have to clean up that seam so it would look better.

 

[blacksheep]

Hey DMW 25 , I flipped the bones upside down to where the offset is pointed down, then welded a 3/16 x 1 1/2 bar along the bottom like you show there in the photos. I will need to weld another late beside it to make it thicker, but that is the idead I had.Thanks for the photos.And, impala I appreciate the input as well as Donsrods.