Front bones too wide

[blacksheep]

I am setting up my front end and I notice that my bones are needing to be bent or offset. With my spring mounted it makes the bones run paralell to the frame, and if I pull them toward the frame the spring raises in the center.
Can I cut the bones and make them angle toward the frame more. You can see how they look in my build photos . Thanks

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

The bones aren't too wide - your spring is. To do that setup correctly you will need a shorter spring. Here is a guide for measuring. In these photos the perches are on top of the axle, but taking the measurements is done the same for a spring behind setup. Here ya go...

 

[blacksheep]

So, I measured center to center on where the stock perches were at. But, since I moved the pivots to the bones , I guess the distance has changed. My spring is 31.5" center to center. With the bones attached to the frame it seems to me that the angle of the perches will put everything in a bind. Is it not possible to bend the bones to angle them toward the frame? This way it keeps the shackles paralell to each other , instead of the ones on the bones being at too much of an angle. Make sense?

 

[LOWANDRATY]

spring too long

Yes it makes sense, did you weld a plate to the bottom of the bones to mount the spring perch, like I did ? if so I had to weld the plates straight up the seam and I left the last 2 inches unwelded, then after the bones were mounted I bent the ends of the metal, to straighten out the spring pivot, so my shackle would sit straight with the spring, then welded the last couple inches. when you pull your bones in the spring shaclkes get crooked right ?

 

[Toad]

Sheep,
Yes, I've had to cut the bones at an angle and weld them back together. Mine weren't straight and had a big angle by the axle. I saw how to do it in one of the mags. I'll see if I can find that article. Is this what you're talking about?

Toad

 

[blacksheep]

Yes it makes sense, did you weld a plate to the bottom of the bones to mount the spring perch, like I did ? if so I had to weld the plates straight up the seam and I left the last 2 inches unwelded, then after the bones were mounted I bent the ends of the metal, to straighten out the spring pivot, so my shackle would sit straight with the spring, then welded the last couple inches. when you pull your bones in the spring shaclkes get crooked right ?

Exactly !! And it looks as though it will be binding if left like that.Damn and I already welded mine all the way. What I would like to do is to cut a pie out of the bones as close to the shackles as I can . Then bend it to the frame and weld a gusset on each side after angling them in. Sound doable?

 

[chuckles]

try and grind/cut your welds back a couple inches (cutoff wheel) ,get your angle you need and reweld.(rather than adding more gussets).
? suggestion. Nice build!

 

[blacksheep]

Sheep,
Yes, I've had to cut the bones at an angle and weld them back together. Mine weren't straight and had a big angle by the axle. I saw how to do it in one of the mags. I'll see if I can find that article. Is this what you're talking about?

Toad

Yes, this is what I'm talking about. I'm just wondering if I can make a cut about 12" back and turn them into my frame. Any ideas?

 

[Toad]

Yes, this is what I'm talking about. I'm just wondering if I can make a cut about 12" back and turn them into my frame. Any ideas?

Sheep,
Every article I've seen shows the cut being done close to the axle. The most important thing is to keep this angle the same (see attached).

Toad

 

[blacksheep]

Well, I have made a decision here about the front end. I just don't like the idea of my project rolling down the road being held up by two 1/2" bolts. I'm going back to the way Ol Henry designed it in the first place. Spring on top over the axle ,and a higher spring perch .

 

[LOWANDRATY]

Old way

Yea I had the same feeling about the 1/2" bolt idea myself, thats why I bought forged pivots and made my bone stops.

 

[IAM-LDS-2]

Well, I have made a decision here about the front end. I just don't like the idea of my project rolling down the road being held up by two 1/2" bolts. I'm going back to the way Ol Henry designed it in the first place. Spring on top over the axle ,and a higher spring perch .

Smart move , that's thinking with your brain ,not your eyes .

 

[chuckles]

Bone stops?? example;?
not meaning to high jack BSheep...

blacksheep ' Keep your build and ideas coming. Trial & error on the floor ,beats T&E on the road.

Like suggested., I wanted to change mine to have 1/2 forged hangers and then welded on.
Mine are just a welded on bracket, then a shackle.. I have thought about it often.. although ,It has held up over the 10 yrs. the previous owner had it (the front-end) and I have put about 5,000.mi this past year on it.

Thanks for reading about all the ideas' blacksheep' and all other peeps input.

 

[blacksheep]

Yea I had the same feeling about the 1/2" bolt idea myself, thats why I bought forged pivots and made my bone stops.

Hey Low, splain me on the bone stop thing you mentioned. Thanks

 

[blacksheep]

Bone stops?? example;?
not meaning to high jack BSheep...

blacksheep ' Keep your build and ideas coming. Trial & error on the floor ,beats T&E on the road.

Like suggested., I wanted to change mine to have 1/2 forged hangers and then welded on.
Mine are just a welded on bracket, then a shackle.. I have thought about it often.. although ,It has held up over the 10 yrs. the previous owner had it (the front-end) and I have put about 5,000.mi this past year on it.

Thanks for reading about all the ideas' blacksheep' and all other peeps input.

Well, I see it like this. I have so much more things to get creative with on this build. And, my 16 year old loves to ride in my hot rods,so I want it as safe as I can be and still look like I want.Thanks for the input.

 

[LOWANDRATY]

front bones

This is my idea of bone stops, look at where I mounted my old lever style shocks, I built a mount for them very wide so if something breaks my bones will hopefuly hit the underside of the mount and act like a stop, I hope, maybe it would work good enough to get me off the road.

 

[Jimmy Wallbanger]

if you consider where the bones mount to the frame you are still sitting on two bolts haha. a guy on here put bump stops over his bones for the dreaded suicide nose dive prevention.

 

[Jimmy Wallbanger]

my bad there he is

 

[chuckles]

Good Idea !!
'Pole vault' ?

 

[deerchooper]

i dont know if this is what your talking about but i did this to my bones..