This isn't really a question on all out speed. More of a question of how fast at a comfortable speed on the hwy. I've been messing around with my front suspension a lot trying to dial in the handling at higher speeds on the hwy. i drive mine all over but I will tell ya when it comes to maintaining a hwy speed over 65 the comfort zone starts to go away. Basically I've got a spring over front and bags in the rear. It's a great cruiser anything below 60 (rides real nice) and on ideal road conditions I can go much faster, but let's face it it's a concrete and asphalt jungle out there with pot holes, expansion joints, and so on.When I do longer road trips at hwy speeds I'd like to get up to at least 75. I know I'm getting close to getting where I want but i am curious how others handle with similar set ups before I totally redo my suspension. I kinda feel like I've almost got everything thing I can out of it
How fast is your rat
- Thread starter Ken47int
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
Old Iron
Well-known member
I can run mine at any speed and it handles great. I've had it over a 100
If I can get to that point I'd have no complaints. I've been changing leafs in the spring pack and swapping out shocks. I'm about ready to just redo the whole suspension and possibly the frame. I have a few things to try with the rear air ride I want to try first. I honestly think it's all in the front, this weekend if I can find the material I'm going to install a panhard bar, and hopefully that will be what I need. I just kinda have a gut feeling I'm getting some side to side motion at higher speeds. So panhard bar is next on the list
smallfoot
He's rockin' the "Nuttin Special"!
Quite frankly, I wish all my other vehicles handled as well as the 31. A two finger steer....
I didn't go as far as most do here on improving suspension. I'm running transverse spring under up front and parallel leafs in the rear. However, the parts are all new...front spring, shackles, king pins, tie rods and ends, like new steering box, etc. Mine is a little stiff over rough ground but that's using Jeep rear leaf springs which could do with a leaf or two missing. My local cruising is mostly done on 2 lane country roads and have had it over 110 with still usable throttle left but I seem to run out of strait-aways before I run out of throttle. I don't even run a panhard bar. Quite a bit of fun around here! It takes curves like it's running in a groove. I'm quite happy with it! Maybe Saturday night on the way home from pool night, I'll take it thru the paces thru the curves near "Disappearing Creek" on the way home with camera on video.
I didn't go as far as most do here on improving suspension. I'm running transverse spring under up front and parallel leafs in the rear. However, the parts are all new...front spring, shackles, king pins, tie rods and ends, like new steering box, etc. Mine is a little stiff over rough ground but that's using Jeep rear leaf springs which could do with a leaf or two missing. My local cruising is mostly done on 2 lane country roads and have had it over 110 with still usable throttle left but I seem to run out of strait-aways before I run out of throttle. I don't even run a panhard bar. Quite a bit of fun around here! It takes curves like it's running in a groove. I'm quite happy with it! Maybe Saturday night on the way home from pool night, I'll take it thru the paces thru the curves near "Disappearing Creek" on the way home with camera on video.
endicott_jb
Well-known member
On my 33 Chevy I have a home grown spring behind set up using a trailer leaf spring with a few more leafs added to it, no panhard bar, a steering dampener off of an 83 mercedes, and kyb gas-a-just shocks that came off a 68vw bug. Tje rear im running home grown ladder bars, a panhard bar, and front coul springs from a 76 ford f-150. I've had it up to 93mph but only for about 5 miles. Just too damn loud after 3k on the tach. At 75 it cruises amazingly and actually handles like a dream. My center of gravity is so low and my rear wheels sit out so far, that even though it feels like it may tip it stays perfectly level.
Old Iron
Well-known member
You didn't actually say what it is doing, that you don't like.
Pics would make it easier for us to help you.
Pics would make it easier for us to help you.
Humm.. From the sound of it I think I might just redo the front. I didn't build the frame or set up the front end. When I bought it I didn't have a shop to fab up my own (I do now). It's built fairly well and I've changed a lot to get it where it's at now. I have most of the stuff to redo the front end now. All this input is making me feel like I'm far from what I'm looking for unless it's totally redone. I'll try to post pics of the front end later when I get home and have a chance
It could be a lot to do with your geometry front and rear. Just adjusting the air of my rear bags makes a noticeable difference in how it handles. Not only does it change the spring rate, but it also changes the rear height which in turn changes my front caster and toe slightly.
My point is, it might not be loose joints, it might be bad angles.
My point is, it might not be loose joints, it might be bad angles.
All this input is great!! I agree with you Sam on the air ride, I notice quite a difference depending on how much air I'm running. I really haven't messed with the bags or the rear shocks yet. I have put a steering dampener on the front and that made a big difference.
05snopro440
Well-known member
What is it actually doing? What have you changed to try and correct it? There's not enough information here for anyone to actually help you with your problem other than giving broad ideas. Give us a better idea and the hopefully the collective knowledge here can help you out.
billy
Motor mouth ratchet jaw!
The 27 Chevy will catch air on the freeway when it hits a good dip or expansion joint.
Great for in town
Sketchy on the open road.
Great for in town
Sketchy on the open road.
As far as what it's doing is I get the shakes when I start getting over 65. I wouldn't say it's the death shakes but defiantly will get you to lay off the gas sometimes. Smooth roads not as much. First thing I did when I started digging into it was put a steering dampener on. Made a huge difference. I changed out the front spring but it was to soft and sat to low, so I put the old one back on (i also took a leaf out of the old spring but it dropped the front to much)I think I'm going to play around with the leafs again this weekend (try the long old spring with the other 3 new leafs). The previous owner had that front end so tight that the spring would hardly move in the shackles, so I gone through all of that and put nylon bushings in all the piviot points. Moves a lot nicer but still kinda stiff. I also put new shocks on and towers. The towers are tacked in now because I'm still not sure if I'm just going to redo a bunch of it. It also has new radial tires. I know I'm getting closer to what I want but not quite there
05snopro440
Well-known member
What's your caster angle at ride height?
endicott_jb
Well-known member
I think Sam and sno pro hit the nail on the head. You need to see what your angles are. I wouldn't be surprised if your caster is a bit out. Imagine if you will a grocery cart. One with brand new caster will roll smith at any speed you push it. An old I e with worn out front wheels or even a frame that is tweaked will cause one of the wheels to shake like a sonofabitch. And then add in to account that on a car both wheels are tied together.
Blue Eyed Devil
Devil's Advocate
10 degrees of caster and 1/8" toe-in are the magic numbers for my builds. Max or near max pressure in the front tires with a good spin balance and shaved perfectly round. They consistently hold well into triple digit speeds on cross country trips with bias ply tires - Proven long-distance road cars. Everyone will have their own take on it, but I can tell you from experience this setup works and works very well...
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
I've ran mine out to the top of 4th a couple times, 110 by the tack, never tried top in 5th. I can cruise at what ever speed I want but what I like are those 30 mph canyon rides. 75 cruise is no problem but I'm just never in that big of hurry to get anywhere. It's about the journey more than arriving.
skull
''SARCASM: just one of his many talents.''
quick
the 3Oish has a 4-link/panhard bar rear & mustang II front-end and at 7O it drives like a dream and with the ZZ4 motor, 23OO pounds and 3.25 gears O to 6O in about 4 seconds & corners like a slot car
the 1948 dodge truck has a 1976 nova/camaro sub-frame with a 12 bolt 3.36 camaro rearend/leaf springs and she drives like a camaro from that era.
Later
the 3Oish has a 4-link/panhard bar rear & mustang II front-end and at 7O it drives like a dream and with the ZZ4 motor, 23OO pounds and 3.25 gears O to 6O in about 4 seconds & corners like a slot car
the 1948 dodge truck has a 1976 nova/camaro sub-frame with a 12 bolt 3.36 camaro rearend/leaf springs and she drives like a camaro from that era.
Later
Bamamav
Well-known member
My big boat Lincoln drives fine. Stock front transverse leaf spring with tube shocks and some added caster, not sure how much but I had to drop the rear wishbone mount 2" for trans pan clearance. The rear is unknown parallel leaf springs with coil overload shocks, the leafs are a bit soft and let it wallow a bit before I put on the overload shocks to firm it up.
I've had it up around 75 and it felt fine, but it sorely needs overdrive because the 350/350 with 3.00 gears winds up a bit too much to cruise that fast for very long. It seems happiest around 55-60. I wish I could find a 700R4 to go in it at a decent price, but all I've found were way over $500 used around here. Too much moola right now when I can get the 350 rebuilt for $500 or less and have a warranty...
I think Sam hit it on the head, the problem is in the rear, not the front. Air bags need a certain amount of air in them, or they will wallow from side to side. Even a panhard bar won't stop it completely. I have driven big trucks with air ride for years, and can feel one with not enough air in the bags as soon as I take off in it. You want the bag to be firm, but not pooched out, and you want the travel to be at about the halfway point of the metal or plastic sleeve. It may look cool to have it riding low, but if the bags don't have enough air, it will wallow around especially at speed.
I've had it up around 75 and it felt fine, but it sorely needs overdrive because the 350/350 with 3.00 gears winds up a bit too much to cruise that fast for very long. It seems happiest around 55-60. I wish I could find a 700R4 to go in it at a decent price, but all I've found were way over $500 used around here. Too much moola right now when I can get the 350 rebuilt for $500 or less and have a warranty...
I think Sam hit it on the head, the problem is in the rear, not the front. Air bags need a certain amount of air in them, or they will wallow from side to side. Even a panhard bar won't stop it completely. I have driven big trucks with air ride for years, and can feel one with not enough air in the bags as soon as I take off in it. You want the bag to be firm, but not pooched out, and you want the travel to be at about the halfway point of the metal or plastic sleeve. It may look cool to have it riding low, but if the bags don't have enough air, it will wallow around especially at speed.
