newbie suspension questions

[tecster]

Alright so I've been out of the build for quite awhile, I've been lerking but I sort of lost interest when I bought a house so the 67 International I've been building has just been sitting...well hopefully my motorcycle will sell and I want to get building again.

I need to do something with the suspension, it currently has the dually rear end and is lowered via removing some springs. Well - I don't think that's the safest way to do it so I'm looking into alternatives. I was hoping some folks can post some resources on different setups. I would love to go bags, but I think that's far out of my budget right now so I was considering a coil over setup. Below are some questions I have...

Do I need to Z or alter the frame to make a coil over setup work being that I need to install some sort of ladder bar setup or 4 link?

Can I weld mounts to the rear axle for the coil overs?

Right now it's a dually rear end with no bed, just a dump body setup that I believe I will remove... what are my concerns about weight?

Are there any good resources for inexpensive/reasonably priced coil over/coil over setups?

 

[Kurtm333]

Safe

Removing springs is very safe, just replace the center pin bolt and ubolts.

Z ing or notching the frame all depends on how low ou want to go. Not required for bags or coils.

Weight doesn't matter just determines your coil or bag size.

Kurt

 

[zzrodder]

Real coilover shocks may be more expensive than a pair of air bags and shocks, you can just plumb them to Shraeder valves like air shocks so you can manually fill them, add a compressor and control valves later.
They can take whatever load you want and give you great height and ride adjustability, if you're going to install a 4 link anyway, it's a natural.
Even simpler would be to install a triangulated truck arm style suspension from a same year Chevy pickup. If you want to get low, Z or step the frame. Cheapest and easiest setup would be to scoop the entire rear section of a 67 - 72 Chev pickup frame and graft it to the IHC frame at the point where you Z it, then weld the Chev axle mounts to your rear end and modify the Chev front arm mount crossmember to fit your frame. A donor pickup could be had for a few hun and could provide all the parts you need.

 

[2.3Turbo_T]

zzrodder's post makes alot of sense. However, if you're looking for dirt cheap, how about a pair (or maybe 2 pair, depends on the weight) of coilovers off a Jag XJ6? I think the spring rate is around 450 psi. $20 each at the junkyard.

All you need is a crossmember to mount the top end and you can weld mounts to your rear for the bottom end.

They're very easy to mount. I used some junkyard Subaru coilovers on my 'T' roadster. Made the brackets out of 1/4" plate and welded them to the axle housing.

 

[tecster]

zzrodder's post makes alot of sense. However, if you're looking for dirt cheap, how about a pair (or maybe 2 pair, depends on the weight) of coilovers off a Jag XJ6? I think the spring rate is around 450 psi. $20 each at the junkyard.

All you need is a crossmember to mount the top end and you can weld mounts to your rear for the bottom end.

Can I weld to my rear end or do I need to fab something up to weld the bracket to? Do you think 3/8" thickness would work or do I need to jimmy up something thicker?

 

[2.3Turbo_T]

Can I weld to my rear end or do I need to fab something up to weld the bracket to? Do you think 3/8" thickness would work or do I need to jimmy up something thicker?

Yes, you can weld to your rearend but you need to be careful! You'll need a lot of heat for 3/8" plate but the axle tubes are pretty thin. Warpage is a big concern. When I welded up mine I clamped the crap outta the rearend to my frame table. I welded about an inch at a time and after every weld I wrapped the axle tube with a rag soaked in ice water. I also blew compressed air on it to help cool it down. In other words, after each 1" weld give it ample time to cool. I also slid the axles in after every couple of welds to make sure they slid in and spun freely.

Oh yeah........3/8" should be plenty thick. Don't forget to gusset the bracket too.

 

[tecster]

Yes, you can weld to your rearend but you need to be careful! You'll need a lot of heat for 3/8" plate but the axle tubes are pretty thin. Warpage is a big concern. When I welded up mine I clamped the crap outta the rearend to my frame table. I welded about an inch at a time and after every weld I wrapped the axle tube with a rag soaked in ice water. I also blew compressed air on it to help cool it down. In other words, after each 1" weld give it ample time to cool. I also slid the axles in after every couple of welds to make sure they slid in and spun freely.

Oh yeah........3/8" should be plenty thick. Don't forget to gusset the bracket too.

I mean, if I can get plenty low with my removed leafs then I won't need to do much more.