Wishbone to transmission clearance?

[Bamamav]

How much clearance do I need between the wish bone and the transmission pan at about 12" from the ball end? I don't want the wishbone hitting the front corners of the pan, right now I can space it down, just need to know how much clearance is considered safe for proper suspension movement.

And no, I will not be splitting the bones, I'm using the factory ball mount, just spacing it down about 1 1/2" or 1 3/4".

 

[Bamamav]

Nobody want to guess?

 

[Yankee Transplant]

have you got a trailer ? load it up and com-along the front end down till it bottoms out then you can tell how much you have till it hits

 

[Yankee Transplant]

I have a 65 Ford truck , I turned into a 4x4 . The problem I run into the engine was out of a 2 wheel drive truck .... well the oil pan drops in the front instead of the back ..well that's on top of my front chunk.. So I got a come-along and put the truck on my rack, and pulled it down to see if the engine would hit the chunk .. Yep I will nail the pan if I hit a ditch very hard so now its kinda at a stand still till I can get another pan and swap it out .

 

[bob w]

Get a 1" by 2" furring strip, a broom handle or something like that. Cut it to the length from the ball to the front axle. With the ball end on the floor, lift the axle end the amount of upward wheel travel you would expect and measure how much rise there is at 12" from the ball end.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

That's a good idea bob w , I didn't think about the ride not being together Lol...

 

[Bamamav]

Maybe I need to rephrase my question better.......how much clearance do I need between the wishbone and tranny pan?

Only way I see I might be able to get an estimate is to put a spacer under the ball, then jack up one front wheel. I just don't know how much travel to expect in normal driving, not much I figure, but then again, I don't want the wishbone banging into the tranny pan. It was set up with about 1/4" gap, not enough, and driven that way, leaving dents in the pan.

Maybe I just answered my own question how to get a measurement.

OH, the ride is all together, just not put together right....

 

[Dirtyrat]

Sometimes I'll use some ratchet straps to compress the suspension to what I think is either ride height or full travel to a bump stop for clearance measurements...

But I think you are right, if it was set for 1/4" you could look at the depth of the dents and estimate how much clearance you would need to not hit, and add a little more...

 

[Bamamav]

Maybe set was the wrong word......unless I say the bone is in the factory location, and they set the tranny down on it!

 

[Old Iron]

12" from the rear bone pivot, will not move up more than 1" before the axle reaches it's stop point.
The answer to your question is [S 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 " clearance

 

[Bamamav]

Thanks Old Iron! that is exactly what I wanted to know, without having to crawl back under to try stuff! Getting old sux, it's hard on the old body crawling around on the concrete floor anymore.

Looks like my 1.5" spacer might just well be enough then. I'll report back my findings when I get back on it in a few weeks, next two weekends are full already, so no toy time....

 

[Yankee Transplant]

Hey , I don't know if im on the right thread , but all I want to know is . how thick of tubing do I need for my frame ? 1/8 1/4 3/16 ? Im going to buy two 20ft. pieces of 2/4 tubing this spring and I don't want to get to heavy or to light .. If im on the right thread Ill spit out some more imfo on the truck

 

[Old Iron]

Hey Yankee,
go to this page:
http://www.ratrodsrule.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=23

click on New Thread and ask your question

 

[Yankee Transplant]

Thanks old Iorn..