Technical Open drive conversion

What do you do with the radius rods when doing an open drive conversion? Hot Rod Works has a heim joint set up for '35 and later Fords but there's nothing for '32s. I like the heim joint design and could fab a tubular K-member for it but if it's already been done why reinvent the wheel?

Thanks,
Gary O

 

Lots of info. on this topic. Find out if you need a torque arm as the original radius rods are too weak to take the stress. Go here.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search/101534854/?q=torque+arms&o=relevance&c[node]=57

 

If you look under your truck you'll find the 32 arms are just folded over steel. Not strong enough to put the force of a rear axle into. The torque tube carries all the strength in the original design.

Just finding a joint for the front of the stock arms is not the complete answer to the problem. You'll also need to address the loss of strength with additional bars, or replacement bars. There are lots of examples here on the HAMB. But the key is tying them all together in the front in one single point to eliminate bind.

 

Something like this.

 

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alchemy
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from M'town, Iowa

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If you look under your truck you'll find the 32 arms are just folded over steel. Not strong enough to put the force of a rear axle into. The torque tube carries all the strength in the original design.

Thanks... I came across a couple of those but wasn't using the word 'torque'. I was planning on adding a torque arm for the reasons you mention.

 

Blake's pic shows a pair of what look like '48 radius rods. A '32 arm is not welded all the way, and is quite a bit thinner stock and cross section. I wouldn't build a torquetube-less setup with a pair of '32 radius rods unless they incorporated into a lot stronger hairpin setup.

 

Blake, that's what I'm looking for. I have the '32 rear end and would like to update it to something like yours. I realize that there's a quick change in there but the radius rods and mounts are substantially stronger than what I have.

Do you know what years will fit the 32 rear spring? Up to '48?

I appreciate the help. All my rodding has been modifying parts to fit. The interchangability thing is new to me.

Gary O

 

Yeah, I was pretty underwhelmed with what I saw under there. Looks like I need something newer.

Gary O

 

The bent spring is a 32-34 only item. The crossmember only fits that spring as well. But, some guys will grind down the spring of a 36-40 or 41-48 rearend so it slips into the crossmember. I've never done it but have seen pictures and there have been some shown on the HAMB. Basically grinding the front and rear face of the spring where it slides into the crossmember to give it a curve in that area.

 

So the eye to eye distance is wrong to put the '32 spring on a later rear?

 

The spring hangers coming off the back of a 32-34 axle are not straight out. They angle. And if you try to put the 32 spring on a later rear the centerline of the axle will be shoved forward. The hangers are a different length.

 

Thanks!