Opinions on spring behind axle look

Hi guys, just wandering what some of your thoughts are on the spring behind axle. Not way behind just a inch or 2 behind it, I've got a 42-48 axle for my 29 sedan that doesent cost anything as opposed to dropping quite a few bones for a dropped axle setup. My crossmember is moved back a inch by previous owner for some reason so there wouldn't be much of a wheelbase change. If you got a pic post it up. Thanks

 

Sedan I'm working on.. Cross member in stock location and 5" extended wheelbase...

 

I've done two suicide front end cars, my old 23 and now my rpu project. I like them as long as the spring isn't a mile behind the axle. I put them just far enough back so the shackles will clear the axle.

Don

 

I'm using a 32 Dodge axle with the spring just behind enough to clear. I like the look.

 

Don,

What brand of paint and color did you use on your wheels, brake/suspension parts, and engine? It looks great.

 

What about tie rod and other steering clearances when the spring attaches to the bones? A problem i see is where the shackle attaches is about where the tierod attaches to the steering arm.

 

Tight, but clears just fine.

 

This guy figured it out many moons ago<

 

And the Rolling Bones guys seem to have it covered pretty well also.




This subject has been covered pretty well if anyone was willing to go look.

 

I'm not a fan of "z'd" frames, but you have a nice package there.

 

Those do look good, I'm hoping with my crossmember being a inch backward I may be able to clear my front frame horns so I can retain them. What spring are you guys using if you have the 36.5 perch centers?

 

best way to go in my opinion

 

What size are the front tires on this car? Also, how much are the rails kicked at the front? Looks like the they are kicked up by the thickness of the rail? This is exactly what I was planning on, except I was not going to do cowl steering, was probably going to mount the box on top of the rail right at the firewall. Do you forsee any issues with this?

 

That shock-to-light bar mount is very nice. I like that.
My spring mount must sit a tad lower (i haven't gone very far with the front end stuff yet, i am working at the back of the car) it look like the tierod at a tightish turn will interfere with the spring. Right now the tierod end is behind the spring mount and on about the same plane so when turning tight it looks like it'll interfere with the spring.

 

Thanks. It is a Hummer color, Fusion Orange. Actually looks bronzish/coppery in person. It looked old timey to me and people were always asking about it.

Don

 

Front tires were 5.50-16 on 5" wheels. The frame was kicked up 2" and the wheel base was streched 3" to 106". The material I used was 3/16" HRPO. The pinch was pretty extreme, as narrow as the grill shell. If you were to do cross steer, I probably wouldn't pinch the rails. But sides steer, you can do pretty much what ever.

When I did this, I made sure there was room for everything to move about. the tie rod was under the spring always, a set of longer steering arms would have been nicer. Or less drop on the axle and have the tie rod go under hairpins.

 

Thanks. The front tires are a fair bit taller than what I am planning to run (6.00 or 6.40 x15). The 6.40s are half an inch shorter than what you are running on there, I might almost end up too low. Axle dropped 4"? Hard to see in the photos, I'm assuming the tie-rod runs through the hairpins? Aftermarket steering arms? Stockers are shorter, right? In you opinion, would dropped stock steering arms with a 2" dropped axle get the tie rod low enough to pass under the hairpins? Kinda tough, you cant really mock up till you build a chassis, but then you are already kind of committed.

 

Here is a suicide front end my Son built for his rpu. It doesn't look suicided because he added frame horns to make it look more like a full frame. He did have to cut a couple of notches for axle clearance, but just an inch or so.

Don

 

That looks great don, what length spring did he use and did you guys use a reverse eye spring?

 

Can setp ups like these handle the weight of an early hemi 331 and up?

 

Don, Thank you.

 

It was a standard 31 inch spring from Posies. At first he had a reversed eye spring but later had to switch to a standard eye as the car sat too low.

Sure, for example, my Son is running a 455 Olds which is pretty heavy. I am also running a 394 Olds in my rpu project car, and that one weighs even more.


Don

 

Good point, maybe I am overthinking this. If I end up too low, that would be the easiest fix.

 

here is mine

 

I'm a little late to the party, but I have several pics of "spring behind" setups on my build thread that I used as inspiration.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

I would reconsider the use of the '42-'48 axle, the wide perch center spacing will cause more trouble than it's worth. Best choice would be a '33-'36 (as used in most the front end pictures posted in the replies) followed by a '37-'41.
IMHO

 

Rich brings up a very valid point. The earlier axles work so much better because the perch holes are closer together. It not only makes finding a front spring easier but it moves the wishbones away from the tires to allow the tires to turn tighter on turns before they rub the bones.

Model A and 33-36 axles are plentiful and pretty cheap.

Don