So. ...i trying to plan out this build. Its going to be a high boy. 7.50 in the rear 6.00 in the front i think. I know where i want the top of the tire to be from a side profile....just a an inch or two from the beed around the wheel well. Which means bringing the frame down 4 inches. So that being said. I have 3 axles on the shelf. 1 from a 39 (48" king pin to king pin) . The other is a 4" drop looks to be (46" kp to kp) . The other not sure what its from. But looks to have 1.5 drop (50/50.5 kp to kp) I talked to posie and they have a standard rev. Eye spring and another special spring that drops it about 2" i guess. Im thinking about using the gray axel in the pics. But i really like that 4" drop axel look. But its 46" kp to kp. My fear is that may screw up geometry of the drag link from the steering arm hanging down from the frame. In a stock model that link shots out torwrd the drivers side front tire a bit. If i use that drop axel. That link might shot straight forward or pitch torward the front pass side wheel a bit. Any one use a 46" like this? Steer ok?? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have a 3" drop model A axle in my pickup with 500/525's. Check my build thread, you can see all the things you are wondering about. Not sure of my king pin measurement but my truck steers like power steering. I went through 3 different springs before I got what I was looking for. There's really no formula you just have to try mocking up different pieces until you get what you're after. Yes, sometimes you end up buying stuff you won't use.
Yea..but im cheap... but the stearing thing has me wondering if the narrower axle will give me issues Sent from my SCH-R530U using H.A.M.B. mobile app
Mines 46 pin to pin,4" drop so cal axle,f1 box,hair pin steering arm,drag link shortened2",reverse eye spring, sits low,low enough you can't get a floor jack under it! No steering problems whatsoever . Just go for it!
You didn't say if you were going to run the stock radius rods that are pictured, if so the gray axle will not work. The spring perch holes are farther apart on that axle. It looks like the dropped axle has correct spacing but you need to verify that. I would use that one and get a reverse eye spring, then use F1 steering box and shorten the drag link 2", it will help angle to front wheel and also steer like power steering!!!!
Thought about using the ones off the 39. I have anither set...not sure what year they are off of though Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I used a 46" axle under my 33 pickup. Dropped the steering arms on 40 ford spindles to be parallel with my drag link [39 steering box with cross steer] and used split 'bones. I couldn't have been happier with the way it drove. Used 35 ford wheels with 5.60s.
Rocky, 5.60's even in the rear? Going with a larger tire in the rear helps keep the RPM down a bit correct?
OK. THE 4" drop it is then. I just looked up a price on radials that look like a bias bly, holy sh**!! $$$ maybe I should of got into scarp booking instead of hot rods. But I guess it is what it is. I do plan to drive the car alot...maybe just regualr bias plys. Hell, they did it back in the day.
Tires ain't cheap and the ones that look great on an old hotrod are down right expensive. That's why you see nice looking rides with goofy ass wheels and tires. You'll need to bend your steering arms to run the dropped axle. Are you keeping the mechanical brakes ? Usually adding modern brakes increased the track width and then you want a 46" axle to bring the track width back. Lots of hot rods have a 4" drop 46" axle. But not sure if any kept the stock brakes ?
The lower the steering arm, clamp the spindle in a big vice, heat to cheery red with a rose bud torch, and move the arm down with a pipe wrench. After it cools slowly for a few minutes, reheat near the end and put the tie rod hole angled correctly. During mock up, run a string line from the top center of the king pin to the center of the rear axle. The tie rod holes should both fall directly in line with the string. If not, heat again and move them.
So do that if I am using a f1 box. What about if I do a cross steer setup? Any reason why I dont see a cross steer set up in AV8 builds. I do have some later for steering boxes from a few different fords laying around. Not picturing a nice looking way to package it in the frame though like an f1 box.
I stand corrected. Did some searching on here and theres plenty of guys using cross steer set ups. Some good threads on this topic. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I put my axle in a big bench vice and leveled it. Then I put my spindles/kingpins and radius rods/perch pins. Ran 2 pieces of 1/2" threaded rod with 2 nuts inboard and 2 outboard from one spindle to the other. Got the spindles parallel to each other and locked them down. Measured tierod hole center to center and mocked up a tierod with 2 old ends on it set to that measurement. Heated and bent the arms until they cleared everything checking arm to arm with a level so the were the same. Then tipped and leveled the ends. If the tierod fits you should be pretty good but for sure check Ackerman on the car.
Speedway has a little diagram on the principle of bending the spindle arms. I agree to use a good rose bud tip to a cherry red and then slowly bend the arms making sure to keep the tie rod end holes on the same plane as stock just lower to clear the radius rod. Make sure you allow the spindles to cool naturally do not quench in water it could affect the integrity of the metal. If you do mess it up there are bolt on dropped spindles available again from Speedway & other sources
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