My newly acquired 40-41 pickup had this unusual(?!?) rearend install who knows how many owners ago! The trail goes dead before the last two owners. Let me start by saying up front that I knew about this before I got it. It appears that someone grafted on an unknown rear clip to a very nice 41 frame front half, in order to get parallel leaf rear suspension on the 41 banjo. Torque tube still in place. Donor clip crossmembers have been narrowed at the center. Several problems and my proposed remedies are: 1. Can anybody ID the springs and/or frame from these not very good pics? Spring is 2 1/2", steel sleeve rubber bushed, and about 56" long. One leaf removed from the pack. Looks a lot like my OT F-150. 2. Stock rear radius rods have been cut and butt welded to the banjo axle housings. Cut off the welded stock radius rods since the torque tube and front end of the springs locate the rear end 3. No shackles. Spring rear eye looks too far back to fit a normal shackle without it being 6+ inches long. Shorten and re-roll the main leaf or move frame bracket back in the frame. 4. Chunk all this, install a 40 rear crossmember and run 40 spring. 5. Reframe the whole thing with a 36-40 car frame. I am planning on running stuff I already have: 8BA, 40 side shift, 40 banjo rear. First priority is to get the truck going, Give me your no BS suggestions to get this corrected and on the road. THANKS!
Yeah, you got the rear trying to move around two arcs (the torque tube, and the front spring mount) and that will bind. Just re-read that the rear frame rails are off something else.....I'd find another chassis... you'll be much better off.
Thanks. Unfortunately no 40 rear crossmember. That would have made it easy, as I have a stock rearend and spring. The crossmember in the pic is the unknown late model, part of the clip. Trying to use as much stock pieces as I have.
I'd probably shit can the leaf springs, then add some shock brackets and run a set of coil over springs with the torque tube & trailing arms. That way you can leave the frame pretty much alone and be on the road as soon and as cheaply as possible. The next option is to cut it off and splice in a 40 rear frame. Gene
If you want to keep the torque tube AND parallel leaf springs , you can "float" the leaf springs. The easiest method is front and rear shackles. Ford did this method on their factory RS1800 MK2 Escort rally cars. They used a 4 links to locate the rear end and floated the front of the spring by using the slipper method. Ford did it this way because FIA rules require stock type suspension but allowed for extra traction devices to be added The Group 1 Capris also used the same system for road racing ,but had coilovers as the main support [and very thin single leafs to get around the rules]
First off, I have a '35/'40 rear crossmember available if you want to go that route. However, if you decide to retain the leaf springs, the spring/axle intersection can be corrected using the same method Chevrolet did for a couple of decades....a pivoting mount at the axle housing. You can PM me if you are interested in the Ford crossmember. Ray
Don't forget the meaning of FUBAR. Especially the "beyond all repair" part. Chuck all that and find another '40 frame. You will be miles ahead.
agreed, quickest way to fix and drive that. ditch the leafs, weld on a couple spring cups and get some coils, easy peasy. You can drive it and decide on full plan for truck and then tackle the whole thing later.
Nobody else notices that he has about an inch of travel in the rearend before bottoming out? Put the right frame back in there and you will have more clearance and can get the truck lower if that's what you like.
Thanks, guys, for all the input. Some good alternatives. Good eye, Alchemy. Yes, the clipped frame doesn't appear to have nearly enough kickup to give any axle travel with the spring under the axle. Forgot to put that in the list. Anybody have a complete frame or half from the cab back?
Afco spring sliders [part number 20236S ] Summit and Jegs have them https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/afc-20236s/overview/
Frames and chunks thereof are in the HAMB want ads all the time. Obvious easiest route! If you do keep the crap frame and can raise the height a bit for travel, easiest cure for the multiple-challenged suspension would be a straight crossmember of round or square tube across right behind the '40 rear. Weld on a flat bracket to take a '40 spring, or even make up a bolted 90 degree bracket that could be moved vertically to get height just right. I have appended some excellent CAD crosssection views of crossmember and bracket design: _O _][O
Thanks, Bruce! As always, clear and concise. I'm leaning toward a complete frame. Only have to move the sheet metal, no engine or tranny in it. Great CAD program, btw.
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