Front end geometry question ..

[winr1]

Humor me please ..

EDIT: No, not gonna buy a 64 or down truck with front straight axle, heard over a hundred times ... lol


If I were to cut my 1965 F100 twin I beams in the middle and weld them together making a straight axle

( That said, I realize the beams are are not straight and bent due to how they attach )


Then adding a panhard bar, would the geometry work fine ??

Reason is,  adding a 53 to 60 F100 axle in the same exact place as the I beams would work 2 guys on the Hamb said


An thinkin 2 lane Blacktop and boneshaker ...

2 radius rods, coil overs, panhard bar ...


https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/the-bone-shaker-1957-ford-gasser-is-for-sale-injected-boss-429-four-speed-trans-perfection/



Ricky.

[My427stang]

So you would have a coil spring straight axle?

If you could weld them adequately to be safe, I think you would need more left/right control than a panhard bar could provide.  I am not sure why I think this, but also think that the coil springs will want to move in all directions. 

I think it would take a 4-link setup like a modern truck AND the panhard, or Watt's link, but typically hard to fit one up front.  Cheaper and easier to convert to a proper leaf spring straight axle at that point

[frnkeore]

I'm not sure why you would want to take a backward step on suspension but, a Panard rod is plenty strong. A 1" .094 wall tube, Panard rod, will take a lot of abuse, if it's well made and easy to adjust with L&R threads. Put 3/4" rod ends in it. Remember to install it level, with strong brackets. Rock climbing, you might want a 1 1/4" x 1/8 wall tube.

The radius rods are plenty strong, too but, make sure you use the later or after market bushings to the frame or it might tend to "wander". The originals had to much for/aft movement.

[winr1]

I am wanting to install a 53 to 60 F100 axle under my 65 F100

Like the chevy in 2 lane blacktop or bone Shaker

Have ya seen how fast bone Shaker goes with that front suspension

I am gutting the truck, the bed sides are good but the innards are rusted or gone

Think gasser look .... just something to cruise around in fore I die



Ricky.

[Tommy-T]

Considered coil over suspension when I was in the planning phase of my straight axle Comet. The reason I went with the leaf springs is simplicity as the coil over suspension has more "stuff" under the front end. I suspect the coil over suspension is somewhat lighter but I don't really know. The coil overs would add adjustability to compression and rebound that leaf springs just don't have.

A panhard bar and radius rods have proven to be more than adequate on thousands of cars over decades. Looks nice too all chromed up.

Welding a forged axle is fine done by someone who knows what he doing. My Econoline axle has 7" taken out of the middle. There is very little going on at the middle of the axle as the load bearing is near the ends.

Geometry with a straight axle is humorous. With radius rods you can adjust caster, with leaf springs you can't except with wedges between the springs and axle. The Econoline has 4* built in and I tilted the axle back a few degrees more. There is no camber adjustment. Toe adjustment is to taste. When the kingpins are tight adjust to 0. When they loosen up I prefer 1/8" out to load the steering a little, but others may prefer 1/8"in.

The most important geometry in a straight axle hot rod is to try and keep the tie rod (spindle to spindle) and the steering rod (pitman arm to opposing spindle if cross steer) as close to parallel through suspension movement as possible. Death wobble is caused by the two rods fighting each other over which direction the wheels should go.

Yes, straight axles are archaic. I'll trade that for dealing with shock towers any day.

[winr1]

Thanks guys

The 53 to 60 axle is the same width, king pin to king pin as the I beams

Same axle boss, pin size and pin inclination

Gonna put the 1974 F100 disk spindles off my 65 F100 on the straight axle

Use the the same draglink, steering box and connector that is on the truck now

Basically, the 53 to 60 straight axle king pins will be in the same position as the I beam king pins are now

I have a tube cross member with FE engine mounts as well

Am I overlooking anything ??



Ricky.

[cammerfe]

Ricky---

Look at an early hot-rod and simply replicate what they did at that time. If you end up, on your truck, with a duplicate of what has been done on innumerable early cars, you'll have everything you need. (The above is a simple statement, and likely you don't need my .02, but it's always nice to be able to do a check list.)
 
KS

[winr1]

Thanks KS 



Ricky.