Question . Later this year I,m gonna be doing some work on my gasser project . It has buggy transverse frt an rear springs . This chassis is all ready built , been on the road and drag strip . Uses like a 5 foot long ladder bar set up , with adjustable panhard , for rear end . My question is , it sure looks like this set up is built to bind up .
I would like to talk to people ( ie suspension guru,s ) more familiar with this set up then I am regaurding tuning / tweaking it a bit . I,m not looking for miracles , just need to convo with experienced guys . All of my stuff so far has been 4 bars or parallel leafs ..77.
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I,m as cool as Milner , but axeually a bit more like Beckwith
its bolted solid at the diff , and uses a tie rod end I think for the frt pivot mount
Havent made final decision on body yet , but it will be light , presently has no shocks on rear . But will get likely comp eng adjustables .
has 90 / 10,s on frt with split an drilled wish bones . drilled eye beam . Will be drag only .
No pics till it comes outta storage in about 2 months maybe
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I,m as cool as Milner , but axeually a bit more like Beckwith
Cat nailed it. I don't like tie rod ends on the ends of bars and would replace them with heim joints that are bolted in double shear. If you use large heim joints, you can get ones with grease nipples, and regularly greasing them makes them last just about forever. Adjust the ladder bars for instant center about a foot in front of the car as a starting point if the are adjustable.
All front split bones are going to bind at some point in the suspension travel. Its inevitable once you cut off the ball that triangulates the original front end. That being said good planing and steering geometry will minimize its effect. You can get around this using a 4 bar but if you have cross steer a panhard is a must ... even with side steer its probably a good idea as a 4 bar will not control side shift
Sounds like an early Ford frame. I do not recommend splitting the wishbones. I have tried both ways and the original geometry works best for the street. If its just for the trac, your setup will be ok,but on the street the ladder bars will give a stiff ride and poor handling. If you must split the bones,use a 4bar setup.
Split bones or hairpins work ok, but there are a few tricks to get them to work right. They have been in use for so long, most of the kinks have been worked out. A 4 bar is superior in pretty much every way but looks however.
One is making sure the caster is correct so the car tracks well. This can be hard to set on an already built setup unless it has adjustable hairpins. Another is to make sure all your steering links are as parallel to the ground as possible, so they only are working with each other in one plane. Cross steer is another really good idea, as it will minimize bump steer. I also like to have a slower steering box as it will help remove any twitchiness in the steering and will dampen things like bump steering making the steering wheel jump.
Sounds like you have "full elliptical" springs. Panhard bars .....the longer the better for less geometry distortion. If you have room on the rear a watts link will be more precise. I prefer to top mount watts on Ford 8 & 9s if you have no exhaust running through.
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Fords Rule ! If it ain't designed and manufactured in North America it sucks ! I don't do rice, pasta, fish and chips, sauerkraut, Ikea or other third world motor vehicle !
I will not be changing the frt or rear suspension set ups . I,m going to finish it in the style its built in , get it back up an running , few vids from the track . Then it will be sold . too many projects . Something has to go . I,m not terribly really concerned how it handles , just has to launch and do some 1/4 runs with touching the guard rails ..77.
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I,m as cool as Milner , but axeually a bit more like Beckwith
I will not be changing the frt or rear suspension set ups . I,m going to finish it in the style its built in , get it back up an running , few vids from the track . Then it will be sold . too many projects . Something has to go . I,m not terribly really concerned how it handles , just has to launch and do some 1/4 runs with touching the guard rails ..77.
(It has an all chromed except for gear pot an axles , 60 to 64 full sized olds / Pontiac rear diff narrowed down to mid size car width with 4 , 88,s locked )
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I,m as cool as Milner , but axeually a bit more like Beckwith
