Hot Rod Forum banner

Front frame clip on a 1949 Ford truck.

7K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  timothale 
#1 ·
I have a friend with a 1949 Ford truck.He wants me to put a front frame clip with PS,but he wants to stay with Ford. The best thing I have found is the Ford Rangers When they got away from the twin beam set up. Can any body tell me what years did they make these trucks and any pros and cons?
 
#2 ·
1983-1997 were Twin I beam, 1998-current is SLA, you will want a 2wd 4cyl with the coil spring front.. The SLA will produce a little better ride, and they are rack and pinion... V8 will bolt into the I beam pretty easy ( Fox mustang vert mounts ) but it will require mount plates for the SLA front
 
#6 ·
Yep. Short/ Long arm A arm suspension.. I used to have a '98 2wd 4cyl, and it was really nice to drive, except the short wheelbase on some of those wavy roads...

The only issue you might have with it, is finding a spring to work with the correct spring height and rate for whatever engine is going in. Detroit spring might be an option...
Twin I beam might be a viable option for what you want also. Still ride good, brakes were 'ok' '83-'88, better '89-'94 and best '95-'97, but the beams only changed once ( changed for 1989 ) and all the parts are easy to locate as long as you got a good donor frame.. It should be noted that '83-'88 beams are forged, all others cast, but '83-'88 beams can only accept '83-'88 spindles and brakes...
Personally, if you were going to go SLA/ A arm suspension, the old Toyota 2wd trucks ( pre 1995 Tacoma, but not T100's ) have the best steering and suspension geometry in the mini truck world, and many bagged Rangers and S10's get clipped with them.. If you could stand import suspension under an old truck. They have power steering, Ford bolt pattern and camber that will always remain true within it's fulcrum
 
#8 ·
matt167 said:
Yep. Short/ Long arm A arm suspension.. I used to have a '98 2wd 4cyl, and it was really nice to drive, except the short wheelbase on some of those wavy roads...

The only issue you might have with it, is finding a spring to work with the correct spring height and rate for whatever engine is going in. Detroit spring might be an option...
Twin I beam might be a viable option for what you want also. Still ride good, brakes were 'ok' '83-'88, better '89-'94 and best '95-'97, but the beams only changed once ( changed for 1989 ) and all the parts are easy to locate as long as you got a good donor frame.. It should be noted that '83-'88 beams are forged, all others cast, but '83-'88 beams can only accept '83-'88 spindles and brakes...
Personally, if you were going to go SLA/ A arm suspension, the old Toyota 2wd trucks ( pre 1995 Tacoma, but not T100's ) have the best steering and suspension geometry in the mini truck world, and many bagged Rangers and S10's get clipped with them.. If you could stand import suspension under an old truck. They have power steering, Ford bolt pattern and camber that will always remain true within it's fulcrum
Thanks,but he wants to stay all Ford. I have a 74 Nova front clip but he doesn't want to put Chevy parts on his Ford. He has a 390 in it now but is talking about putting a 351W in it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top