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Front suspension ID

1K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  kso 
#1 ·
Hello Folks. I just bought my first Hot Rod. It's a 1930 Ford Model A pick up truck. It's a barn find. The family I bought it from had it in an open garage with a tarp over it for about 4 years. I spent the last 12 years restoring vintage (basket case) motorcycles and I decided it was time to move on to something I've always wanted to do. Build a Hot Rod. This Rod will be an interesting project. It has a "new" ford 302 crate engine with aluminum heads (SVO) and quite a cam and 45 lbs oil pressure at idle. Sounds like the 30-30 duntov I had in my old corvette. Has a ford 3 speed auto trans. I put it in gear an moved it about 3 feet before shutting it down. It had been sitting so long W wanted to go through it before driving it. The frame is solid and the cab and truck bed are metal. the front and rear fenders are fiberglass. the interior really wasn't touched. All in all it seems like it will be a very interesting project. I just retired and I have a small machine shop that came in very handy when I was restoring my bikes the same will be true here I'm sure. Any way...
I pulling the front suspension apart because the outside of the control arms are rubbing against the spindle at the ball joint.. I noticed the steering was stiff and this is why. Looks like the springs aren't collapsing enough to move the control arms up. I put a piece of wood on my jack and jacked the spindle a little to see if the spring would compress. It compressed about 1/8'' then began to lift the truck off my stationary jacks. I think the springs are to stiff. What I need to know is what kind of front end this is. I think it is a Mustang 2. But I'm not sure. The spring is 12 1/2'' long and was cut with a torch. (oh both sides are doing the same thing.) I'm loading some pictures. Any help is appreciated. I'm going to go through it from front to rear making sure it is safe to drive. I'll get to the body later..


Dave
 

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#2 ·
Front Suspension ID

I just did a search and found someone mentioned that 4 cylinder coil springs would mimic the original ride but then again I really don't know what suspension this is.. I think I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to find out what suspension this is first!!
 
#3 ·
I can't tell you what company made those upper and lower A-arms, maybe someone else here will chime in....but it is an aftermarket version of the Mustang II.

One problem I can see is that whomever the company was, they unwisely deleted the strut rods from the lower arms....the version you have may prove to be unstable if there is any wear in the lower A-arm to frame bushings.

The stock Mustang II/Pinto lower A-arm has a strut rod that goes from the outer end of the arm, about 2" from the lower ball joint, back to the frame just forward of the firewall....keeps that narrow lower arm from folding back.
Yours may be fine because it has a double tube lower arm, I'm no authority on this and I'm just giving you a heads-up for your research.

As you research this, you be able to find ways to deal with this, along with a variety of different spring rates and types, even air bag/air ride set-ups.

Some companies that come to mind are Heidt's, Fat Man Fabrication, TCI(Total Cost Involved), WelderUp, Chris Alston's ChassisWorks, SpeedWay Motors, Progressive Automotive and a bunch more.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Definatly a Mustang/Pinto aftermarket crossmember with aftermarket control arms. With a properly loaded vehicle(all parts mounted) the lower control arm should be parallel with the bottom of the crossmember for a proper ride. Eaton spring in Detroit Products - EATON Detroit Spring can make you up a set of springs if you can determine the weight on the front and they will garenty the proper ride hieght . Send different springs NC. However Ford made different springs for different engines that came in their cars and wagons versus sedans and Mustangs versus Pinto. There are many suppliers of parts for this front end. NAPA is a great source. Just put in 74 Mustang or Pinto. This front crossmember was for 74 to 79 I believe. I have the stock control arms on my 31 and have the strut rods too and the sedan handles great.
http://www.heidts.com/
 

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#5 ·
to Cape Cod Bob and Eric

Thanks this is a great help. Especially the support strut. Bob I like in Seekonk Ma. Do you think I could meet you and take some pictures of the front suspension? My phone is 508-212-5839. Some pictures and measurements would be a big help.
 
#7 ·
Thanks this is a great help. Especially the support strut. Bob I like in Seekonk Ma. Do you think I could meet you and take some pictures of the front suspension? My phone is 508-212-5839. Some pictures and measurements would be a big help.
I can't do that as my car has been in storage for the last 4 years(dammit) . Have sold home on cape and now have RV and traveling. Currently in Bedford awaiting Nov 1st to leave for FL.

You will get plenty help here and using google search and web site xmember co's will have meas. you need.

mustang II suspension measurements - AOL Image Search Results
 
#9 ·
Cape Cod Bob

Thanks for the information. This is helps a lot and is appreciated. I want to make sure it is safe to run. I'm sure there are other things that need to be changed to accomplish that but I'm not in any rush. The big thing is having a web site like this where builders are willing to share their knowledge. It really takes most of the guess work out of the process.
I hope you enjoy your trip. My wife and I just finished a 10 week cross country adventure in our Class C motorhome. We poked around Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and So. Dakota. Good Stuff.
 
#10 ·
With a little more research I am 99 percent certain this is an old Fatman setup based on a Mustang II front suspension. With the lower control arms it has, it really does not need a strut rod, you can add outside tabs on the front and rear to put every thing in double shear to make it much stronger. If I am correct it will have a rear steer Horizon rack in it. In any case, If you contact Fatman Fabrication I think they can give you the low down on what springs you need.
 
#11 ·
Further inspection

Thanks. Yes it has a rear steering rack. I'll give them a call and see what they have to say. I set this up this morning. I jacked the drivers side that hasn't been disassembled yet off the jack stand a little and as you can see the lower control arm is sitting pretty low, also because of the angle the top control arm is just touching the spindle body this will not allow the spring to release when driven. (see my pictures from my first post.) With the lower control arm parallel with the cross member the top control arm is free and the spring can do its job. I may pick up the fully adjustable upper control arms in case there isn't enough alignment adjustment with this old set up. We'll see. First things first. Now it wire brush clean up and further inspection.
 

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#12 ·
That interference could just be fixed with a grinder, to the spindle or ball-joint cup or a combination of the two, (keeping in mind that the spindle steers) but then there should be some-type bump stop either integrated with the shock absorber or otherwise part of the suspension mechanism to stop travel before there is metal-to-metal contact there or anywhere else. As it stands you're really asking for ball joint fracture or damage, and I'm guessing that it's close to binding the tie rod ends too. And yes you sure need softer springs...you may still be able to find something from a stock Mustang II (maybe a V6 car) or a Pinto. Guys saying it should ride w/ lower a-arms level or pointed slightly down toward the wheel are correct, that's normal "design height" and the suspension is not going to work well at anything else. I never liked those strutless aftermarket a-arms, but they've stuck around so they must work but there must be a helluva fore-aft twisting moment on the inner pivot area under hard braking, or doing something like hitting a pothole under hard braking. Kudos for trying something new, car front suspension is a lot different than on bikes, huh.
 
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