« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end  (Read 17567 times)

Offline ricardo1967

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 570
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: No full pass yet.
  • Your Engine: Alky SBC 400
  • Your Track: Brown County Dragway (Bean Blossom, IN)
  • Your Vehicle: 173" FED
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2016, 12:30:59 PM »
Quote from: hemidakota on June 06, 2016, 12:17:01 PM
"...What do you all think? ..."

Well... since you asked, what I think is that I love the look of classic FED's with wide front track like Bruce's digger pictured below.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2016, 02:23:11 PM by ricardo1967 »
Logged

dreracecar

  • Guest
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2016, 12:57:20 PM »
Now a days I would need the spindles since the KP angle if different on some
Logged

Offline hemidakota

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.69 @ 173.5mph
  • Your Engine: 510 B1MC Wedge
  • Your Track: sacramento raceway
  • Your Vehicle: 02 200" fed
  • General Location: west coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #17 on: June 10, 2016, 12:34:13 PM »
Thanks for the help Bruce. I have spe spindles. This is kinda what I am after. Sorry stole the pic from rooman. My only concern is with a 36" wide, 5" drop axle @ 20 deg caster, the tie rod is going to be close to the top frame rail in my fed. Is there any options to get tie rods up a little higher, short spacers? bend in the steering arms? Or do I need to spend more time to figure exact drop that will work? Thanks guys for the input and sorry for the many questions.
Logged
If it jams force it, if it breaks it needed replaced anyways

Offline rooman

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 6.200/222.05 (1/4 mile--NT/F)
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2016, 05:00:47 AM »
Just bend the steering arms to get the steering parts where they need to be. If you steer to the spindle (as in the photo) you will need to bend that arm as well so that the heim aligns correctly. When I bend that arm to drop it I follow Don Long's example and put the bends at an angle to the axis of the arm so that the end where the link attaches is pretty much parallel to the link.

Roo
Logged
Yeah, I am from the south--any further south and I would have been a bloody penguin.

Offline hemidakota

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.69 @ 173.5mph
  • Your Engine: 510 B1MC Wedge
  • Your Track: sacramento raceway
  • Your Vehicle: 02 200" fed
  • General Location: west coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #19 on: June 15, 2016, 06:49:59 AM »
You should get spindles today Bruce. Thank you and talk to you soon.
Logged
If it jams force it, if it breaks it needed replaced anyways

dreracecar

  • Guest
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #20 on: July 11, 2016, 01:26:47 PM »
Here you go
Logged

Offline FEDNV

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 99
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.65 @ 175mph - 1/4
  • Your Engine: 560 BBC
  • Your Track: Sacramento
  • Your Vehicle: 185" FED
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #21 on: July 12, 2016, 09:06:40 AM »
That is really going to clean it up and look good.
Logged

Offline hemidakota

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.69 @ 173.5mph
  • Your Engine: 510 B1MC Wedge
  • Your Track: sacramento raceway
  • Your Vehicle: 02 200" fed
  • General Location: west coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #22 on: July 12, 2016, 09:13:30 AM »
Very cool. Thank you Bruce. I will give you a call today.
Logged
If it jams force it, if it breaks it needed replaced anyways

Offline hemidakota

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.69 @ 173.5mph
  • Your Engine: 510 B1MC Wedge
  • Your Track: sacramento raceway
  • Your Vehicle: 02 200" fed
  • General Location: west coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #23 on: January 29, 2017, 11:58:54 AM »
Turned out perfect. Thank you Bruce. Tie rod is just mock up and very bent. all the steering rods were horrible, very glad I did the change.
Logged
If it jams force it, if it breaks it needed replaced anyways

Offline ricardo1967

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 570
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: No full pass yet.
  • Your Engine: Alky SBC 400
  • Your Track: Brown County Dragway (Bean Blossom, IN)
  • Your Vehicle: 173" FED
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #24 on: January 29, 2017, 02:31:19 PM »
Quote from: hemidakota on January 29, 2017, 11:58:54 AM
Turned out perfect. Thank you Bruce. Tie rod is just mock up and very bent. all the steering rods were horrible, very glad I did the change.

Looks great Greg!
Logged

Offline FEDNV

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 99
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.65 @ 175mph - 1/4
  • Your Engine: 560 BBC
  • Your Track: Sacramento
  • Your Vehicle: 185" FED
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #25 on: January 30, 2017, 11:09:22 AM »
Wow that look great Greg
Logged

Offline THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 8.28@168 door; 9.00@147 6-cyl alt; 8.53@160 RED
  • Your Engine: 300 Ford six NA w/ crossflow and prod. heads
  • Your Track: Milan, Thompson
  • Your Vehicle: (3) Advanced Chassis altered , The Last Logghe altered, '30 RPU
  • General Location: North Coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #26 on: January 30, 2017, 01:45:18 PM »
Did you end up with 20 degrees of caster as originally planned? That seems a little excessive to me and may be problematic for backing up and wheel shimmy. I know I've seen this much on older cars but I think ten degrees would be perfectly OK.
Logged

Offline rooman

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 6.200/222.05 (1/4 mile--NT/F)
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #27 on: January 30, 2017, 02:26:35 PM »
Quote from: THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER on January 30, 2017, 01:45:18 PM
Did you end up with 20 degrees of caster as originally planned? That seems a little excessive to me and may be problematic for backing up and wheel shimmy. I know I've seen this much on older cars but I think ten degrees would be perfectly OK.

20 degrees is just about right for a front motor dragster. 10 is good for altereds and such.

Roo
Logged
Yeah, I am from the south--any further south and I would have been a bloody penguin.

Offline hemidakota

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: 7.69 @ 173.5mph
  • Your Engine: 510 B1MC Wedge
  • Your Track: sacramento raceway
  • Your Vehicle: 02 200" fed
  • General Location: west coast
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #28 on: January 30, 2017, 03:23:52 PM »
Thanks guys. Yes is at 20deg. Found bent rod ends, everything different sizes and just not anything good in the steering. I am very pleased with how it turned out. Will be mounting all new steering from the box forward soon.
Logged
If it jams force it, if it breaks it needed replaced anyways

Offline ricardo1967

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 570
    • View Profile
  • Your Best Time: No full pass yet.
  • Your Engine: Alky SBC 400
  • Your Track: Brown County Dragway (Bean Blossom, IN)
  • Your Vehicle: 173" FED
Re: Changing from torsion front end to a-arm front end
« Reply #29 on: January 30, 2017, 03:43:54 PM »
Quote from: rooman on January 30, 2017, 02:26:35 PM
Quote from: THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER on January 30, 2017, 01:45:18 PM
Did you end up with 20 degrees of caster as originally planned? That seems a little excessive to me and may be problematic for backing up and wheel shimmy. I know I've seen this much on older cars but I think ten degrees would be perfectly OK.

20 degrees is just about right for a front motor dragster. 10 is good for altereds and such.

Roo
I think old diggers were in the 30 degree ballpark (e.g.: that's what's in Mark Williams print). The wheels leaning on the sides when maneuvering the car in the pit looks cool, but if I were redoing my car, it'd stick with 20 deg.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up
« previous next »