Wish I found GFB before FSB

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 1:52 am

I'm from upstate NY and live and breath fullsize fords. I've had a few nice rigs. I currently have a nice southern 94 supercab that I just spent a ton of time and $ on putting a sas in. Wish I new about c&t beams before I did the sas. It had huge drop brackets that were begining to twist the frame and the front end geometry was horrible. So what do u guys think? Can I make a decent go fast/ dd with the staigt axle and deavers in or the rear? Or should I put the 79 hp 44 up for sale?

economig · Post by **economig** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:46 am

A lot of people have really cool SA setups that do really well in a "Go Fast" application. Obviously, around here, IFS is preferred cause ultimately it'll be faster, easier, at more extreme levels... But i have some dezert buddies who have pretty dialed straight axle setups, on older stuff that never came IFS, and they do pretty good with some tuning and attention.

I was just considering the money aspect for the work and setup you've already done. Maybe you could sell your set up to offset a "Reconversion?" Sounds expensive unless you were gonna go big $. tough call. Could be cool to dial what you have.

I liked the title on your thread! Ha ha

78Class3 · Post by **78Class3** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:52 am

I think you can make a SA run pretty darn good in some rough stuff. It depends now on what your willing to do to get it to that point. I'm building a '78 Bronco with a SA and it has exceded my expectations as far as how nice it rides in the rough. Take a look at some of the Ultra 4 solid axle guys, they work with solid axles and make them work well in both go fast and the rocks.

I think it would take a set of coilovers up front to do it though and the deavers in the rear with and extended shackle. Some extended radius arms would also help the front. You are not going to get the amount of travel that the TTB guys are getting but with the proper shock tuning and spring rates you could have yourself a truck built for anything.

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:44 pm

I have extended radius arms. coil overs could be an option. Right now I just have cheap coils and left over procomp shocks from a mud project that happened to be the right length for the shock mounts I had. I was thinking of getting some decent bilstiens but i'll hold off for now. Where would you point me to start looking at what spring rates to run for the coilovers? One more question, I'd like to be able to tow a light car trailer or dump trailer now and then. I think it would be possible with the deavers in the rear? I saw a pic on here with someone towing a good sized camper. Thanks for the open minded opnions. Not all forums are like this.

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:50 pm

I liked the title on your thread! Ha ha

[/quote]

I thought someone might get a chuckle. Not that the info on there is bad, just kinda cookie cutter. Throw a straight axle under your rig. Not only will it solve all your problems it will help promote world peace and feed starving children in africa...

economig · Post by **economig** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:33 pm

blueoval8493 wrote:
I thought someone might get a chuckle. Not that the info on there is bad, just kinda cookie cutter. Throw a straight axle under your rig. Not only will it solve all your problems it will help promote world peace and feed starving children in africa...

LOL

78Class3 · Post by **78Class3** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:50 pm

I run a Bilstien with ACV 14" coilover with 400/250 rates. I think i could go up or down 50 on either one and it would be pretty good. Most of the shock companies could get a close starting point for you if you give them a call.

Texas_Baja · Post by **Texas_Baja** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:47 pm

X2 on the title. Glad to be at GFB

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:48 pm

The major thing that I'm concerned about is up travel. I think the bend of the frame in the front of my 94 is quit different than a frame in the 70's. I plan on making a custom crossmember out of tubing when/if I stroke the 351 roller block I have waiting. That will gain me a few inches but then the axle will contact the frame. I have only about 11 inches of travel right now. I could gain alot of down travel just by swithing shocks and coils. Or by taking the leap to coilovers.

johncharlesb · Post by **johncharlesb** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:31 am

blueoval8493 wrote:The major thing that I'm concerned about is up travel. I think the bend of the frame in the front of my 94 is quit different than a frame in the 70's. I plan on making a custom crossmember out of tubing when/if I stroke the 351 roller block I have waiting. That will gain me a few inches but then the axle will contact the frame. I have only about 11 inches of travel right now. I could gain alot of down travel just by swithing shocks and coils. Or by taking the leap to coilovers.

The frames should be pretty close between 1973-96. The drops are the same from 1965-96, but the frames were widened in 73. I was wondering what was done for axle clearance on this truck. 1973-79 4x4 trucks had a different crossmember and a rear sump oil pan than 2wd trucks, a TTB uses a front sump pan and 2wd style crossmember. I suspect a 1970s 4x4 crossmember will be a good starting point and a pan and oil pump out of an Econoline would give you the rear sump. The axle gets pretty close to the pan at bump.

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Wed May 02, 2012 10:15 am

Crossmember outta a 70's style truck, and the van pan are good ideas. I been looking alittle for a van from my era. I wanna pull the p/s pump and bracket off and now maybe the pan. Once I get the crossmember figured out I think it will give me 3''+ inches of up travel. It's not gonna be anytime soon but I will get to it. Just got new tranny in and working on taking body lift out. Wasted $300 last night on the sleeves that go in the body mounts. Of course mine were junk and I couldn't find them separate anywhere so I had to buy the "kit".

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Wed May 02, 2012 10:22 am

The 70's 2wd cross member will be too narrow for the '94 frame.

Here's some measurements I've gotten/take when looking at doing a d50TTB cross member swap into my '74 2wd frame.

77 4wd outside frame width is 33 1/4".

74 supercab 2wd frame width is 33 - 33 1/4" outside to outside. Inside (top of [ to top of ]) is 28 1/2". Frame is 6" tall at cross member.

86(?) Bronco outside frame width 37 1/4".

Tom truck (82 F-250 4wd) outside of frame rail to outside of frame rail at the i-beam cross member = 35" outside to outside at the rear pivot point on the engine cross member.

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Wed May 02, 2012 1:29 pm

I realize the frame's were narrower. I was just thinking maybe that would be a good place to start. Either widen the 70's stayle crossmember or maybe copy the style of it. at least if i had one to look at it might help me. Come to think of it I have a 76 frame that needs to go to the srcrap yard I don't remember if I cut the cross member or not. The thing about being up here is almost everything older is junk because of all the salt. I used to have a nice mud truck that would make your skin crawl....lol.. It was all 79 running gear with a 93 cab and front clip with a tube frame bed aluminum box sides with fiberglass rear fenders. Wish it had original sheet metal but I used what I had to work with. Sounds cobbed but it was actually pretty nice. Gotta get pics up of some of my rides.

scraptor · Post by **scraptor** » Wed May 02, 2012 4:10 pm

Rust is the killer here , thats what we get for being on the upper right corner of the map.
A tube crossmember seems easiest to me, but i would go back to beams myself, I see every summer what even stock ttb is capable of and it is truly a beautiful thing

Gratuitius Nova Scotia race vid, rules require stock suspension, of stock replacement parts, smoke screen optional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPruDh9F ... ata_player

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Thu May 03, 2012 2:45 am

Yeah I actually saw a pretty nice crossmember a guy fabbed outta tubbing on the other bronco site...lol.. I'll check that vid out when I get a chance they block youtube and other vids at work. Really switching back to beams shouldn't be too costly. The most expensive parts I bought were the extended radius arms. I think I could probly sell them and the straight axle along with all the steering and trac bar. The 2 things that would suck is that I would probly have to drill a bunch more holes in my frame for new coil buckets and radius arm mounts, and All that time I took putting the sa in would be wasted.

Andy Jones · Post by **Andy Jones** » Thu May 03, 2012 1:15 pm

Welcome!

blueoval8493 · Post by **blueoval8493** » Fri May 04, 2012 4:57 am

Thanks, this site is awesome. Off topic but is there a reason I can't start a new topic in the general tech section? I was gonna ask you guys down in the non rust belt if anybody would be willing to sell me a set of upper body mount sleeves. If i remember correctlly my front sleeve measures 2 1/4" and the rear are 3 1/4" for a 94 f-150 subercab. I guess the part # is disscontinued? I found a front set left over on broncograveyards shelf but can't find the rear except at the dealer for $94 a piece.

scraptor · Post by **scraptor** » Fri May 04, 2012 5:11 am

Do you have a part number for that sleeve?

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Fri May 04, 2012 6:28 am

I get pretty good pricing at the dealer. Get me a part number and I'll see what I can get it for.

scraptor · Post by **scraptor** » Fri May 04, 2012 8:08 am

Silverslk wrote:I get pretty good pricing at the dealer. Get me a part number and I'll see what I can get it for.

Same as what i was thinking, and no cross border shipping.