Need info/help with a dropped "I" beam setup.

[tfeverfred]

I'm planning out the final details of my rebuild and trying to complete a list of parts for using a dropped "I" beam axle on a T Bucket. I need info on shock mounting, upper and lower steering arms and placement, shock bracket options and shocks. Could I go without shocks?

I already have a dropped '40 axle as well as bat wings, shackles, radius rods, spring, perches and spindles.

Pics would be appreciated.

I posted this on the HAMB and forgot to toss it out to you guys. Youngster gave a good response and will probably chime in here. As an update, I am going to use shocks and think I have found a setup that will work, but I still would like to see what the experts have to say.

I have everything I need except upper steering arm, lower steering arms and a shock setup. That is where I need your thoughts.

 

[tfeverfred]

Here are pics of what I think may work for my shock setup. These upper shock mounts are from Speedway and mount to the frame.

I'm getting plates which mount to the spring shackles and this will be the lower shock mount.

In my mind, it seems like it will work. Now what upper steering arm and lower steering arms will work? Speedway has some good ones, but I'm not sure which ones I need. I would like to go with the tie rod behind the axle, but if I can't, no problem. I'm easy.

 

[Hotrod46]

Fred

This isn't exactly what you're asking for, but I found these pics when I was planning my T.

It uses an I beam with fabricated bat wings that mount the spring behind the axle. Should get it pretty low that way. Looks like the spring in the pics might be a little short though. The shocks appear to mount off of a long shackle bolt.

Maybe someone on here knows whose bucket it is.

Just food for thought.

Mike

 

[RPM]

Fred we just made these up for Lee, he designed them, we built them.
Maybe just what you need.

 

[tfeverfred]

Fred we just made these up for Lee, he designed them, we built them.
Maybe just what you need.

How did I forget you guys are on top of the T Bucket info? Hotrod46, that is what I had in mind and Ron, those are EXACTLY what I'm thinking of. Do they sit straight up or do they angle out a little. If they don't, I could bend them myself for my application when I'm ready. For near future reference, what do they go for?

 

[RPM]

Fred they will look like this when mounted, except they will bolt on. We cut them from 3/8" plate.

 

[tfeverfred]

Fred they will look like this when mounted, except they will bolt on. We cut them from 3/8" plate.

Cool! Can ya quote me a price for a set? I'm making a shopping list.:biggrin:

 

[RPM]

Cool! Can ya quote me a price for a set? I'm making a shopping list.

The pair is $50.00...........................Lee is gonna want a commision now.:biggrin:

 

[tfeverfred]

The pair is $50.00...........................Lee is gonna want a commision now.:biggrin:

Okay, when I'm set, you'll get the call. Thanks!

 

[Youngster]

those are the ones i was talking about fred. before you deside on the lower mount, get your shock so you can see what you need for travel. the shackle mount you posted might not give you the travel you need.

one more thing to think about is by placing the spring over the axel, you might need to raise the spring perch on the front cross member to get the frame lower.

Ron

 

[RPM]

those are the ones i was talking about fred. before you deside on the lower mount, get your shock so you can see what you need for travel. the shackle mount you posted might not give you the travel you need.

one more thing to think about is by placing the spring over the axel, you might need to raise the spring perch on the front cross member to get the frame lower.

Ron

Good point as usuall from Youngster. We can make em longer or shorter as needed.

 

[tfeverfred]

Thanks, Ron. I'll do that. That setup that Hotrod46 posted is so what I had in my head. I'd love to see what the rest of her looks like.

 

[Youngster]

i just looked at the pics of you frame fred. you will need the raise that spring perch 2 1/2 to 3 inches to get the frame to sit where it did on your other car. this is the only pic i could find but it should give you the idea,

the idea is to get the front cross member at the same heigth as the axle.

Ron

 

[Youngster]

one other thing while i'm at it. try your spindles on the axel before you go too much further. look for the clearance between the axle and the arms for the tie rod. if the axle was reshaped in the wrong place, you will see it right away. the CE arms i talked about will help here then. don't try to reshape the stock arms or use the SB arms. they won't work for you. the CE pt# is, AR2121S. as i said before the CE arms have open holes so the bolt goes all the way thru and is nutted. the super bells are blind holes with nothing but loc-tite to hold the bolds posision.

Ron

 

[tfeverfred]

one other thing while i'm at it. try your spindles on the axel before you go too much further. look for the clearance between the axle and the arms for the tie rod. if the axle was reshaped in the wrong place, you will see it right away. the CE arms i talked about will help here then. don't try to reshape the stock arms or use the SB arms. they won't work for you. the CE pt# is, AR2121S. as i said before the CE arms have open holes so the bolt goes all the way thru and is nutted. the super bells are blind holes with nothing but loc-tite to hold the bolds posision.

Ron

I'm not at that stage yet, but I'll copy this thread for reference. As for the ride height, Miss Behavin' was kinda low and my oil pan used to scrap sometimes. I think an inch or 1 1/2 wouldn't kill the look too much. I'll check it out. There's a local guy with a '27 Ford here and I like his ride height. Not low, but not too high. Kinda has an early road racer look to it. I always liked it. At our meet this weekend, I'll check his setup more closely.

As it gets closer to me getting the settlement for my car, my mind is working on how to set Miss Fortune up right. It feels good to be concentrating on hot rod stuff again.:biggrin:

 

[PaulR]

Fred,

I found this out with my front shocks. One, don't mount the frame mount to far from the shock. I've have to get a couple of long bolts to use for the bottom shock mount, with the shackles you showed, then had to make some some spacers to keep the shocks near vertical in the North/South (front/back) axis of the car. Just something I ran into.


Keep us posted Fred.

PaulR

 

[rooster57]

This is how i did mine Fred

 

[tfeverfred]

That's a sweet setup. It's so cool to have so many opinions and options. You guys are killing my brain cells! In a nice way.:lol: