A Different Approach on Rear Suspension

Here is my project...........................A 1951 Ford Pro Street Dump Truck. Custom built frame and suspension, "floating" birdcages with a spring loaded pullbar and 90/10 shock. 557 ci Ford with Nitrious. When it's done, it will have a working Aluminum Dump Body. Mounting the electric 12DC Linear Actuator to raise the dump body soon.

It started out like this last November..............


Them I started building the Chassis....................




Here is it with the "Dummie Body" in place..............



And the engine to go in it.................

damn interesting looking project you got going their.....

very , very bad azz !!!!! love the TO-MATER look

I love the project, definitely not a cookie cutter hotrod.

Damn interesting.

Your rear frame/chassis layout having sections of frame tubing both above & below the rear end housing looks partly similar to what I have heard street rod guys refer to as a "backbone" chassis/setup. The difference being on their setups the "upper" section of the so called backbone frame/structure continues on forward into the driver compartment inside the trans/driveshaft tunnel (kinda like a hidden mini Pro Mod double frame rail).

I have been toying with the idea of using some form of a full backbone setup when/if I back-half my 66 Ranchero for a Pro Street deal (but using all round tubing instead of box tubing). I'm thinking a full backbone chassis setup should make for a decently rigid Pro Street chassis without having to use the bigger box tubing (or having rear cage bars going through the rear window).

Can't really tell from the pics but Is the spring loaded pullbar something like a spring loaded single top bar of a 3-link setup?

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:Damn interesting.


Can't really tell from the pics but Is the spring loaded pullbar something like a spring loaded single top bar of a 3-link setup?

Dave, I believe that is the hydraulic ram for his aluminum dump bed!Damn...Im wrong like always! Dave you were correct!

Dave,

We call it an "underslung" type of chassis, but I have heard it called a "backbone" frame before. The reason for it was to add strength to the chassis without having to add a cage in the cab.

You are correct that the spring loaded top bar is in fact a 3rd link type of pullbar. The diff. "floats" in the birdcages, and the top link absorbs the torque and wrap-up, with the 90/10 shock absorbing it on decelleration. With the top links of the 4-bar mounted on the chassis as high as they are, and the top link pulling up on the chassis, the rear tires will try to "drive under" the chassis under accelleration. It is similiar to a dirt oval type of suspension, just beefier. Here are some better pictures of it.





T-Bolt, I am waiting on the Linear jack to make the mounts to lift the dump bed. They should be here by this weekend.

Mocking up the front end to make radiator mounts now, and then the front end will come back off to fabricate the headers and 4" exhaust system.

How do you think the Winters / Franklin rear will live drag racing???

It is a Tiger diff, but all are basisly the same. They will not hold up under Drag Racing conditions, due to the bottom jackshaft being the weak link. I have a set of Hoosier 33"x22.5" Pro Street Radials for the rear, and I don't think they will have enough grip to hurt anything. This project is just a Street Rod to be driven on the street, and turn heads (I hope).

If that ain't cool...nothing is!
Of course, I am drawn to the more unusual vehicles......
Nice work. And lots of it.
Keith Fulp

Thanks Keith............................Notice the nice front engine plate? A fine piece from Keith Fulp Motorsports !!!!!!!!!!

I don't know anything about dirt/oval car setups. But I'm guessing that even though the housing/tubes float inside the bird cage assemblies, the 2 bottom bars still have foward action, & combined with the single top spring bar's rear action it will create an I/C point somewhere out ahead of the housing since it looks like the top single bar is angled downward in the front.

I guess by design the birdcages have to float. If they were welded solid to the housing tubes the top/bottom side bars would try to create one I/C behind the rear housing, and the top single bar would try to create an I/C ahead of the housing causing binding as the two I/C's fight each other.

Are you going to chop the top any? If so how much?

Dave,
You are correct. the bottom links drive forward while the top links (angled upwards) apply pressure to the tire contact patch, as the diff. tries to drive under the chassis.

As for chopping the top, I am not. I am 6' 2" 280lbs, and need all the room I can get. The roof of the cab is below eye level as it sits now, so the stance isn't bad.

Update on To-Mater.......................

Been real busy with everyone else stuff, but I did get my radiator back from PRC. Very nice work !!
And my exhaust baffles from STS. Not sure how they will sound, but I will give them a try.
Not had time to Dyno the engine yet
My good body should be done next week. Shaved drip rails, smooth floor and firewall (cut out and replaced, not covered over) driveline tunnel all the way out the back, smoothed body seams. It looks real good. The body guy want to put a nice paintjob on it, but I want flatblack paint.
Got the headers almost finished, so I can finish the exhaust system, mounted the brake pedal the other night, got my ididit steering column, and will wait until I have the good cab to mount it. Picked up a set of Honda Odessy 2nd row bucket seats today. I think they will work real nice.
I will update as I do more.

WOW !! That thing's gonna look COOL!!!!!!

anymore updates

I haven't worked on it in about a month. Got covered up with customer's engines. Gotta get those done to buy more goodies for To-Mater !! Hope to get back on it soon. Got the good body back and mounted, stering column and brake pedal mounted, headers are done, but still need to finish the 4" exhaust out to the back of the cab. Linear screw jack is here, but I haven't mounted it yet.

resOrli9, your close enough to make a drive up some night or weekend to see it. I have beer in the fridge !!!!!

Fatback,I own some property in Zephyr Hills.I will be coming that way sometime late fall or early winter. I would like to drop by and see that thing. I like it.

Damn that truck is Bad Ass,i just looked at the pictures tonight don't know how i missed them before.

Later Mark.

bbf-falcon,
Contact me when you get down here. Glad to have you over. I don't get on here much, so PM me sometime and I will give you my phone #.
Less than an hour south of Z'hills

Thanks for your comments Mark. Wish I had time (and money) to get back on it.

Fatback wrote:bbf-falcon,
Contact me when you get down here. Glad to have you over. I don't get on here much, so PM me sometime and I will give you my phone #.
Less than an hour south of Z'hills

Thanks for your comments Mark. Wish I had time (and money) to get back on it.

Wow ,Wow ,Wow.........what a frickin cool build!!! That truck will turn heads everywhere it goes!! Totally Awesome !!

Finally got caught up a little, and had some time to work on "Mater". Got the front end mounted, radiator mounted, exhaust finished, running boards mounted, steering column mounted and steering hooked up, bed lift actuator mounted. Hoping to get the front end lined up and taken back off to get the body work done, still need to make front bumper mounts, and finish some bracing in the hood. Then it's back on the bed, to finish the frame, so I can start Tigging the aluminum dump body together, That will take some time !!!!! Then back to the cab to install guages, seats, trans. and driveshaft tunnels, still need to get all the shifter figured out, gas pedal, run all the brake lines, fuel lines (half a million of those with the Nitrious and bypass fuel syatem), etc. Here are a couple of pictures of where it is as of yesterday.

looking good Fatback!

I can't believed I missed this either. What a cool project!