Hot rod front suspension design.
Our most popular front suspension system.
Hot rod front suspension design We manufacture our true Independent Front Suspension (IFS) kits with a 100% TIG-welded 1-piece crossmember built specifically for each and every application. Don't try to re-invent the wheel. -Triangulated 4 Link Rear Suspension System-Parallel 4 Link Rear Suspension System-3 Link Rear Suspension System-Torque Arm Rear Suspension System-'C Notch' How to Do It Yourself!-The Monster Notch! How to Lay Frame-Rack and Pinion Conversion on a 1949 to 1954 Chevy Car-F100 Solid Axle to Independent Front Suspension on the Cheap! Sep 15, 2016 · Many rodders began using purpose-built hairpin-style radius rods instead of split wishbones and, in later years, four-bar style suspensions gained in popularity. Oftentimes so much focus is spent on the front suspension of a hot rod that it can actually reduce the drivability of the vehicle because of excessive rake or unmatched spring rates. Hot Rod Straight Axle Front Suspension Designs. Jan 1, 2023 · By Jim McFarland Suspension Fundamentals: Springs, shocks, bounce, jounce and other related suspension basics … including some unsprung stuff A. Jun 15, 2021 · Ford used a straight axle front suspension design with a single transverse mounted leaf spring from just after the turn of the century until the late 1940s. hotrod. This application range covers just about every popular pre-war Ford hot rod body style we all know and love. 979. [this is to avoid Apr 9, 2024 · When HOT ROD’s gasser front axle tech story was originally published in April of 1967, gassers were a major draw in the hot-rodding world, and Blair’s Speed Shop in Pasadena, California, was Feb 14, 2006 · Up front, the suspension was kept relatively simple in comparison, with a Kugel independent setup used in conjunction with Corvette ZR-1 disc brakes. 1 UNDERSTANDING INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION The front suspension is an in-board coil-over design with elegant, yet strong, unequal length upper and lower tubular A-arms and high-end mono-tube adjustable coil-over rod-end KONI shocks. 94 inch in diameter. Sep 14, 2023 · But arguably the most impactful development for hot rods was the introduction of easy-to-install independent front suspension systems based on Pinto/Mustang II architecture. When used as a driving wheels suspension, the upright/knuckle is connected to a half drive shaft (As shown below in diagram UEL2) with an outboard CV (Constant velocity) joint that rises Jul 7, 2016 · The stock AAR front sway bar is 0. Aug 10, 2016 · To get Buck's 1949 Chevrolet 3100 closer to Earth, we opted to install Scott's Hot Rods' weld-in front steer standard IFS kit. Best suited for fat-fendered vehicles due to their design and non-traditional appearance, these IFS kits had much to do with the growth in popularity of cars from that era Mar 1, 2009 · Keith had a vision of a very clean-looking front suspension that would utilize as many original stock Ford parts as possible, while allowing him to get creative on the design concept using a fresh Dec 31, 2016 · Torsion bar suspension has been used on hot rods since the early fifties but yes, it is rare and unusual. Hot Rod Front Suspension Kits in-stock with same-day shipping. This setup is straightforward and provides a higher ride height. 88-inch Feb 1, 2009 · An IFS design on the other hand makes up for the transverse spring and straight axle's shortcomings when it comes to performance, but as an aesthetically pleasing design on a traditional hot rod Apr 28, 2023 · Upgrading to (or updating a poorly designed) independent front suspension, or IFS, will vastly improve your classic muscle car, hot rod, or pickup truck’s braking and handling Talk to the experts. These settings can have a Dec 17, 2007 · What do you get?Subframe with full suspension, including tubular A-arms, 2-inch dropped spindles, 11-inch rotors with GM calipers, Heidt's billet 10-position rebound adjustable coilovers, manual Jul 11, 2014 · Stage 3 Front. If your American-Made truck is built between 1925 and 1987, we can design and build a 1-Ton kit for it. If you are looking to truly upgrade your ride and hot rodding experience, Scott’s Hotrods is the one-stop-shop that can do it all for you. Spring Over Axle - In the spring over axle design, the leaf spring is mounted directly on top of the axle. At one time, pretty much the only modification hot Feb 7, 2019 · Mark Gearhart gives us an update on his ’35 Hot Rod Truck project, and in the April 2019 issue of Hot Rod Magazine, he goes over the front suspension install. Most vintage muscle cars and old school hot rods use the solid axle design. Best suited for fat-fendered vehicles due to their design and non-traditional appearance, these IFS kits had much to do with the growth in popularity of cars from that era Street Rod Plans. For 50 years, TCI Engineering has been the trusted supplier of high-performance hot rod, muscle car, and classic truck suspension and chassis SALES: 800-984-6259 TECH: 855-693-1259 Sep 1, 2001 · It was an easy and, more importantly, cheap way to put independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes on a rod. Feb 25, 2021 · While independent front suspension was the rage on early street rods during the '80s and '90s, the 21st century revival of traditional style has created a tidal wave of interest in period-correct Feb 13, 2007 · Hot rods should run about 1/8 inch of toe-in, meaning the fronts of the tires should point just slightly in toward each other. Call 800. Many hotrods become unfinished projects because the owner thought hewanted a really trick suspension. Moving up to a 1. , and Jerry Slover at Pete & Jake's Hot Rod Parts for their help with this story. Model Ts, Model As, ’32 Fords, and so on. 25-inch bar is a change in torsional stiffness of about 213 percent given no other changes (torsional stiffness equals Feb 14, 2006 · The leaf performs several functions that other suspension systems might need additional hardware to serve. Mar 28, 2023 · This is the relationship of Suspension stiffness to Sprung weight to Average Speed is all part of the equation. Controls chassis roll more Jan 8, 2013 · Body roll is a reference to the load transfer of a vehicle toward the outside of a turn. air bags on each side to control the front ride height and provide a smooth ride when cruising. Apr 1, 2010 · Read up about the installation of the TCI Mustang II IFS front suspension conversion kit for a 1940 Chevy, along with other tech questions from our magazine readers. 99. The plans with work with a stock or tube axle using a transverse leaf spring. Jan 1, 2023 · The most common coil-spring front suspension uses two control arms (also called A-arms because of their shape) per side, mounted to the frame, and a coil spring between them that exerts force on Dec 5, 2006 · For some enlightenment on this subject, we have asked many of the industry's experts (Fatman, Kugel Komponents, Heidt's, Air Ride, SO-CAL Speed Shop, Eibach Springs, Aldan shocks, Tokico USA Jun 1, 2004 · Check out Part 2 of Project Build on a 1989 Dodge Diplomat getting front end work - Mopar Muscle Magazine HOT ROD Staff Writer Jun 01, 2004 Last month we rebuilt the ailing suspension of Jun 6, 2009 · In this CAR CRAFT rear suspension tech guide Jeff Smith explains the differences between setups and how to set up your musclecar for maximum traction on the street and while drag racing - Car Feb 1, 2010 · Read about Hot Rod Wishbone Suspension and see how it gets fabricated and installed on Alan Johnson's roadster, inside Street Rodder Magazine. Tex Smith's XR6 used a VW beetle torsion bar front suspension. Scott’s Hotrods ‘n Customs is the premier manufacturer of vehicle-specific Independent Front Suspension kits, 4-Bar Rear Suspension kits and the MOST Complete Chassis in the hot rod market. Special thanks to Pete Chapouris at So-Cal Speed Shop, Fred James at Magnum Axle Co. Feb 13, 2007 · From Rod and Custom Magazine's webpage: History and Detail on Solid-Axle Front Suspension How it Works: By Dan Kahn THE BASICS From the first Model T until the end of the '40s, Ford Motor Company relied on a solid I-beam front axle as the backbone of its front suspension designs. Our most popular front suspension system. com, the Shop Hot Rod Front Suspension Kits and get Free Shipping on orders over $175 at Speedway Motors, the Racing and Rodding Specialists. Hidden Door Hinges; Mustang II Front Suspension; Mustang II CAD cutting files; Suicide Door Hinges; Billet Hood Hinges; Tilt Front End; 4 Bar Rear Suspension; Model A Frame; Universal Chassis Modifications; 33 Willys Frames; 40 Willys Frames; Four Bar Front Suspension; Hairpin Front Suspension; Anglia Frame Plans; Plans Nov 18, 2003 · Famed builder Chuck Lombardo claims to be the first person to use Mustang II suspension on the front of a street rod in 1974, and after discovering that the little car's track width and rack-and This is a correct Mustang II front suspension in a street rod, when the stock Mustang II suspension locations are used. Nov 7, 2007 · A sea-change in hot-rod suspensions is sweeping across the scene: replacing conventional metal suspension springs with air springs, often controlled by sophisticated air compressors and self Oct 9, 2017 · Upgrading a Heidts Mustang II suspension kit to a coilover version is as easy as parting the lower control arm from the spindle, removing the stock coil spring and shock, swapping out the lower Feb 7, 2019 · Mark Gearhart gives us an update on his ’35 Hot Rod Truck project, and in the April 2019 issue of Hot Rod Magazine, he goes over the front suspension install. This will make the car run tack straight down the road. Also notice there is minimal camber change and almost flat radius (1) in the movement or the spindle during suspension travel. custom by Pro Design Hot Rods (Santa Ana Mar 26, 2024 · Old School Drop Axle - Hair Pins And AllGasser Wheels Too - Gitter Dun! #ratrod #hotrod #streetrods #DIYMUSIC BY: https://elevatedjamtracks. Includes cast stainless steel spindle assembly & A-arms with E-Z Eccentric™ alignment, billet calipers, billet coil over shocks, rotor cover, ball joint caps, extra heavy gauge steel cross member. Often copied, but unmatched in quality, engineering, appearance, and ride. bandcamp. They cut out the old chassis and tried to incorporate their own design andjust got in over their heads. Are you a hot rod enthusiast looking to build your own custom ride? One of the most important components of any hot rod build is the chassis and suspension. May 22, 2025 · In keeping the rat rod somewhat traditional, it runs on a Model A straight axle front end, but the way it connects to the chassis is far from traditional. Apr 10, 2003 · The front MC change (moving the MC to the left) makes the front suspension "feel" softer and more efficient and want to roll to a greater roll angle to exactly match the rear suspension desired Sep 25, 2019 · to control height or suspension travel I'm trying to visualize how that mechanical concept could be used in a straight axle application. With suspension fequency you want the front suspension frequency to be slightly less than the rear suspension frequency to allow for the split second time difference for the front and rear to go over the same bump. During cornerin Hot Rod The flexibility in the design of the suspension geometry allows the rear suspension to be matched to the front suspension, and each wheel tuned independently. 0122, 7am-10pm CST, everyday. com/You Oct 1, 2007 · Gary Heidt at Heidt's Hot Rod Shop said, "We build 1 degree of caster into our independent front suspensions, but the builder can go to as much as 3 degrees if they so wish. Mar 26, 2024 · In contrast, solid axle suspension uses a single rigid beam that connects both front wheels together. Our rugged front suspension delivers superior handling without the compromises of Mustang II style set-ups and it tells the world that this car does more Sep 14, 2023 · But arguably the most impactful development for hot rods was the introduction of easy-to-install independent front suspension systems based on Pinto/Mustang II architecture. It is simple in design and works very well. Supports the chassis weight2. It appears that the axle would definitely have to be hung with hair pins or radius rods and then somehow incorporate a torsion bar. Feb 26, 2021 · Rear suspension technology has come a long way, but for many hot rodders with a taste for traditional style, the old ways are the way to go. They may have inspired the few who built them for hot rods. Oct 18, 2018 · The spindles use a SN95 (1994-2004) style Mustang caliper bracket spacing with SN95 hubs. We seem to hear these terms the most because just about every independent front suspension has some means to adjust these, whether it be a coil spring suspension, IFS with coilover shocks, or front torsion bar suspension. Kilburn and his team fabricated a cantilever suspension design with Accuair 2,500-lb. Hot Rods To Hell makes some robust suspension bolt-ons, and this front kit includes fabricated control arms, springs, shocks, sway bar, Wilwood Superlite brakes up to 14 inches with Jul 31, 2006 · Independent Front Suspension Installation - Independent Improvment Installing a Heidt's Mustang II-Style IFS in a '49-54 Chevy HOT ROD Staff Writer Jul 31, 2006 Most hot-rodder’s upgrade their front suspension but forget to address their rear suspension, which is just as important to the ride and handling of their car. May 27, 2025 · The Hairpin is a very popular front suspension with the streetrod Rat Rod and traditional Hot Rod crowd for use with a straight axle front end. Jan 1, 2007 · The Mustang II frontend was an independent front suspension design with a narrow track width, disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering-perfect for replacing the early Ford straight-axle design. Factory Five includes their standard 11-inch 2-piston PBR brake kit with the Truck chassis or a 12. Oct 9, 2017 · Upgrading a Heidts Mustang II suspension kit to a coilover version is as easy as parting the lower control arm from the spindle, removing the stock coil spring and shock, swapping out the lower Modifying the stock suspension for performance is often the cheapest and easiest option. 0:00 / 0:00 The Mustang II (MII) suspension geometry originally Mar 26, 2024 · In contrast, solid axle suspension uses a single rigid beam that connects both front wheels together. Notice the parallel upper and lower arms. The leaf does the following:1. " The 4 bar is the most popular front suspension for use on a straight axle street rod. Kurtis race cars and sports cars used torsion bars since the 1940s. Factory Five’s Jim Schenck, Director of R&D, talked with Mark to go over the design process for the front suspension in both the Hot Rod and Truck. When a vehicle is fitted with a suspension package, it works to keep the tires in contact with the road Jan 1, 2004 · We provide mini-stock racing suspension buildup tips from Steve Smith Autosports for cars with Macpherson strut suspension systems, demonstrated on a 1984 Ford Mustang race car - Circle Track Magazine 28 - 34 Hot Rod Hairpin Plain Front End Kit RSC-45020 Front End Kit, Hairpin Style, Steel, Select Options, Kit : $1,799. As a street rodder, depending on your front suspension design and the appearance you’re trying to achieve, there are three basic options to choose from. Independent suspension offers significant advantages for handling precision and ride comfort compared to solid axles. Only at www. At one time, pretty much the only modification hot May 28, 2024 · Camber, Caster, and Toe are the “big three” terms when it comes to front suspension geometry. Jun 15, 2021 · These solid axles were used into the early 1940s on most cars and today you can purchase all new straight axle front suspension components individually or in kit form to easily build your traditional-style hot rod. Nov 7, 2007 · A sea-change in hot-rod suspensions is sweeping across the scene: replacing conventional metal suspension springs with air springs, often controlled by sophisticated air compressors and self Feb 26, 2021 · Rear suspension technology has come a long way, but for many hot rodders with a taste for traditional style, the old ways are the way to go. ycoiyqyeepdfymkcyblbjjzrzfagmadmqmntpjmfzsmb