Category: Front Suspension

Questions we’ve been asked about front suspension- Mustang II vs. solid axle, four link, hairpins, etc.

Dear Welder Series… 1948 Ford Mustang II frame question.

Dear Welder Series…
I have purchased your Mustang II Crossmember kit for my 1948 Ford Tudor sedan. I’m using the factory X-frame, at the front section where I am to install the crossmember there are the original frame holes. My question is do I have to box in the frame rails or can I plug weld to fill the holes? I’ve attached a picture of my frame. Where the rubber stops are located is where the holes are inside of the frame rails. The frame is already “boxed”.
The frame was  upside down when taken.
Please let me know.
Thank you,
Tony

Dear Tony…
Tony, we just cut out some circles and filled the holes in the stock boxing plates.

Good question.

Dear Welder Series… Mustang II upper tower pieces only?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi Paul. Re your Mustang II Crossmember kit. Could I just buy the coilover and upper A arm adjustment box and cut my old shock/spring tower off? Could I retain my lower stock A arm set up and just shorten my existing upper A  arms? I’m trying to salvage some of what I have and clean it up so it looks good. If I have to spend too much on making this work then I may just go for a Pete and Jake’s dropped front axle. Thanks, Ian.

Dear Ian…
Ian, all Welder Series parts are available individually because we want to be able to look after builders who have their own imagination at work.

You will have to decide if you want to shorten the stock upper and lower arms. It feels like there could be clearance issues with them.

Consider getting the Model ‘A’ Mustang II kit (below) and using your existing stock parts to have the car rolling.  ??

Dear Welder Series… Mustang II: installed frame height?

Dear Welder Series…
Hi I’m building a custom frame I want to run a Mustang ll I like how you sell them and I plan on buying one from you  my question is if running air springs and a 24 inch diameter wheel how high should the frame rails be from the ground and with 6 inches of ground clearance I want the rockers of the car to sit on the ground, like I said its custom so the frame rails can be placed anywhere. Also do you have a laser cutter or are you farming out your cuts, the reason I’m asking I have some custom shaped frame rail ideas and I like the idea of cutting and welding the shapes I want, would custom cuts be something you would be interested in doing for me?  Thanks for any help  and could I bother you for a catalog? I can’t see any of your products on the web site the pics are black or digital mess ..

Tom

Dear Tom…
Tom, the frame height should be mocked up once you have the wheels and tires you will use. Then our install sheets walk you through how to cut the crossmember and upper towers so the frame will be where you want it with weight on the tires.

We work with a local laser cutter who understands what we are looking for in street rod products. We do custom work regularly and would be happy to quote on your drawings or sketches.

We’re working on the web store images… sorry for the inconvenience.

Dear Welder Series… MII & rear four link dimension questions…

Dear Welder Series…
Hi there

I’m working on figuring out ride height and road clearance for my 51 Chevy if I use your MII set up and have a few questions, hoping you can assist.

1. For your MII front crossmember,  what is the distance from the underside of the chevy frame to the bottom of the crossmember and what should a reasonable /safe clearance below the crossmember to the road be?

2. What is the distance from the spindle centerline to the underside of the crossmember. (assuming 2” drop spindle)

I am trying to determine from this what size wheel/tire size should be.

3. For the rear suspension, triangulated 4 link kit or individual pieces, can you please clarify the dimensions of your bars so I can figure out where they will attach to my frame?.

Your drawing indicates the lower bar should be 27-1/8 from the axle centerline but you list a 27-7/8 bar and then 23-1/8 bar and nothing in between.

Are dimensions nominally center to center on the bushings?  Or center of bushing to edge of notch?

4. The upper bar should attach about 15 from the axle centerline according to your drawing so I want to see where that would end up mounting on the axle.

Can you clarify roughly what angle in plan view the upper bars are relative to the axle or roughly what length the upper bars are so I can figure out where they will sit and if that is similar to your drawing showing the bars 2-1/8 above the axle centerline?

Thanks very much for your assistance.!!

Steve

Dear Steve…
Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts for your project, Steve.

I suggest you choose the tire size that you feel is best for your project, rather than work from ground clearance up.  Our crossmember can be notched to accommodate the ride height you want with the tire size you choose.

I’m going to duck the ground clearance question… This depends on the roads you travel as well as possible laws in your area.  NSRA has a practical suggestion with their scrub line definition.  This is defined at http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/pub_45/appendix.pdf .  Some areas say the line should be drawn from wheel rim to wheel rim and no suspension component should below that line.

With a 2″ dropped spindle, it is 7-1/4″ from spindle c/l to the bottom of our crossmember.

The dimensions on the triangulated rear 4-link installation sheets are correct.  The assumption is that you know where the axle centerline is but don’t know where our axle bracket locates the urethane bushing.  The bar length is from the center of the urethane bushing tube to the threaded end of the bar.  The adjuster is not included in this length.  Add 1-3/4″ for the large bushing adjuster.  Note that the lower bar for the triangulated kit is the 23-1/8″ bar.  (The 27-7/8″ bar is 7/8″ diameter and is used in our universal rear Panhard kit and the hiboy front 4-link kit.)

The frame brackets for the upper bars will likely have to be trimmed to the angle suited to your frame width and rear axle.

Thanks for these questions.  I hope this info, and the install sheets online help you.

Dear Welder Series… Mustang II crossmember dimensions?

Dear Welder Series…
Interested in your mustang II crossmember with coil overs.  How much does the crossmember weigh and how wide is it outside to outside at the lower control arm mount?  Thanks.  Steve.

Dear Steve…
The 56″ crossmember kit (shown below) with the upper arm brackets and coil-over mounts weighs 32 lbs.

The two crossmember pieces and the plates that run from the top of the crossmember to the inside of the frame weigh 19 lbs.

The lower control arm holes are on 22-1/4″ centers.  If the center line is extended each way, the crossmember dimension is 25-5/16″.

I hope this helps.