Dear Welder Series…
Hi Guys,
I purchased a 56″ cross member kit (WS 14340) from you guys a few years back and am just now getting around to installing it in a 50 Chevy 2-door styleline sedan.

I am going for a frame height of 6 inches (measuring just below the center of the door – from the floor to the bottom of the frame).

I have 27 inch diameter tires.

I will be using reverse eye leaf springs in the rear (probably from Posies).

I will not have air bags.

I am in the process of setting the ride heights. I am having a hard time getting the rake set front to rear.

I am used to dirt oval race cars that have frame rails that run parallel to the floor from front stub to rear kickups. They are quite easy to set the rake.

This car doesn’t seem to have rails that are parallel to the floor.

Any tips on getting the front to rear rake set??? How critical is this. As my dad says, we are not running Indy with this thing…

Same issue on the rear getting it level side to side. Can’t find a great place to put the level. I am using the rear cross member under the trunk latch but it isn’t very flat.

I am getting ready to complete the worksheet and I have a silly question but I want to be sure before I start.

On your instruction sheet WS14340N.p65, drawing numbers 2, 3 and 4, you show the front of the car to the left with an arrow and an exaggerated frame rake leaning toward the front of the car.

My frame at this location is raked the opposite way. Is this an issue??? Am I looking at it backward???

I believe this is representing the drivers side outside frame rail. Is that correct???

Thanks…love your worksheet and product so far.

Regards,
Mike

Dear Mike…
Looks like a great project!

We set ride height and stance with the front fenders and hood on the car and the wheels and tires we plan to use blocked in place. This is so the car will look the way we want it when finished. We don’t try for level at any specific part of the frame rails when viewed from the side.

If you can’t put the level on top of the rails because of the body/floor panels, how about holding it under the rails?

The exaggerated rake in the drawings was to let people know that the rails don’t have to be level. Just take vertical dimensions and draw vertical lines at the points specified. It doesn’t matter which way the rails (top or bottom surfaces) slope. You are correct that dwgs 2,3, and 4 are driver’s side, outside.

Good questions. Please write again if you have other things to ask.

Paul Horton