Thread: 1936 Ford Panel on Steroids Suspension

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1936 Ford Panel on Steroids

This is not a standard 1936 ½ Ton Ford Panel its a 1 ½ ton Panel Truck.
Lets look at it this way I have a HD frame that I would like to put IFS on. I have knowledge and access to fabrication equipment and support if need be. What I’m trying to find is IFS rated for a ¾ ton or better truck but the make and model only need to be in the late 1990 and up, Aftermarket Parts or part kit in some form. I only found one with Cross Member A arms and every thing for 3K+ but it is based on Mustang 2 which may not have the Beef I’m looking for. The only other option I can think of is find a truck in the year range and just cut the front off and use it to get measurements. Also due to the frame size and mounting points I don’t want to try to chop up and weld on a front end or try using a frame from another truck please.

I f any one Knows of a fabricator or seller of kits that could put together a front end with the needed BEEF and custom look I’m trying to get I could rely use the help.
http://www.icemanproject.com


Mike C W

did you get this truck from Randy in Escondido? Maybe he has some ideas about a front suspension......

mike in tucson

Escondido is correct

That’s a good idea

What is funny when the driver got there to pick it up the guys that worked there wanted to buy it. And I can’t blame them, sorry guys.

Randy has a good eye for what will look right as well as perform.

Have you looked for a list of IFS trucks? We have a 1 Ton chevy (2000) that has IFS. Most over 1 ton seem to move to beam axles......but I could be wrong.

Also, the newer stuff needs consideration with regard to the distance from the a-arm attachment points to the wheel mount flange....ie, will they put your wheels too far out or in relative to the fenders?

mike in tucson

Mike, you make it sound like it's a tank, which in reality is probably not true. Have you weighed the truck? Do you know how much weight is on the front axle?

I suspect that by the time you get all the heavy suspension and brake components stripped off the frame and that oh-so-heavy flathead out of there, (a small block Chevy weighs less), it wouldn't weigh much more than any other pre-war truck.

I'm thinking also that when it comes time to sell it, and that day will come, that it's going to be easier to sell with a MII setup in it. It's just human nature. The MII has become the standard in the industry, just like the SBC has become the standard. So, if you tell a buyer that it has a MII front, he may be more likely to accept it than if you tell him that you designed the front from scratch.

Here is a chart showing the curb weight of the 1978 MII's and the weight bias front to rear. Using a weight of 2735 and a front bias of 58%, the weight on the front of a Mach I was 1,586 lbs. I personally would not hesitate to use the MII front on a vehicle with a front weight of 1,800 or more lbs, using the proper springs to set the control arm attitude. I'd alter ride height with dropped spindles.
http://www.mustangii.com/1978/78stats.asp

Take a look at these spring offerings from Eaton Detroit and you'll see that they offer springs to compliment a front weight of up to 2,000 lbs. It's just "plug-and-play".
http://www.eatonsprings.com/m2coils.htm

The other thing to consider is the front width. With a track measurement of 55.6", I suspect the MII would be just about right on your truck.

i had a 47 3ton grain truck that i turned into basicly a 1ton flat bed, BUT to get 5 lug disc up front on a straight axel, i was told to get a car or 1/2ton truck spindle because they use the same king pin set from the cars to 3ton trucks.
so at a swap meet i found an old ford dealer that had a table, had him clairify what i was told, just to be sure. then bought a set of OEM Ford king pins for the truck & traded my old spindles to a guy who wanted them for a set of car spindles that he had.
then i got a disc brake kit for a 40's car/truck, bolted it all up & awaaaaaaaaaaaaaay i went....joe

Mike C W

Tech is correct in his point.....do you want the wheels to look like truck wheels OR do you want to use a "standard" 5 lug type wheel? Grafting on a truck front suspension will get you 6 or 8 lug wheels......not as big a selection as there is in 5 lug.

The 36 is not quite a Tank but the frame rails are over 16’ long 8”High mid point 3” wide
3/16 thick and two people are hard pressed to pick it up and move it more than 10’ to 15’ feet. Just rails and cross members weighs 176 LB front and 215 LB rear = 391LB.

Frame 391
350 block 500
IFS 200
Rear 200
1191

Without fenders, running boards, radiator, trans, hood, body, interior, water, gas, 5 adults, etc. Just the 5 adults could weigh 1000Lb and saying I’m off by 300Lbs it looks like I’m real close to 3000Lb to maybe 3500Lb.
Then you take the worse case 5 adults maybe camping equipment and a Pothole or speed bump going 30 to 40 mph. It makes me wonder how close to maximum I’m pushing the MII suspension.

Please please don’t take me wrong but this scenario is what makes me think about a custom built IFS using heaver than Mustang II. That’s why I’m looking for information or someone that has seen a setup or fabrication like this.

I like the way this 36 looks and it comes stock with 33” rubber so a 16” or 17” truck type wheel and 30” plus rubber would keep a stock look because it has a lot of room in those wheel wells. ps yes thosr are 33" tires under there now. See http://www.icemanproject.com

Wow, with the leverage effect from the rear overhang, there's probably not more than 15 or 20 pounds on the front tires

techinspector1 or any one

I talked to kugel komponents http://www.kugelkomponents.com and they are actually willing to modify their IFS setup closer to my ride height and my frame size. They also have a cast stainless steel setup that they rate at 3000lb but no more 4000lb GVW I have a couple more places I found through links on this Forum but have you ever herd of this Co. before?

Mike C W

Kugel is very well known for high-end suspensions and stuff.

Do you know what the truck weighs now? Are you going to haul any appreciable weight (1 1/2 tons)?

I was thinking about the truck last night.....it would be cool with larger truck wheels (artillery wheels?) and an inline diesel engine with an Allison transmission. Kinda like a new verision of an old truck.

mike in tucson

Weight is one of the points I’ve got to try to find out. The pink slip has no GVW listed and the thing is in bite size pieces so I guess I will have to get out the bathroom scales and subtract the part weight from my weight. The main body section I may have to rent an industrial strength scale to find out. I want to do all this before I pay for anything.
Yea before I took it apart I checked look and rid height and stuck some smaller tires under it and until I get up to around 30” it looks like a whale on a skateboard. I saw some old style 17” 5 lug aluminum oval mag type wheels http://www.tirefactory.net/AnsenSprintSlotMag.html that I think would look good. So I had my son go into photo shop and put a set on my truck for me. He is also the one who did the graphics on my website. The tire mounting was free but he charges $10.00 or less for that type of graphics.

Mike C W

Put windows in it!!!! Ford Suburban

CHOP IT!!

I DON’T THINK SO

My son already tried that

But the wheels don’t look bad !