Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

While I am happy with the front suspension, I am not happy with the rear suspension. I used the Speedway composite rear springs. They are just too stiff for the rear weight(1600 lbs.) and several rear shock adjustments/tire pressure adjustments have done little to make it better. I have one other trick I am going to try(slider rear hangers) to get the ride better. If that fails, I will change to traditional springs.

I like the handling with the composite springs(very fast reacting---like a good coil over) but the ride is just too stiff. If I had about 2200 libs rear weight, the ride would probably be OK.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

i have had both and installed both in my shop. i prefer axle over ifs for most. the steering gear is often overlooked on a front end rebuild and is more often than not the cause for the bad rep axles get (besides king pins) keep it greased and tires air up they drive great:D

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

I've also had both and I prefer the axle. I've driven my 40 coupe all over w/axle and Speedway 4-bar and I prefer it vs MII. But I am running a flattie vs your sbf setup.

I think mine sits pretty low - just enough to stay out of trouble w/speedbumps and man-hole covers.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

A beautiful coupe!

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Very nice.....

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Could you remove a couple of leaves or install the original spring? I do not think there is a better ride than a stock Ford suspension. I do not understand the shock adjustments. This might be one of the cases where the more I work on it the worse it gets. Just because it is advertised, does not mean, it is better than you have.

Ford springs work just fine and by installing parallel springs you will probably have additional problems with the ride and the value of the car will be a lot less because somebody will need to down date the car. This is my opinion and nobody has agreed with me in a long time. Will maybe the dog when he wants a treat.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Posie makes good low springs, recommended.

There is so many parameters here so, its almost as the oil discussion.

But 1" suspention travel is 1" suspension travel regardless of the type, it will be useless on a washboard road. But it works on a Formula one track.

In my opinon suspensiontravel is the first to go when you go low.
Three to four inches on good roads is OK in my book.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

I am thinking of making longer shackles for my 39 2d sedan. I might buy a super slider springs from Poise. The longer shackles was the thing in the old days to lower the old Fords. It will make the car look like it is really going fast around corners because it will lean more.

The car will not tip over or fall off the earth.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

When I was building my 40 I sought out every 40 ford sedan I could find at our Goodguys show. I asked everyone that would talk to me what they used, and would they use it again.

Generally, anyone with a straight axle said they were "ok". Most told me, I believe because they could see I was not judging their choice but sincerely trying to obtain real info, that for longer distance driving they would like the ifs. While one guy was telling me it was okay, his wife was standing behind him making motions like really bumpy.

I did end up installing a stock Mll front end. While at it I installed a 67 vette rear with monospring. The ride is fantastic. Several fellow car clubbers have told me that while following me on some of our very curvy roads they didn't see me lean at all.

Sway bars front and back most likely help.

I did build a sbc 327 for it but it sits on a stand in my garage while a blown flatty 276 rests in the engine bay.

I do not purport this to be "THE" way but just the way I chose.

Good luck with however you choose to go.

Fourdy

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Sturgis, this is a bad idea, and it may very well fall over.

Do not use long shackles unless you have a panhard rod or at the very least a stock 40 style anti sway bar.

I am talking about on the front, if you are talking about on the back, it probably isn't quite so critical, but anything longer than stock will have a detrimental effect on handling. If you fit a well designed panhard rod, the shackles can be as long as you like.

Mart.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

From my point of view, the difference between a solid I-beam front axle and modern IFS Mustang II units boils down to how much safety do you want in your ride.
I would never consider taking the original style of 'buggy' springs and 2" dropped axle out of my '36 Ford.
My '36 has a highly modified engine, late trans and some upgrades to the suspension. When I was younger I thought nothing of driving the car like a mad man, many times in excess of 100 mph... I spun it out a few times, once to the point that the car did a 180 and I was driving the car looking out the rear window while trying to steer the car off of the road... I was 20 years old and still almost wet my pants over that one..
I currently have two other cars, Resto-Mods, a '39 and a '49 that have IFS M-II type front ends w/disk brakes, etc.. Both of these cars are driven on the highway/freeway at prevailing speeds.. I have encountered many situations where some idiot has done something stupid which has caused the traffic to suddenly stop or divert... My modern suspension/brakes saved my butt... I stopped in a straight line and/or altered my course without loosing control.. I know my '36 Ford would have went into an uncontrolled skid which would not have resulted in a pretty picture.
Two of my friends have wrecked there early Ford hot rods because they could not stop in a safe manner when the freeway traffic stopped.
If a person wants to drive in the right lane a 50 mph, then the solid axles are fine.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

There seems to be some confusion about the "composite" rear springs I installed. They are semi-elliptic or parallel leafs. Each spring is a single leaf so you can't remove a spring leaf for softer ride. I just don't want to give up on the springs until I have done everything possible to get the ride I want.

The car is a street rod, known as a "resto-rod". All the exterior is original but the driveline is changed. And, as a street rod, the original type "buggy" spring is considered a determent to value. Don't necessarily agree with that consideration, but those are the general beliefs.

The car handles great but the rear is a little too stiff. As a former dirt track raccer, I know what shocks do for ride and handling. Custom valving does solve a lot of problems. What I am using on my car is 4 compression/6 rebound on the front, 5 compression/7 rebound on the rear. And, with custom valving there is no "dead" spot in the shock travel. Most "over the counter" shocks have dead spots especially at low shock speed which leads to bounce when going over a bump in the road.

As a street rod, I need to feel comfortable at 80 MPH highway speeds but yet be comfortable at 50 MPH which is the speed I prefer to run. And yet, If I go into a sharp curve in the road, I want little body roll and to feel in control at all times. This compromise is difficult to obtain but desirable.

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Sanborn,

I had the same feel in the rear. I called the mono spring provider and spoke with them. They traded the spring for a smaller spring rate and the ride now is right on.

I too have been told that I have a restro-rod. Different opinions bring different comments.

I do ride comfortably at 70+ or 50. lol

Fourdy

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

When I talked to Speedway, they told me NOTHING! Would you please tell me WHO to contact! I would change springs in a heartbeat.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

Sanborn,

If your question is to me, I didn't buy from speedway. I bought my mono spring from a corvette parts dealer to fit the corvette rear I installed. I can tell you that I ended up with at 330# spring rate that is just right.

Hope this will help.

Fourdy

Re: Drop Staight Axle vs IFS
 

My two cents. I built a '37 Sedan and learned a ton along the way. I put in a 4" dropped axle (wish I'd gone with a 2"-can't put Unisteer on a 4"). 4 bar front-works great. Disc brake conversion with power brakes-perfect. CE rear parallel leaf kit-perfect. Installed a new firewall to make some room-no problem. It's all FORD with a 351W, C4, and an 8 inch rear. I do all my own work. This car stops when its supposed to, goes like crazy and handles like a dream. Glad to share my experience with you if you need any help. Yeah, I know--it's not stock but it sure is fun!