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For that Ultimate Sweptline Build #2545627
09/04/18 01:38 PM
09/04/18 01:38 PM
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dogdays Offline OP
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I stumbled upon this this morning, it is pricey but very nice.
http://gerstsuspensions.com/products/gts-ifs/

No more pirating suspensions from Crown Vics! Or Diplomats! Or Dakotas!

R.

Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: dogdays] #2545690
09/04/18 03:30 PM
09/04/18 03:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Central Florida
Wow, isn't that cool! I know the suspension improved greatly after '71, but I wish they offered that through at least 1980.

TruckRandP.jpg
Last edited by larrymopar360; 09/04/18 03:32 PM.

Facts are stubborn things.
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: dogdays] #2545693
09/04/18 03:31 PM
09/04/18 03:31 PM
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Posts: 1,060
Atlanta, GA
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mgoblue9798 Offline
super stock
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Atlanta, GA
That is a little rich for my blood. Costs a good bit more than the truck itself would.

Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: mgoblue9798] #2545694
09/04/18 03:34 PM
09/04/18 03:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Originally Posted By mgoblue9798
That is a little rich for my blood. Costs a good bit more than the truck itself would.
Yeah, but that's a beefy kit that would last a lifetime. So if you owned a truck that was your baby and was going to be kept for a lifetime, I can definitely see spending the money.

Last edited by larrymopar360; 09/04/18 03:41 PM.

Facts are stubborn things.
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: dogdays] #2545913
09/04/18 11:28 PM
09/04/18 11:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,483
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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It might be a beefy kit, but the ball joints, tie rod ends, springs and shocks, and the rack will still wear out in time.

I can swap a lot of real car and truck suspension systems from junk yards with everything rebuilt into a Swepty for a lot less money then that kit. Gene

Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: poorboy] #2545978
09/05/18 02:03 AM
09/05/18 02:03 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 954
garnett kansas
rhad Offline
super stock
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garnett kansas
ive heard the crown vic front suspension works well in a sweptline


my ladder of success is missing some rungs
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: poorboy] #2546160
09/05/18 02:16 PM
09/05/18 02:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Originally Posted By poorboy
It might be a beefy kit, but the ball joints, tie rod ends, springs and shocks, and the rack will still wear out in time.

I can swap a lot of real car and truck suspension systems from junk yards with everything rebuilt into a Swepty for a lot less money then that kit. Gene
I'd bet I would get well over 100,000 miles out of everything on there. Of course everything wears out over time! But the performance from this system has to be factored in too. Your time and effort is $$$ as well. And, for people like myself who don't have the time nor the ability to build their own, I think this is a great option. It would so GREATLY improve the ride and handling of that gen truck. That brake upgrade alone is worth plenty.


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: larrymopar360] #2546249
09/05/18 04:01 PM
09/05/18 04:01 PM
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Posts: 16,376
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dogdays Offline OP
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If we spent only what we really needed, we'd all be driving Hyundai Accents.

Compare the cost to:
A new engine
5 or 6-speed transmission or OD automatic
A decent paint job
etc.

Gerst has an excellent reputation. The suspension was designed specially for this vehicle. The suspension was designed to work correctly.

The last Ford Panther platform has a very nicely unitized front suspension which I believe is a little too wide, so one has to use wheels with the center way out by the outside. They look kind of goofy. But it probably has very good geometry.

I've made many long trips in my '64Dog and it is work to drive 600 - 900 miles in a day. It would have been much easier with a decent independent front suspension.

R.

Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: larrymopar360] #2546488
09/06/18 12:41 AM
09/06/18 12:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,802
Between Houston & Galveston TX
SattyNoCar Offline
Smarter than no class Flappergass by a mile
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Between Houston & Galveston TX
Originally Posted By larrymopar360
Originally Posted By poorboy
It might be a beefy kit, but the ball joints, tie rod ends, springs and shocks, and the rack will still wear out in time.

I can swap a lot of real car and truck suspension systems from junk yards with everything rebuilt into a Swepty for a lot less money then that kit. Gene
I'd bet I would get well over 100,000 miles out of everything on there. Of course everything wears out over time! But the performance from this system has to be factored in too. Your time and effort is $$$ as well. And, for people like myself who don't have the time nor the ability to build their own, I think this is a great option. It would so GREATLY improve the ride and handling of that gen truck. That brake upgrade alone is worth plenty.


I'm no suspension expert (not even a keyboard one wink ) but, one major thing I see going for this kit are the use of actual production type bushings, tie rods, etc, etc. Look at other after market kits, a majority of them use heim joints, Is a heim joint in a harsh environment (re: something that gets driven) gonna last 100K miles or even a third of that?

And, they claim no hacking on the truck's frame. With a Crown Vic swap, doesn't the frame have to modified to allow the cross member to sit properly?

twocents


John

The dream is dead, long live the dream.......😥
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: dogdays] #2547338
09/07/18 07:48 PM
09/07/18 07:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
Stud Muffin
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Central Florida
Originally Posted By dogdays
If we spent only what we really needed, we'd all be driving Hyundai Accents.

Compare the cost to:
A new engine
5 or 6-speed transmission or OD automatic
A decent paint job
etc.

Gerst has an excellent reputation. The suspension was designed specially for this vehicle. The suspension was designed to work correctly.

The last Ford Panther platform has a very nicely unitized front suspension which I believe is a little too wide, so one has to use wheels with the center way out by the outside. They look kind of goofy. But it probably has very good geometry.

I've made many long trips in my '64Dog and it is work to drive 600 - 900 miles in a day. It would have been much easier with a decent independent front suspension.

R.

Well written. My '67 D100, as much as I loved that truck, was so harsh on the road to say the least. Over even small bumps was really bad, and brakes were awful too. This system encompasses everything and as written, it's built for truck. That's huge! Also, if you've driven a Crown Vic, definitely nothing to brag about. Even our Police package ones are way too softly sprung and float over the road and leave a whole lot to be desired. They are dinosaurs now. And look at those tubular UCA's and the huge brakes, along with the steering shaft and other obviously high quality stuff.

On a side note, in mechanics school, my instructor said when he was in the Air Force, they used that gen Dodge truck (straight axle), and they used to get them into alignment with a sledge hammer, lol.


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: dogdays] #2547397
09/07/18 10:22 PM
09/07/18 10:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,483
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
The last Sweptline truck we did we just swapped the frame from a 78 Dodge 1/2 ton in place of the 70 1/2 ton frame. We didn't have any issues and it worked great.
Its a different time now, anything older then a 94 is gone from yards, and I'm not real impressed with the modern chassis. I guess the subframe would be a huge improvement, its just getting past the upfront cost. The strange thing is it doesn't bother me a bit to shell out $1,000 for a stand alone EFI harness. Must be the welder in me. Gene

Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: poorboy] #2548733
09/11/18 12:54 PM
09/11/18 12:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 34,828
S.E. South Dakota !
bigdad Offline
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S.E. South Dakota !
I bought one of Carls fronts for my Belvedere , it was / is a nice piece and works and fit perfect


The front on my Sweptline was built by Fatman , 15 years later, still works perfect

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The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.Proverbs 18:6
Re: For that Ultimate Sweptline Build [Re: bigdad] #2549245
09/12/18 03:32 PM
09/12/18 03:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,376
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dogdays Offline OP
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Fatman is one of the OGs.

R.







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