Moparts
Air Ride suspension?
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Air Ride suspension? - 03/22/13 10:59 PM
Non mopar car Im going to put together for a family cruiser since we will have our first child come the end of May.
Its a 50 Ford. Just wondering if anyone has added airbags to their older cars and how did you tackle the rear mainly. Thanks
Posted By: animal8324
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/22/13 11:07 PM
The world is your oyster on this.
The most common way is a triangulates 4 link or 2 link with wattslink/panhard bar.
I'm doing a jag Irs with airstruts on my full frame custom for performans reasons.
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/23/13 03:11 AM
Yeah I dont need performance as much. Just want a smooth ride and to get it down Low
Posted By: savoy64
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/23/13 01:54 PM
think cheap first----the jag XJ6 is used alot because it is easy----buy a whole car for $500 take off the rear cradle and unbolt the front clip--4 bolts then put it on your rod---crush the rest for $300-------this car will have the best brakes you can find for a 80,s vintage and the rear uses dana 44 gears and is stronger that the corvette setup....bob
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/23/13 03:43 PM
Not my style. Im not into independent rear suspension plus than it would be disc rear drum front and its over $1200 to swap the front to disc
Posted By: savoy64
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/23/13 11:41 PM
actually its all disc, the front has 4 piston calipers--the rear irs is more stable(and stronger) than the vette---but to each his own---most hot rod guys using the jag rear dont even know what the front clip looks like---put one under my 50 hudson (front) and everyone that looked at it said "whats that"....bob
Posted By: poorboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 03:03 AM
A 50 Ford has coil springs all around doesn't it?
If you want air ride, swap out the springs for air bags, run the lines, install the compressor, and related valves and your ready to go.
Hopefully, the brakes on a 50 are a lot better then the brakes on a late 40s Ford were, because they were among the worst brakes you could get on a 40s car. Don't give me the BS abut all those 50 Fords used those brakes for years and they worked fine, because it is not the 50s anymore, and today a person needs better brakes then what was available then, with very few exceptions.
Your life, your car, but I'd upgrade the brakes to modern standards, unless your not going to drive the car on public streets. Gene
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 03:50 AM
A 1950 Ford has 4 wheel drum brakes. If I install the independent rear Id have disc rear drum front.
Leafs rear coils front. Im probably going with a triangulated 4link. They did use drum brakes up into the 70s. Its Not a trod so the drum brakes are Fine. Im not dropping $2500 just to put disc brakes on the front. Not going to stub it either. I don't plan on driving fast in the car.
Posted By: fstfish66
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 05:25 AM
following along intersting topic
Posted By: savoy64
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 03:58 PM
i think that granada/versailles disc brake spindles fit right on the old shoebox(50 ford) balljoints---that is a cheap way to make the car stop better---check with some old ford guys---i have sold a set to a guy that put them on an old fairlane---saved one set too.....bob
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 06:46 PM
No Balljoints till 54. That's why it costs so much to swap to disc. Its a complete control arm swap that converts to balljoints. Its control arms out and their proud of it.
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/24/13 11:26 PM
I easy going to for the Grenada trick on my 57s I had but they were had to find 7yrs ago and Im sure more difficult to locate now.
Posted By: savoy64
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 01:53 AM
i think speedway is carrying new granada spindles because they upgrade the wimpy mustang 2 stuff---also check jalopyjournal.com HAMB for a pictoral of the jag xj6 ifs/irs going onto a 1957 oldsmobile---on my hudson the wheel track was too narrow and i had to use wheel spacers to get my tires further apart---i think you might be surprised at how good it can work---and the XJ6 is a fairly easy crusher car to find if you are near a city anyway....bob
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 02:13 AM
I Don't Like Independent rear suspension
Posted By: poorboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 02:39 AM
Cheapest way to lower that car will be to cut 1 coil off each front coil, and put a set of lowering blocks between the rear axle and the spring. If your OK with the brakes, cut the coils and add the lowering blocks and drive the thing. Lowering blocks will not alter the rear ride at all, just don't get carried away, 1" to 2" max. Cutting one coil off the front springs might make it a little stiffer in the front, but probably not much, as long as the current springs are not shot now.
Air bags and the related hardware is an expensive way to lower a car.
For me, given a choice of spending money on lowering a car or improving brakes, the brakes win hands down. I understand the concern about spending money when things are tight, spend the money for safety equipment rather then on how the car looks. 50s brakes suck compared to modern brakes. Gene
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 06:01 AM
They still use Drum brakes today. They are plenty good. I Will be upgrading the master cylinder however to a dual resivior. I've had the brake line rust through on this car actually and when there's only one Resivior for both front and rear pushing the pedal is useless.
I know how to lower a car. Its getting bagged. I can also by drop spindles for it but their $700 and if I just wanted a static drop Id cut more that a coil out and use a 3" blocks. I didnt ask about brakes or how to just lower the car. I wanted input on adding air ride from somebody who has done it or has had a car with it. No offense intended. I appreciate the concern. If the car was to be a show car Id spend the extra cash when I had it and I do plan on tracking down a nice one later and may do upgrades
Posted By: Mopar Ron
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 07:49 PM
here are some pics of JonsGotaDusta's 40 ply truck that we set up with air bags front and rear. this is a toyota PU chassis but the same rule apply to what you want to do.
he stole from me a 4 bar setup I had around here and we made brakets to use with the stock toyota rearend
we still need to make upper shock mounts but the rear is all finished.
you can get a rear 4 bar setup pretty cheap on ebay
for around $225.00 and use any rear you would like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-Triangulated-...b19&vxp=mtror just the bars for $168.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Four-Bar-Suspens...=item19da52f240if the front is coils just replace then with bags
I would think there are cheaper brake setups available for a 50 ford, I would check around and maybe ask on the hamb for inexpensive brake setups
Ron
anyway here are the pic of Jon's truck...
down
UP
Posted By: dogdays
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 11:53 PM
The rear leaf springs locate the rear so you need something like Ron just showed us, basically you need at minimum two locaters front-to-back and one sideways. Or if you use a four-link with the uppers crossed over the lowers, like Ron's, that'll work. Actually, early '50s Buicks used a torque tube, an enclosed driveshaft connected to the back of the transmission with a spherical joint, and a single Panhard rod to locate the axle sideways.
R.
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 11:54 PM
Thanks. I planned a Triangulated 4 link and the one you posted is a little cheaper. Hopefully they are still available at that price when I have the cash. I dont want to spend more than $200 to put disc on the front do to the drums being Plenty good to stop the car. If they werent they would BAN all pre 70s cars that havent been swapped to disc.
I think my dad mentioned a kit the other day that used stock spindles but it was close to $1000
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/25/13 11:55 PM
another angle
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/26/13 05:24 AM
Jamco seems to have a kit but $500 is still a bit high. I might save up for it but won't rush on it cause the air ride is kinda my main focus.
Posted By: fstfish66
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 06:28 AM
Quote:
here are some pics of JonsGotaDusta's 40 ply truck that we set up with air bags front and rear. this is a toyota PU chassis but the same rule apply to what you want to do.
he stole from me a 4 bar setup I had around here and we made brakets to use with the stock toyota rearend
we still need to make upper shock mounts but the rear is all finished.
you can get a rear 4 bar setup pretty cheap on ebay
for around $225.00 and use any rear you would like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-Triangulated-...b19&vxp=mtr
or just the bars for $168.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Four-Bar-Suspens...=item19da52f240
if the front is coils just replace then with bags
I would think there are cheaper brake setups available for a 50 ford, I would check around and maybe ask on the hamb for inexpensive brake setups Ron
anyway here are the pic of Jon's truck...
down
UP
ron you running toyota running gear ? with the ply body? intresting match using that frame
Posted By: fstfish66
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 06:34 AM
Quote:
Thanks. I planned a Triangulated 4 link and the one you posted is a little cheaper. Hopefully they are still available at that price when I have the cash. I dont want to spend more than $200 to put disc on the front do to the drums being Plenty good to stop the car. If they werent they would BAN all pre 70s cars that havent been swapped to disc.
I think my dad mentioned a kit the other day that used stock spindles but it was close to $1000
not sure what your putting the disc swap on,looks like a 40-50s chassis mopar ?? over on the P15/D24 mopar site a few guys came up with a conversation useing off he shelf parts from a ford explorer,,,they use the original mopar hub,the ford rotor fits with a little cleaning up of the mopar hub,,the ford caliper and they make there own caliper bracket,,,,easy cheap and it works,,,
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 07:53 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Thanks. I planned a Triangulated 4 link and the one you posted is a little cheaper. Hopefully they are still available at that price when I have the cash. I dont want to spend more than $200 to put disc on the front do to the drums being Plenty good to stop the car. If they werent they would BAN all pre 70s cars that havent been swapped to disc.
I think my dad mentioned a kit the other day that used stock spindles but it was close to $1000
not sure what your putting the disc swap on,looks like a 40-50s chassis mopar ?? over on the P15/D24 mopar site a few guys came up with a conversation useing off he shelf parts from a ford explorer,,,they use the original mopar hub,the ford rotor fits with a little cleaning up of the mopar hub,,the ford caliper and they make there own caliper bracket,,,,easy cheap and it works,,,
Opening post states NON mopar. Working on a Ford come summer time
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 07:55 AM
You just gave me an Idea to see what the width differance if with the ford and Toyota pu rears. I know mavericks fit but not sure on toyota
Posted By: fstfish66
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 08:06 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Thanks. I planned a Triangulated 4 link and the one you posted is a little cheaper. Hopefully they are still available at that price when I have the cash. I dont want to spend more than $200 to put disc on the front do to the drums being Plenty good to stop the car. If they werent they would BAN all pre 70s cars that havent been swapped to disc.
I think my dad mentioned a kit the other day that used stock spindles but it was close to $1000
not sure what your putting the disc swap on,looks like a 40-50s chassis mopar ?? over on the P15/D24 mopar site a few guys came up with a conversation useing off he shelf parts from a ford explorer,,,they use the original mopar hub,the ford rotor fits with a little cleaning up of the mopar hub,,the ford caliper and they make there own caliper bracket,,,,easy cheap and it works,,,
Opening post states NON mopar. Working on a Ford come summer time
well if the ford parts works on the mopar hubs, i would guess the same can be done to your 50s ford with the same modern ford explorer parts,modified to fit your ford,,,cheap and easy off the shelf or out of the junk yard for trial fitting
Posted By: 76dodgeboy
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 08:20 AM
possible
Posted By: Mopar Ron
Re: Air Ride suspension? - 03/27/13 06:00 PM
ron you running toyota running gear ? with the ply body? intresting match using that frame
No, just the complete toyota chassis
it has a 318/727 in it now
check out Jon's build here:
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=0#Post6769873