62 Falcon - $5k challenge, how will it rise from the ranger's ashes?

[Mater]

idk that does not seem to be worth the money

now is it strong enough no idea i am not a suspention engineer

[Russell]

No more shock towers? Really? So the go ahead plan is for a Mustang II front suspension?

That kit does look a bit chinzy for the $$. Notice that one rear hanger has a triagulated bit in it and the other does not? I've seen that style on street cars before, and I suppose they work okay, but they still look weak to my eye.

to me it looks like both would have the triagulated bit its just only on side of each. See the heat mark on the one you can not see the bit? I bet it would hit the frame it you gussed on both sides.

[Mater]

At what point would it be easier to replace the rear fame rail with square tubing shifted over? Could you just add another frame rail inside the stock one to mount the rear shackel?

that is how i would go about it

[Russell]

lol just back half it already!

I love scope creep!

[milner351]

Stiney - the gusset is facing away from you in the picture - I took a double take at that too. Considering the kit comes with the aluminum "bushings" sized for the factory tube in the frame rail, etc, I do give them some credit, they have to eat too.

Russell - you're right I was looking at it wrong - the "off set" shackle in the crites kit is probably equivalent to the stock shackle height.

Yes - the plan several guys have used on the tffn.net board is as you've stated - effectively putting a new short section of ~2" frame rail parallel to and welded to the factory frame rail, additional strength could also be offered by putting some heavy gauge sheet metal or 1/8" plate across the area of trunk floor above the spring and welding it into the factory frame and new frame from the top.

Crites would sell allot more stuff if they'd put better pictures and instructions on their site. I assume from looking at the kit that the front spring mounts are designed to fit inside the factory frame rail and the radius cut on the open end follows the curvature of the frame rail as it rises up over the axle.

YES - after much deliberation it came down to a matter of economics..... Matt got the M2 kit so darned cheap I couldn't pass it up.
Rebuilding my stock steering box, buying new granada rotors and calipers, and a v8 falcon center link - would cost more than what he stole er um bought the kit for. It's more time though, and I will have to modify the stock steering column to deal with the rack and pinion - however - this removes the "spear of death" aspect of the factory one piece column. With any luck - the tri - y headers will have no issues with the rack.

[STINEY]

At what point would it be easier to replace the rear fame rail with square tubing shifted over? Could you just add another frame rail inside the stock one to mount the rear shackel?

^^^
THIS has lots of merit. I'd add to it to run leaf spring rear sliders instead of hangers, which has the benefit of keeping the fenderwell lip off the tires, as they do not let the ride height change nearly as much as hangers do. And with the Falcon having rear tire clearance room at a premium, this could help lots.

If I remember correctly, a panhard bar isn't used with them either? If so, that further simplifies (and cheapens) things.

[milner351]

Stiney I've seen something of what you speak but don't recall the vendor - they replace the shackle with a roller set up where the rear of the leaf is captured not allowing any deflection side to side, but allows the spring to "roll" in a track basically forward and back as the spring arch changes during suspension movement.....

Removing the rear most part of the factory rail and replacing it with a piece of 2x2 or 2x3 tubing maybe feasible, need to look at it and see how much of the run is straight and where the rail moves over in its' rearward travel - to figure out where the new tube would graft into the existing.

[STINEY]

I did a little searching for you.....its AFCO and CDMBill here just put a set on his '71 mustang. Here's a link to the page on his thread http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt...nd-time)/page5

I'll even steal his picture for tutorial purposes on your thread, future readers might benefit too.

[gearhed1971]

side outlet exhaust is cool

X2!!

[gearhed1971]

Ah the balance, time, money, effort, etc.

Crites makes a relocation kit that I don't like - $160.

There is a compromise....

From the factory the falcon leaf springs are outboard of the frame in the front, and straddle the frame in the rear (the frame curves as it goes up and over the axle and toward the back)

Some guys move the springs all the way to the other side of the frame - making the springs mount flush to the inboard instead of outboard side of the roughly 2" wide frame rail.... moving them 4" in on each side.

The other option is to cut into the frame rail and locate the front spring eye centered on the front frame rail, basically "inside" the front frame rail, moving them over 2". This is probably the best compromise from a packaging stand point - as it does not encroach into the muffler area under the back seat and it leaves more room for tail pipes (still puts the tailpipes close to the gas tank).

If I wanted to capture the 70's vibe - I could put the front of the leafs UNDER the frame rail lowering them about 2-3" inches and effectively raising the rear end of the car that much. But if I'm going to do that - I might as well radius the wheel wells for the 15x10 slots I have, wrap them in N50-15 M/T's and put side pipes on it. ;-)

Oh GOD no, please don't radius those beautiful rear wheel wells