Bigten, suspension opinion

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
BigTen.


I'm up in VA working on dads 47 Chevy truck. Radiator is leaking but thats easy.

Your opinion on the suspension below, particuarly the up angle of the front lower control arms.

Details: 26 year old build. Pinto/MII front suspnsion, so, 78 to 80s style control arms/springs, etc. Springs are 9/16 inch, eg the v8 weight. 305/th350 sitting over it all. Some light bump steer but not too bad. manual rack.

My thoughts are the 26 year old front coil springs have taken a heavy set and either need a spacer or replaced to bring the lower arms and hence the tie rods back to something closer to parallel with the pavement at ride height.

Your thoughts?


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Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I'm not bigten, but i would agree with your assessment, unless raising it would make the vehicle not look right.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
As was stated, not Big Ten but I would either replace them or put the dish spacers on the top. They probably were cut during the build. And as you stated, they have took a set. No doubt with normal driving the geometry of that would be terrible soon as you hit a bump.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Thx. Just met the folks at American classic. He concurs angle described as potentially severe. We like them and have a March appt for review and some r&r. Possibly convert to ps at that time.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Those joints will not live long at that angle. They look like the angle is ready to eat them soon.
Many spring builders out there will build springs for you.
Just need to send them the info needed and the ride height.
Did that on a Dodge with coil springs.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I think they've settled a lot over 26 years. For sure they are hard on the joints! Hard to hold the bumpsteer too
That was what I was looking at, the bumpsteer factor. I am sure your dad probably doesn't or wouldn't get rough with it but that looks like it could get dangerous. May even in a bad enough hump separate a joint, for sure would bend a rod. For sure needs addressing.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I agree. Plus he's 80 and it's getting harder to maneuver manual steering with that small steering wheel, so he's slowly getting serious about power steering....big change for him. He came up on standard trannies and heavy steering. Slow to change but moving the right direction I think.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Sorry, just saw your post. You are correct, springs have sagged and need to be replaced or retempered. Replacement would be less of a headache. Too much angle there creating several issues. If you have a way to scale the front wheels, that would be perfect to figure spring weight needed. Without scales, you will have to calculate front end weight to come up with the correct balance.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks. I think the shop I found for dad can run the calculation. Ill check before his appointment. Hope we found a place he can trust when I cant be here.
 
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