check list before first freeway trip...

[billy]

When I first get a car built I drive it around the neighborhood in ever increasing circles. Once the bugs are worked out of it I just get in and go. The only thing I bring along is a Diet Pepsi.

yep
a coffee
AAA premier card ,a little money and a phone.
since i dont have a gas gauge i have a 2 gallon spare can of gas in the back.

 

[mashori]

I'm happy to report I'm in one piece after the trip but there were problems.

The first stretch if the drive was great, stayed in the slow lane. However the car started doing the bouncing thing that those import modified cars do when they cut their springs. The front would bounce up and as it would go down the rear would bounce up....it was a pretty good bounce which knocked off one of my trailer lights and that shattered. The rest of the car did really well however I had to take the streets to my destination.

I should have pulled over and gotten a tow truck but I was very close so I just took the streets with just one set of tail lights working and of course it was day time. However, in hind sight I shouldn't have done that, wasn't the responsible rat rod thing to do...

 

[zpi28]

Good to hear you made it back home on its own power. Now you have a idea what needs to be done. Good Luck.

 

[Bamamav]

That's great Mo! I told you that you would be driving before I would!

 

[donsrods]

What do you think is causing the ride issue ? I just looked over all the pictures of your car that you posted previously, and here are some things that I see which might be contributing to the problem:

I am not a fan of those kinds of coil overs that you used. I know a lot of guys use them, but they really are more for motorcycles and things like that, rather than a car.

I see no panhard bar on the rear end. I realize you triangulated the radius rods, but I would still put a panhard on there if it were mine. The way it is setup allows for a lot of potential movement side to side.

I see you are using the quarter eliptic front springs as the lower radius rods. Doing it that way allows the front end to change caster as the front end rises and falls. Springs are not really made to be locators, especially on the front end.

Hope you don't mind the suggestions, but I know you want to get this thing on the road and enjoy it.

Don

 

[mashori]

The info is great. I've been thinking about a pan hard bar. What kind of front end do you recommend? I actually didn't do a lot of research about those rear shocks.

 

[Bamamav]

I wondered about that front spring setup when I first saw the pics of it. Mo bought the truck as a roller then finished it. I was wondering what would keep the springs from pulling out of the rear mounts. I asked him about it on another board we're both on.

 

[mashori]

I don't think they could get pulled out but they could come loose and that would cause the front end to swing up quite a bit.....

I've been thinking about drilling a whole right through the center and putting a bolt to pass through leaves but don't know if that would really do a whole lot.

I figure the bouncing I get is because of those rear shocks and perhaps the length of the car. I fixed the broken tail lights and drove it again and got the same bouncing and as I sped up the bouncing went away which makes me think the road bumps they built into the freeways just happen to be the right distance to cause my car to "import bounce".

 

[bob w]

In a setup like yours, with no shackle, the pivot point of the spring and the bar should be on a vertical line. The spring pivots, or flexes at the front u-bolt. How much travel does the front end have? If it is an inch or two, the amount of caster change should be minimal.

I've built one front like yours and also a rear suspension of the same design. They both worked fine.

I just went through the pics on your build thread. The rear spring set up is not a problem. Those parts are sold by most of the drag race component manufacturers. I have the same set up on my Anglia, purchased from Chris Alston Chassis Works. Can you bounce the rear end by hand? Biggest problem I see is the ladder bars are in single shear but that shouldn't cause your problem.

I suggest you start by measuring everything. Wheelbase side to side. A diagonal measurement across the frame or wheels. Check caster. Disconnect the front link on one side to see if there is a bind in the adjustment. Is there much steering wheel play? Make sure there isn't a separated ply in a tire. Make sure the front end or rear end aren't angled or offset to one side.

In general it looks like a pretty well built chassis. The steering arm looks shaky though from what I can see in the picture.

 

[mashori]

I checked the back and there is very little travel due to a little problem that I missed somehow... maybe you guys can see it in the pic but the trailing arm is right under the frame rail so the diff housing can only travel 0.5" before hitting it...

here is a view from the top and where it's been hitting the frame...

 

[billy]

oh yeah
all my vehicles have a can of fix-a-flat behind the seat.

 

[offroadrolls]

I've been reading this thread

and wanted to throw something out there in regards to the bounce. I'm not sure about the rear but the front looks like ya got too much spring, it's too ridged. Maybe you're bouncing on your tires. I'd try airing down your tires to about 18 or 20 lbs. and see what happens. [S

 

[Bamamav]

You're gonna have to move that bracket inboard a bit to keep it away from the frame. Might be able to heat and bend it over enough to clear.

 

[jfg455]

On the rear you can try just moving the rear shocks up one mount and see if it smooths out. Might keep it from hitting the frame.