I had heard that an Aerostar front suspension is an easy swap. Does anybody know if there are specific years for the doner Aerostar or will all work?

66rex

 

Yes the aerostar is about a bolt in with some fabrication, as much as a Panther chassis Late model Crown Vic. The aerostar is a steel unit where as the CV is a cast aluminum unit. The first generation flat nose units were used and they are getting pretty hard to find as most have been scrapped. These are a good source for a AOD shifter as it was floor mounted.

There are much better options out there.

Dakota Kits : Industrial Chassis Inc.

WIDE RIDE IFS - COILOVER-No Limit Engineering

Some of the better ones,

Garbz

 

garbz,

I thought I read that the Aerostar front suspension was "bolt" in with some shims. Can you describe the better options out there and what is involved in installing a CV front suspension?

Thanks

66rex

 

sorry garbz2, I didn't see you included the links. I'd still like to know a brief description about a CV installation. I was leaning towards the AEROSTAR because I assumed a narrower track (still confirming this).

66rex

 

I would like to see the difference between the AWD front clip vs the rwd front clip. I think it would be really cool to have a lower profile awd truck. I realize it is not up the the standards of the true 4wd system, but for the couple times I would use it it would really be nice.

 

I am also looking to do the front swap, but I am working on a 63. Are there any that are truly bolt on with no welding, or do all of them have a bit of fab work to do?

 

As a former professional suspension Builder/Installer i would not recommend the Crown Vic to my worst enemy. The CV uses shims just like the Aerostar and requires a fabricated rear lower a arm mount. I have issues with using a cast aluminum cross member designed for a extremely rigid frame structure on a non rigid "flexing" ladder type truck frame. I saw a movie starring Jimmy Stewart in my youth and have not gotten over aluminum and cyclic metal fatigue since. Failure is a mathematical certainty.

Nothing is a truly bolt in. Everything out there requires a bit of fabrication or modifications.

The Dakota based IC kit has taken most of the thinking out of the process (tab a into slot a) and allows the truck to retain the GRVW it left the factory with for towing or loads in the bed. This is the only kit on the market to allow this.

Each kit is custom designed to fit the frame application of the year truck you have. You can also retain your 5 on 5.5 ford truck pattern by using D150 rotors and calipers that area direct bolt swap to the Dakota early or late spindles.

Another used suspension is to use a JAG unit. I have even seen early 80s Volvo units installed.

Garbz

 

Aerostar shares the same track width as the 61 to 77 trucks.

The aerostar also has a inside rail width of about 34 1/4 inches and fits almost snug to the rails once you cut off all the unitized inner rail sections. .

The Dakota is also the same track width as the 1 to 77 trucks.

Garbz

 

If Im going to a junkyard for the dakota, What years should I look for?

 

Also as I have the 292, the motor mounts won't fit with the 351 I'm swapping out. Will the dakota have them or will i have to fab them. Sorry for the dumb questions. I just want to get as many questions answered before I start chopping up the truck. Thanks

 

Have you thought about the Jaguar front suspension swap?

It comes in 2 different widths, and if you want to has IRS. Plus whole cars can be had for less then $700 often in my area. I almost got a whole runner for $650 with a fairly low mile 350 sbc for my DD. It wasn't smog legal, and they come up like that a fair bit too.

 

84 to 96 on the Suspension components, Start of the run until the redesign. look for a 4 cylinder truck as these will have the springs you need. These yard sourced components bolt to a new cross member that Steve Makes. Early units have a five lug and later have six, but you can source 88 D150 Caliper, Caliper bracket and rotors and keep your ford truck pattern.

You need the upper and lower A arms, spindles and rack ( most had power steering).

Call Steve at IC and he can give you all the skinny and supply you with engine mounts for the Windsor. He can also guide you on how to hook up a column to the rack.

Here is a facebook post of one of Steves units about to be installed in a 63

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3192640&type=1

Garbz

 

he does not make the crossmembers for the twin i beam trucks just yet. only the straight axle trucks. ive seen the no limit in person at sema, looks nive and heavy duty.

matt

 

I am getting ready to start a 63 uni for my son and we are using the Jag front IFS and also the rear IRS in it. This should be a fun project. The Jag was cheap, paid $800 for the complete car and hope to get back $4-500 in parts and keep the front and rear suspension along with the bucket seats.
The Jag has 4 piston calipers in the front and 2 piston calipers in the rear.

Kevin

 

Thanks, but I already have a Thunderbird IRS and am waiting for the kit to put it in. I'm leaning toward the Aerostar front end.

666rex