Are you giving that to us? How generous of you! When can we pick it up?

 

Thank you! We are going to put the CV front end up for sale soon and put that back into the truck.

 

Well, no peer pressure here. I am perfectly fine with rebuilding the OEM just as long as I can incorporate disc brakes.

 

Thanks Sam! We aren't really looking for comfort. Just more concerned with safety. Sounds like OEM will give us what we need.

 

Adding power steering to the beam axle is easy as well. If you don't have one already give Classic Haulers a call and request one of their very useful free catalogs there is a lot more info in it than just parts. Home - Classic Haulers F-1 Parts
Great people to work with too!

 

I'm glad I don't fall into the "most" category because neither ego nor peer pressure were the deciding factors into why I did an IFS conversion on my F1 using a Heidt's crossmember and tubular a-arms for $1700 shipped to my door, which included a sway bar and stainless braided brake lines. For me it was first going through the full rebuild of the OEM beam axle, driving on it, and concluding that there were definitely areas in which it fell short, for me at least. One area was turning radius it's simply better with IFS due to modern design and geometry built in. Secondly was control and stability perhaps it was the power steering kit I put on the beam axle but it seemed to like to dart around quickly and suffer from excessive bump steer most noticeably at speeds above 45mph and I did have it professionally aligned. For the IFS I opted for a manual steering rack on mine so it requires some effort to turn at a standstill but moving it's no problem. Lastly was just the stance I wanted to achieve yeah you can do a drop axle but then your still riding on bouncy leaves with brass bushings in them. I completed the IFS swap, a rear semi-universal 4link, and swapped in a 200 4R overdrive transmission in place of a th350 as well as some other odds and ends in just under 6 weeks from teardown to cruising down the road but I do have a lot of free time on my hands and confidence in my skills. I wrenched consistently every weekend and just about every night after work from 5:30-10pm and never during or after the swap did I think I should've just kept the beam axle. I couldn't be happier with the result. There's nothing wrong with a beam axle it just wasn't for me. The best advice I can offer is shop around, read what others have to say about each type of suspension, if at all possible drive both types yourself or at least ride in both but if you like to go "fast" on any imperfect public road surface that isn't a smooth drag strip(I threw that in for the gasser style cars and trucks that run beam axles), you can't beat IFS. Just know what you're getting into and know you can safely and confidently complete the measuring, aligning, checking, double checking, triple checking, and final welding, or have somebody in mind that you know can perform all these things competently before you order the parts.

 

I agree with you 100%. It was neither ego nor peer pressure that caused me to put IFS under two Bonus Built trucks over the past 10 years either. Having previously owned a 32 and a 36 Ford both with straight axles, I was very familiar with their choppy ride characteristics and handling and there was NO WAY I wanted that on my trucks so I put Chrysler torsion bar suspensions under both. I was very happy with the nice soft ride.

 

Ordered! Thanks!

 

I read through your build post and think we would like to use it as a blue print for ours (your phase 1). If we are fortunate enough to get it drivable after that, I will let some driving time dictate future enhancements.

Since we started from the same basic platform, would you recommend taking it down to the frame as you did? I would like to and think it would be a great learning experience for us as well as making it easier to rebuild the front end, brake lines, installing engine, trans etc. If you have any words of wisdom in the tear down, it would be appreciated.

 

If your frame is fairly clean and you can clearly see there is no damage or stress cracks I would say a full teardown isn't necessary but with these trucks there really isn't much to pulling them apart in 3 major sections. The front clip, after you pull the hood, can come off in one piece, then the bed, and finally the cab itself.

I went down to the frame for two reasons the first so I knew exactly what I was starting with and I just like a clean frame for any future work. Mine had a good layer of grime, dirt, and dust built up and I also cleaned up many other parts in the process, the grill for example. Secondly my true definition of a "ratrod" isn't a vehicle cobbled together with misfit junkyard parts but rather a vehicle with an original exterior patina but underneath everything is fresh, clean, and reliable and has close to as much thought, time, and effort into the build as you'd find in a polished show car minus the paint and bodywork.

Keep in mind, depending on how much rust any of the parts have that you'll be replacing many of the nuts and bolts if you do pull each section apart individually, mine was about 50/50 where 50% of the fasteners came apart easily and 50% locked up immediately and twisted the bolt in half.

But my advice is if you're going to pull all the suspension etc...to rebuild or replace you might as well clean up the frame nicely while it's apart because chances are you won't want to pull it apart again later once you start installing any new or rebuilt components. I get lazy at times with certain things but try not to be where it'll come back and bite me later. I used a large angle grinder with a stiff wire cup style brush to strip the frame, be sure to wear a dust mask and eye protection and probably lay a tarp under the frame because it makes a ton of dust and debris. And as you mentioned before every process you can do yourself is a learning experience no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at the time so it may be worth it in that respect alone.

 

In your pics, I see your frame was "orange" and then black. Did you treat it with POR/KBB and then a coat of paint?

 

The orange was just rustoleum automotive rattle can primer, there wasn't any rust in the metal itself aside from a bit of superficial surface rust behind the spring hangers I found later after I pulled them for the new suspension. I did several coats of primer followed by several coats of top coat until I had full consistent coverage.

The original frame coating was like a sort of epoxy paint and kept the metal sealed very well, but was also a little tough to strip, it was somewhat malleable and would smear slightly from the wire brush rather than chip or scrape off easily. I wiped it down with acetone after the wire brush and before primer as well.

The black top coat was just rustoleum semi gloss or gloss rattle can, I forget exactly which I used but it formed a fairly durable finish that is easily touched up just don't let brake fluid leak on it as it quickly wrinkles up and will wipe clean off.

 

Don't know if this has been covered, but if you go with an IFS ( I like Mustang II based), be sure to have the frame straightened. Once everything is stripped off the frame, take lots of measurements diagonally across from a frame rivet or hole and match it to the other side. I had to have mine straightened and without it any good IFS is not going to work as well as it could.
I used an angle grinder with a wire cup also..easier to have it sand blasted. It's a lot of work.

 

Sand blasted.......I need to get this thing stripped down quick before our "monsoon/dust storm" season starts here in Arizona! Leave the frame sitting out in the driveway.....

 

Well I can check Arizona off places to move to...