Some time in the fast few months I read a post either on this forum or another about 2003 and later Ford Crown Victoria front suspensions and their use in early F100 trucks. The info that was presented said that these IFS's were a "bolt-in" assembly and could be removed from the donor car easily. It also said that the hub-to-hub width matched the F100 to within 1/10 of an inch. I have gone back and searched for this post in every forum that I could recall and have yet to find it...does anyone else have any info on this IFS or better yet, has anyone actually installed one in their F100?

 

Here ya go

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...o-67-f100.html

 

Yes I saw it too and also can not find it now. I think I printed it and will look when I get home and post. I do remember that it is too wide for f1 and early F100 (?). The one shown was in a twin I beam truck that would have a wider track.

 

Thanks Sparky...I can't believe how this thread has grown in such a short time! I got a line on a low mileage 2007 CV that was rear-ended but the frontend is complete and undamaged.

 

No problem..... I read it a few times and was thinking if only the PO hadn't installed the Volare clip.............. although I really like it.....but 80's technology compared to 2006...............

 

Way to go Sparky!!! I envy/love you guys who are computer savvy!! I cant seem to figure out how to use the search feature?? It eventually comes up, but even if I do remember exactly the title, I cant find it right away.

Again, GOOD work Sparky!! I LOVE this place!!

 

I am sorry you must heave me confused with some one else
I had it bookmarked or I would never have found it either

 

CharlieLed,

I believe that the 03-up is going to be to wide. You are going to have something peculiar with your wheel offset to get them under the fenders.

 

That's a good point...I am going down to the wrecking yard this AM to take some measurements and to have a look at the actual suspension components. If the A-arms have enough length to them to accomodate it then I could have them shortened to bring the track width in a bit. The other thing I should add is that this suspension is going into my 1950 Merc sled and not my truck...but I will have the same problem with it as the truck as the track widths are similar. Thanks for the heads-up...

 

OK...so I'm back from the junk yard and got to look at an 2004 and a 2007 side by side. First of all the car was jacked up off the ground and so there was no weight on the front suspension...not sure how relevant this is (shouldn't throw off the measurements too much) but when you see the measurements you may want to rein in your enthusiasm. The flange to flange measurement I got was 67-3/4 inches...it is 15-11/16 inches from the outside of the frame to the flange...from the center of the crossmember mounting bolt to the flange is 18 inches.
Another observation...the 2004 a-arms were cast aluminum, the 2007 were stamped steel. The 2007 had some damage to the right wheel and when I looked at the suspension behind the wheel I saw that the lower a-arm was bent and the ball joint in the upper a-arm had pulled right out. Not sure if that has any bearing on the durability of the suspension components or whether it was just an indication of the force of the impact. I took a number of pics if anyone cares to see this suspension as installed on a car that had all the sheetmetal stripped off it.

 

So how much too wide is it ? I should just go out to the shop, dig out the tape, crawl under and measure the 53 but I am lazy
I still would like to see the pics though.

 

Care must be taken when using terms like "track width" and "flange-to-flange" width. Track width is easily manipulated through the use of different backspacing/offsets on the wheels. But to start with a given flange-to-flange width is to lock yourself into a minimum backspace for your wheels. For example:
I just did a quick measure of my 56 F100 to outer fender edges at the axle line...it is around 75 inches. If you deduct off the 67 inch suspension width that means that you have 8 inches play across the frontend or 4 inches on each side. So let's make some sense of these numbers...with the Crown Vic suspension mounted on my truck I would have 4 inches from the wheel mounting flange to the outer edge of the fender. Naturally I don't want the tire to extend to the OUTER edge so deduct off 2 inches to keep the tire on the INSIDE of the fender. Now I have only 2 inches to spare. In that 2 inches I have to squeeze in the center of the wheel, whatever offset to get from the wheel center out to the bead of the rim, and whatever bulge there is in the tire. Now that's tight!
Here is a pic that I took today of a 2007 Crown Vic wheel mounted on the car. Take a look at the depth (or lack thereof) of the wheel, it is almost flat across. Look at the brake caliper through the opening in the wheel...I didn't measure how far it was from the bead to the brake caliper but I can tell from the photo that it is very tight.
Here's the point to this discussion...I am not saying that this swap won't work but what I am pointing out is that IF you do this swap be aware that you will be locked into some very strict clearances when it comes to wheels. No steelies with baby moons and no Cragars with any sort of offset unless you are willing to flare your fenders...

 

That was my point as well Charlie. Your last paragraph. I probably more than anyone would love for this BOLT on FOMOCO IFS to work in a 53-56 but I just believe you are going to run into wheel clearance or limited wheel selection with unique offsets to get everything to work. Shoot I love my pre- Rack and Pinion Front steer Crown Vic clip. It just floats down the road.

 

OK thanks.......maybe the current Volare/American Racing rims I have isn't that bad.............Besides it is already done and driving

 

I'm with Donald on this one, I just love my Town Car IFS. It rides and drives better than I ever expected.