Flipped I beams

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Mar 12, 2000 | 07:06 PM

BigRebel

Thread Starter

Junior User

Joined: Jul 1999

Posts: 89

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From: Nashville USA

Flipped I beams

I was looking at the front end of my truck and thought i could flip the I beams and get about 6" lift. but im unsure about all the camber/caster angles. could i take the beams to a front end shop and have them check & change the angles? My other problem would be the steering angles. does any one make a drop pitman arm or something for it. Oh it has the steering arm behind the I-beams if any one gets confused. For any body that asks why I want to do this is because I live in muding country I need a high truck and 4x4 would be to hard to accoplish.

BigRebel (aka.Mike)
1979 F-100 w/302 & C-4
Icq#1753451
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/2016

Mar 12, 2000 | 07:41 PM

BigBrownTruck

Elder User

Joined: Aug 1999

Posts: 910

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Flipped I beams

I put 16" rims with tires that yeilded 31" inch diameter on my F100's (they started on my 76 and are now on my 69) This raises the truck up a couple of inches and is almost 4X like (well not highboy but like late model 4X4's)

BBT

Mar 12, 2000 | 07:53 PM

BigRebel

Thread Starter

Junior User

Joined: Jul 1999

Posts: 89

Likes: 0

From: Nashville USA

Flipped I beams

After i get my tranny fixed i was thinking on puting 31x10.50x15 Swappers on the back and either 31x9.50x15 or 29x9.50x15 Swappers on the front. then fill the Dana 44 with 3.73's & a lock-right or detroit.

BigRebel (aka.Mike)
1979 F-100 w/302 & C-4
Icq#1753451
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/2016

Mar 16, 2000 | 03:45 PM

RTK64

New User

Joined: Mar 2000

Posts: 15

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Flipped I beams

Mar 16, 2000 | 07:55 PM

Trail_Rider

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Nov 1999

Posts: 1,415

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From: Lower 48

Flipped I beams

Here's a theory I've been playing with for what it's worth...

Get a set of I-Beams off of a later model truck with adjustable upper and lower ball joints (?) cut the I-Beams off of the spindles. Take the spindles to an alignment shop and have them set to zero caster and camber - a neutral setting. Take them home and mount a set of wheels (no tires) to them. Get the inside measurements off of your existing setup. Get a piece of I-Beam cut to that length. Take the rims that have the spindles attached to them and set them inside a piece of channel to ensure they are true to one another. Weld your I-Beam between them. Once you get your new axle mounted to the truck take it to an alignment shop to have the proper caster and camber dialed in. You should be able to mount it up with your existing spring setup without too much trouble. This should give you 3-4" I'm thinking. The other side effect of this is it should be a fairly sturdy setup with a fairly recent front end parts. Again this is just my 2c worth.

Trail Rider

Mar 16, 2000 | 09:22 PM

jowilker

Fleet Owner

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 24,552

Likes: 74

From: Creedmoor, North Carolina

Flipped I beams

Hey TR, my engineering degree don't go that high.

John

66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.

Mar 16, 2000 | 10:49 PM

Nod

Elder User

Joined: Nov 1999

Posts: 796

Likes: 3

From: Anderson Northern Ca

Flipped I beams

Hi Big Rebel, back in 76 I had the front of my 72 f100 raised 3.5". I had the I Beams cut at the kingpin & back about 1.5"past the jog in the I Beam.Then the jog was cut out and new metal welded in its place. The position of the outer section of the I Beam is reatached in a 3.5" lower position than stock netting 3.5" of lift. Then I had them add stock 1 ton springs and 3/4 ton backing plates & brakes as I had already swapped in a Dana 60 in the rear. After the shop rewelded the 3/4 ton kingpins back to the original specks and assembled all the new parts they sent it off to an alignment shop.The best thing about the lift is you dont have to change any of the steering because all that is changed is outside the steering connection and that stays the same. I was able to stuff 12.50 16.5s under all the wheel wells and the truck still looks and handles great and the ride is superb!!!!!. Hope this helps.
bowties in the rearview mirror