Mustang II lower A arms

Learpilot · January 26, 2009, 10:36:08 AM

What lower A frames are you using on your Mustang II front end ? I have the stock ones with the strut rod and want to eliminate the strut rod.
I have found a set of tubular uppers and lowers on Ebay for $305.00.
Is this a good price ? I have a Fatman crossmember, do I have to only use theres or will the ones from E bay work A-OK ?
Thanks for your input !!!!

enjenjo · January 26, 2009, 11:45:29 AM

Any of them should fit, not to say you won't have to do minor modification to make it work. Also you should consider a mount on the outside of the A frame, to the frame, to put the bushings in double shear. It makes it about 4 times stronger.

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 26, 2009, 12:05:41 PM

I've got close to 20 years on stock lowers that I boxed on the bottom and am using Pro Shock coil overs, I have the curved strut rod that has a bushing mounted at the end in line with the lower a-arm pivot. Double
shear bracket for it welded to the frame. It has been trouble free.

I've always been leery of the tubular lower unless you can fabricate bullet proof double shear add-ons.

What Frank said.

Charlie

Learpilot · January 26, 2009, 12:45:58 PM

Quote from: "Charlie Chops 1940"I've got close to 20 years on stock lowers that I boxed on the bottom and am using Pro Shock coil overs, I have the curved strut rod that has a bushing mounted at the end in line with the lower a-arm pivot. Double
shear bracket for it welded to the frame. It has been trouble free.

I've always been leery of the tubular lower unless you can fabricate bullet proof double shear add-ons.

What Frank said.

Charlie

I am not sure what you mean by double shear. I only have a AS degree in engineering. I have seen a tube with a gusset that welds to the crossmember, is that what you mean ?
Thank You !!!

papastoyss · January 26, 2009, 03:04:15 PM

I have seen some A arms I wouldn't want to put on my or anyone else's car. Some of these are being made offshore. I bought a set from Jim Weimer Rod Garage for my 40 coupe. He builds them himself, they are all tig welded, & appear to be well made. They do eliminate the strut rod & come with a gusset to brace the x member.

enjenjo · January 26, 2009, 03:18:31 PM

Quote from: "Learpilot"
Quote from: "Charlie Chops 1940"I've got close to 20 years on stock lowers that I boxed on the bottom and am using Pro Shock coil overs, I have the curved strut rod that has a bushing mounted at the end in line with the lower a-arm pivot. Double
shear bracket for it welded to the frame. It has been trouble free.

I've always been leery of the tubular lower unless you can fabricate bullet proof double shear add-ons.

What Frank said.

Charlie
I am not sure what you mean by double shear. I only have a AS degree in engineering. I have seen a tube with a gusset that welds to the crossmember, is that what you mean ?
Thank You !!!

Somewhere i have some pictures, when i find them, I will post them. what it means, as it stands now, the bolt securing the A frame to the crossmember is only supported on one end, so it is only in single shear. The bolt can bend, or break off, or even tear out the crossmember with the forces acting on it. By putting another mount to the frame, on the outside of the A frame, that gets rid of the bending forces, and puts the bolt into double shear, so it's supported on both ends. It's not hard to do, doesn't look bad, and more than doubles the strength.

river1 · January 26, 2009, 03:51:03 PM

here is a pic of what enjenjo is talking about. notice how the rear part of the lower Aarm is mounted

pics borrowed from elpolacko of industrial chassis of phz az and the HAMB

later jim

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 26, 2009, 05:08:15 PM

Good pics Jim.

Actually, what Jim shows is what my setup is like but with a stock lower a-arm, and the double shear bracket is gusseted behind back to the rail and partially boxed up to the frame rail.

Frank's looking for a picture of a lower arm that straddles the lower part of the cross member. I don't have a picture like that.

Charlie

river1 · January 26, 2009, 05:15:31 PM

Quote from: "Charlie Chops 1940"Good pics Jim.Charlie

steve from industrial chassis gets all the credit i just stole the pics from his photobucket site

he's the suspension guru

later jim

Learpilot · January 27, 2009, 10:17:52 AM

Quote from: "river1"
Quote from: "Charlie Chops 1940"Good pics Jim.Charlie

steve from industrial chassis gets all the credit i just stole the pics from his photobucket site he's the suspension guru

later jim

THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO !!!

Topsterguy · January 27, 2009, 10:38:40 PM

Personally I've always liked and believed in Ford's geometry and why the struts are the way they are, so I stayed with the stock struts on my 40 PU. When I think of hitting some of the potholes in roads nowdays, they put a LOT of force on those arms towards the back and that force is taken by the struts, rubbers and a well gusseted strut bracket. When I look at the aftermarket struts that curve and go to the frame I just think there's a lot of force driving against that arm. Just my personal thing, but I just like the proven design I guess!