Independent Front Suspension

[adamls]

IFS, is it worth it? Who has the best setup/cost? I was looking at ECE to rebuild my front end new and it looks to be about the same cost either way.

[Fast68Chevy]

for a 67-72 ? we already have IFS, ever since 1963..

losted ?

[turmoline]

i put it on my truck. I weighed out the costs as well. I bought the hub to hub kit from fat man fab. Comes with tubular A-arms, 11" rotors, crossmember. You'll have to notch the frame, run a different steering shaft, make your own motor mounts, and shorten the steering column. Iam going for the lowered look. The spindle center line is 2" above the lower frame rail and I have tons of clearance( relatively speaking). HAve not tested the performance yet though.Mine was 1800 a couple of years ago. Maybe they've come down since then. To me, so far its been worth it. Hope this helps.

[slam33]

I'm sorry Adamls, but it is a funny question, like drive shaft should I get one ? You have a-arms that work independantly on each side of the truck. Thats IFS. It has nothing to do with steering linkage, box and link or rack. Are you talking about an air bag system that works each corner indepedantly ?

[DeepPurple]

Adamls
Do you mean something like a Heidt's or Rod Shop coil-over IRS? If so most of the time they do have to be custom built. (Although as turmoline said I do believe that Fat Man Fabs still has the blueprints but they don't advertise them that much anymore)

[70 Jimmy]

I just notched my crossmember 1.5" . I'm not sure if the IFS (Independent Front Suspension) based on the Mushtang II will give you more clearance though. I'll have to check where my spindles are in relation to the xmember. I did it because it was a cheap way to lower 1.5" more inches without sacrificing steering geometry. It was a bit of work if you don't have a plasma cutter. I used several cut off wheels.

[Project1970]

I'd say he could mean a 4x4 but AFAIK nobody's ever tried putting the IFS 4x4 setup from a newer truck onto a '67-'72.

[adamls]

I should have been more clear. I understand our trucks have IFS, I meant the IFS system based on Mustang II. Jim Meyer has a hub-to-hub with power rack and pinion, disk brakes, the works for 3200, bolt in. FatMan has a bolt in crossmember with tubular a-arms for 1K. Parts through ECE will come close to 2200.

[brad2]

I think it is a matter of your needs. I am probably going to use the Scotts Hotrods unit. Some of the important things to me were narrowing the track some to help with the fender clearance issues. Mine will be pretty low. Plus the stock control arms get pretty close to the ground when you lower one. Depending on whether you are going to show it or not the appearance is a lot cleaner.

[slam33]

I just can't see taking the front suspention off a 2300lb little car and slapping on a 3800lb truck. Makes no sence to me unless your building a show truck thats going to live on a trailer. Whats the gain, rack and pinion, big deal. Your not going to Road Atlanta to run a road race, it's not going to make that big of a differance. If your looking to just lower it, then get the right spindles and springs. Jim Meyers is building a chassie for show trucks, something you look at not something thats going to hold up to everyday use.

[crazy longhorn]

I saw an article with the mustang II installed in a 67- 72. This is a very slick looking setup, but acouple drawbacks that I could see. you have option for 4 1/2, or 4 3/4 bolt circle on the rotors(not a problem if you havent already got wheels). the other thing i noticed was a very large notch on the top of the LH frame rail for steering shaft clearance, that was veeery disturbing to this old man! IMO, that area should have been boxed, to leave a hole for the shaft to poke up though. The guys that run the mustang II claim that they are plenty strong, & use the same sized ball joints as a full sized Ferd........I cant say for sure on that, but have seen them under full sized cars, & mid 50's F 100 trucks. if I did that swap, i would run the tube arms, as the stock mustang II arms look pretty cheesey to me.

[turmoline]

Crazy, your right on the bolt pattern. I went with the 5x4.75. The 5x4.75 actually set up better than the 5x5 when I re-drilled the back rotors to match. I was going with 4 wheel disc anyway and had the 6 lug pattern to begin with. I haven't seen the notch you are referring to but mine is very small. I used the slip shaft from flaming river and the portion of shaft that fits in the notch is @.75 in diameter.

[crazy longhorn]

Turmoline, looking back over the article,oct '94 in CHEVY TRUCKIN" it looks like the truck may havebeen notched for some other purpose(bottom rail is also notched). The notch on the top rail is approx 6" long, & almost to the outside corner of the frame! I cant see that it would need to be that big.......do you have any shots of your frame?

[turmoline]

Here's a pic of the frame.

[crazy longhorn]

That is a nice lookin setup......bet it shaves some weight too! Your notch is a lot smaller than the pic I saw in chevy truckin.....my guess is that the other truck had been notched for some other purpose at 1 time in its life....

[Low68]

From what I remember, the Jim Meyer kit used the original motor mounts and had 5x5 patterns. I have only seen one of these kits on a truck before and man did it look sweet. It was definately a show truck. I doubt that you would have any problems unless you were driving like 90 on a dirt road every day. If you get one, ask about waranties, just to be sure. Rack and pinion would be nice.
Low68

[speesh]

dang, I gotta agree with slammed 33, what is the point of taking off good chevy parts to install what is basically a PINTO front end? and it costs $2200 or $3200? I just don't see it.... for that much money you could make the bed rise up 3 feet and spin around! now isnt that more practical?

[crazy longhorn]

speesh, make the box go up 3 ft & spin around.......what would be the point to that? Skin some weight of the front of a "nose heavy " truck, to help make it "bite" & flat GO.......I can see that.....it just depends on what you want