Please some info regarding IFS kit's

[sopsum]

Hello all,

Let me introduce myself.
I´am Taeke from Holland

In the past I visit many times the USA for my study & work, and I always wanted to have a ´47-´54 Chevy Pickup.

After seeing some and considering to import or to buy one in Europe.

Finally I bought in Holland a ´51 ½ ton. I hard original shape, last registration was 1980.

The truck is build in Los Angeles, and the last owner was living in Valley, Mid California.

The truck was just imported half year ago.


Plans are making a daily driver of it. So IFS is necessary for sure.


Now I was looking on E-bay, and Classic Performance Products is offering two kit´s

One of TCI - $ 1700 the other one Heidt´s $ 1850



A few questions :

* Any experience with this kit´s.. is there any difference?

* The track of these kits are always the same? Plan was to use a camaro rear axis.

* Drop of 2” up to 6” depending of the spindles you order. Because it’s gone be a daily driver I don´t wont to have the truck to low.

Is this reliable to measure this drop from the standard straight axis setup?



Some background/experience should be great!



Kind Regard,



Taeke de Boer

[72steel]

Howz it goin, I just got back from Amsterdam a couple weeks ago. Anyway, I just had my Mustang II IFS installed recently. I paid about $1600 for my complete set. If you keep looking you could save yourself a couple hundred bucks...or euros.

I got the one with 2.5" drop spindles and it looks great, I went with taller tires in the back for a more dramatic stance. Make sure you get the boxing plates in your kit. Good luck

[weldvair@embarqmail.]

I ordered & installed a TCI IFS. It was a snap to install. I ordered it w/2" dropped spindles & sent them back for stock ht. spindles. I could not get a floor jack under it w/dropped spindles. It now sits 7" from the floor to the running boards.......looks great.
Don Meyer

[pgf545]

Greetings from Texas, I am building a 52 with my dad and we used a Heidts setup. It was easy to install. You can check my build thread for some pictures of what I have done so far. I still have a long way to go and if you have any questions let me know.

Bernie

[Matshark]

A heartly welcome from enother european guy.
I used the stock height spindles, as the ifs already sits lower
even with standard spindles. Dropped spindles would be
too low for german streets. But i have a 55 2nd series,
not your type.

[sopsum]

Okay,

Thanks for the information! But I don’t need to worry about the Track of the IFS?
Here some picture’s of my truck.

[Daniel U]

Very cool truck. I have the MustII front from TCI with 2 inch drop.

[sopsum]

Dear Daniel,

The kit you purchased is the standard kit with 11 inch discs ?

Taeke

[Daniel U]

Yes, the kit is standard in the sense it has stock springs (no powder coating, no drop springs or bags). I never measured the rotors, but I belive they are stock 11 inchers. I'm only going to run 16 inch wheels with a mild 350 motor(300hp on the flywheel) so they should be a huge improvement to my previous 4 wheel drum set up. It's going to be more of a clean cruiser than a hot rod. When I get a chance to, I'll try and get a photo of the ride hieght with the motor/trans. in it.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Go with the TCI or the Heidts they are both very good kits from popular companies. The track width will be just fine!

[1gearhead]

We have installed several Mustang II IFS in my shop. Have installed both Heidt's and TCI and the both work out well. Lastely I have been using a Mustang II IFS manufactured by Jim Weimer Rod Garage, 948 W. Silver Beach Road, Belgium, Wisconson 53004. (888) 414-8787. Website jimweimerrodgarage.com. I find this IFS superior to any other that I have installed. Cross member and spring hats are 1/16" thicker than others and all components are premium US manufacturer. Fit, finish and detail are very good. Pricing is compoorable to TCI and Heidt's. Beware of Mustang II IFS kits priced in the $1300 - $1500 range. I have purchased and installed these and noted that there is a difference. These low price point kits are thinner material in the crossmember and spring hats and virtually all incorporate Made In China parts. They also had cast spindles instead of forged. That old saying, "You get what you pay for" holds true here. One other consideration, I usually install the MII IFS with a manual R&P rather than the Power Rack. I find that this usually works out better. With the PS R&P there seems to be too much power assist at speed making the steering extremely sensative and twitchy (technical term) this is true even if a pressure restrictor valve is installed in the GM PS pump. Good luck with your project.

[weldvair@embarqmail.]

I have been installing these since the mid 70's. The first were installed before a kit was available. The first kit was made by Progessive Auto in Ohio where I then lived.
I personally like the TCI because it can be purchased a little cheaper than most & they give good support, altho there are several kits just as good.
As far as power steering the manual R&P is great for light cars, but most I have installed in AD trucks have been power(T-bird/later Must type). They are prone to be too sensitive, but not as bad as the Must II . There are ways of correcting this(do a Google search). The AD trucks are a bear to park w/o PS imho.

Do a E-bay search for street rod parts & you will see who has the best prices.Good luck.

Don Meyer-Mech Engr.
meyerbrosrods.com

[sopsum]

I can use that help!

I ordered an TCI IFS at CPP.
Now I was wondering what to use for the rear end.
I will use the standard rear spring suspension.

Is it worth spending the money for Mono leafs on the rear?

Any experience with this?

Thank you, Taeke

[weldvair@embarqmail.]

For the rear I use Crysler 5th ave station wagon springs(JCWgitney-free ship).
To lower the truck I use 2" lowering blks. & mount the rear of the spring even w/thr top of the frame.

[BIG CHEVY 3600]

I used an 80 Camaro posi. It bolts right up, tho you'll need to reposition the hangers. The width is perfect for the AD.

[sopsum]

Okay, Thank you learned again!

Other question! (Yes a got a lot of questions before I start going shopping in the US)

With the TCI IFS KIT, what kind of size wheels will fit and have enough clearance with the fenders..?

The wheels I like are the American Racing Hopster’s
I am going for 15 inch size.
On the back should be J8 width be fine with an camaro rear axel I guess.
But on the front? J6 or maybe J7?

Place let me know what you guy’s think..

Thank you!

[50adrod]

TCI also makes a rear leaf spring kit that lowers the rear about 3 inches

[BIG CHEVY 3600]

I used the TCI kit as well and it worked out fine.

[mr48chev]

That's a really nice looking truck that you are starting with. That should make the project a lot easier to complete.

I think the choice of rear axles may be decided by what you can find locally.

The popular units to use are the Nova/Camaro units which would include axles from 68 and up Novas and their GM counterparts. Buick Apollos, Olds Omegas and Pontiac Venturas. Of course the First and second generation Camaros.
One more might be the 76/80 Cadillac Seville but they have a large flange in place of a yoke for a Universal joint. They do have larger brakes and some have disk brakes and a person should be able to swap the flange for a yoke easily.

The first time I put my truck together I used a rear axle out of a 1961 Impala that I cut all of the brackets off and welded a set of aftermarket mounts on. It fit pretty well and I ran 15x7 Z 28 Rally wheels with it with no clearance problems.

You could also use the Ford Grenada, Mercury Monarch or Lincoln Versise rear ends but they have a 5 on 5 bolt pattern.

[sopsum]

Thank for the help!

Plans or a Camero rear axel with 5 x 4.75 than i will have the same on the front and the back.

Plans for the truck is to make it a sort of a summer daily driver, it will also be used to pull a horse trailer once a while.

What should have the best handeling? a mono leaf spring on the existing 51 mountings or that tci kit with new set of multi springs?

Thank you!

Taeke

[50adrod]

if you plan to tow with it I would go with the multi leaf

[mr48chev]

I agree with the multi leaf springs if you are going to tow that heavy a trailer.
I'd also suggest leaving room for a pair of air bags above the axle. Not to do the frame scraping thing but to be able to level the truck with the trailer attached and stabilize it. The other option and maybe a better one would be something on the line of an eazy lift hitch setup to distribute the load and help control the sway of the trailer.

I used one to tow the 15 ft travel trailer I had behind the 48 and it helped keep things under control.