Performance suspension for a C10?

[wolfcri]

Can a Mod please move this to the suspension forum?

Has anyone put a roadracing type performance suspension on their truck?

Companies that make parts or kits already? Links to other builds? I see a few site sponsor make som e stuff that might work.

I am pretty sure that this is the direction I am going to go with my 77 step. I dont plan on going full race, as the truck will mostly be DD'ed, taken to shows, and see the occasional track day. I have a background in vintage racing mechanics (specifically porsche and openwheel cars) and fabrication, so I am just really looking to see what others have done.

Thanks in advance.

[Damien]

You should look in the suspension forum.

[flamingbig10]

here's one http://73-87.com/7387garage/chassis_...ing_hauler.htm
http://73-87.com/7387garage/chassis_...cle_sc/sc1.jpg

[wolfcri]

Originally Posted by flamingbig10

here's one http://73-87.com/7387garage/chassis_...ing_hauler.htm
http://73-87.com/7387garage/chassis_...cle_sc/sc1.jpg

Cool article. Thanks, man.

Originally Posted by Damien

You should look in the suspension forum.

Um, yeah. I did. Thanks. There is a lot of great information in there on airbag suspension systems, lowering for looks, and a little bit on lifts. I am looking for something a little different.

[Wild83C10]

How much do you have to spend?

[JEM]

Originally Posted by wolfcri

racing mechanics (specifically porsche and openwheel cars) and fabrication, so I am just really looking to see what others have done.

Thanks in advance.

I've seen more done with the earlier trucks than the '73-up.

Some thoughts, not entirely informed ones, take them for what they're worth:

a) How much money and how much compromise of the daily-driver role can you tolerate? Might want to do some poking around at pro-touring.com and corner-carvers.com for some ideas.

b) Stiff chassis. Full-frame trucks are flexible - when Ford did the '93 Lightning they actually stamped the frame out of heavier-gauge metal than base F-150s to get some torsional stiffness. If a full, triangulated cage isn't in your plans and if you're tear-it-down-to-the-bones hardcore serious I'd look at fully boxing the frame rails.

c) Better weight distribution. Where can you take weight off the nose? An LS2 swap? Whatever you do for the brakes, you'll probably want an adjustable proportioning valve for the rear circuit somewhere you can reach it from the driver's seat...

d) These trucks use the evergreen Saginaw 800-series steering box. Give Lee Mfg (http://lee-powersteering.com/) a call and talk to them about a straight-ratio box (16:1 would be 3ish turns, 14:1 closer to 2.4) with something like a 33 oz spool valve. They did the variable-ratio box with the tighter spool valve in my old 2500 Suburban tow bus and it's brilliant but a straight-ratio box is probably better for your application.

e) For the old Sub I scrounged an early '80s Buick T-type steering wheel for $10 at the pick-n-pull, big fat leather rim and a bit bigger diameter than a TA/Camaro wheel, works perfectly, but they're getting scarce and more costly now. My Sub has the Flofit seats from back when my track Mustang was a road car, maybe a bit out of character for a tow rig but I love them. They use the same sort of tracks and mountings as most Recaros, Corbeaus, etc. - I used brackets from these guys: http://www.wedgeengineering.net with good results.

f) Suspension is tough but rudimentary; front not exactly optimized for keeping the contact patch flat with body roll, rear is traditional buggy-spring. How much design and testing do you want to set yourself up for? If I were doing it I'd probably look at backdating to a truck-arm rear suspension, just because I kinda want to try one on something. You'll find truck-arm haters over on corner-carvers, etc. but nearly as I can tell on a big vehicle where you're never really going to get to Lotus 11 levels of unsprung weight anyway, and where exhaust packaging, etc. isn't a problem, they seem to work okay. An opinion based on limited observation and second-hand data so take it for what it's worth.

Have fun!

[Pyrotechnic]

You could run a C4 Corvette IRS. I saw a 88-98 truck with this setup and it looked like a fairly straight forward install. They just fabbed a couple of cross members to support the center chunk, then used coil overs for springs. Other than that just get the front rotors redrilled to a 5x4.75 pattern and run car wheels all around.