Putting leafs up front

[wakullabronco]

Hello everone im new here and i was looking for some questions. First im going to be putting full size axles under my 73 bronco. I was looking to be putting leafs under the bronco. I did search but found nothing. All the axles are comeing out of a 1976 ford F-100, Im also putting the 390FE with a np435,np205.Any help would be great.

Thanks, James

 

[broncnaz]

Welcome.
I'm not going to be much help here how about just leaving everything in the F100? you couls just shorten the wheel base. Check out the post about the 2 1/2 ton rockwells he is using leaf springs. Most people stay with the coils up front its a whole lot easier than designing all new spring hangers and associated hardware and finding springs that will do what you want. You may have to work backwards on this one start with springs that will hold the 390 and give you the lift you want. Then design the spring hangers and shackles from there.
The 390 is a monster of a engine getting it to fit will be a chore. lets see its about 3in wider at the valve covers than a 302. 360 lbs heavier. 5in wider at the exhaust manifolds, 5in taller and 6in longer probably involve a lot of firewall modifcations. I'd say a 3in body lift might help a little but you may still run into clearance issues with the master cylinder. then you still have to keep it cool bronco radiators are not the best even with a 302 so I see most of your core support being chopped up. I beleive there is also some front crossmember issues to deal with to. The exhaust will need to be run outside the frame probably need custon headers. Sounds like lots of work but it can be done if its worth it to you then by all means go for it. I'd keep it simpler stroked 351W coupled to your NP435/205 with full widths on coils. Its practically bolt in compared to redoing everything. Or just trade your EB for a scout you would already have the leaf spring base for your project just have to throw the engine and tranny in they have tons of room under there hood.

 

[rednck21]

I did search but found nothing.

theres a reason for that;D its been done a few times, but its not a popular mod

 

[gasspaser]

I have the front leafs, and lemme tell ya, your better off with coils, I also run a 400 SBC bored .030 over....there is alot of modding to get it done right, I can now see how a full tilt front end with an engine cage helped with the mod, The front X member is gonna go due to clearance with the oil pan, Also It's a pain with changing plugs, cutom headers and exaust had to be fabbed, also....and yes a body lift if a must! Make it easy on your self, go with a 351w and use your coils up front....But if you need pics lemme know!

 

[gasspaser]

here is a pic to let you know what your starting to get into...

 

[73stallion]

one thing i've never understood the logic of. when you put leaves up front, why put the shackles in the back of the leaves? when your suspension flexes down, the axle moves forward. i've seen many instances where this lead to the slip yoke in teh drive shaft coming apart. why not just keep the shackles up front?

 

[broncnaz]

one thing i've never understood the logic of. when you put leaves up front, why put the shackles in the back of the leaves? when your suspension flexes down, the axle moves forward. i've seen many instances where this lead to the slip yoke in teh drive shaft coming apart. why not just keep the shackles up front?

For the same reason many jeep and landcruiser owners do shackle reversals. ride is improved and I believe that with shackles in front when climbing a ledge they tend to push back and unload.Same goes for drving down the hiway hit a bump and the axle moves rear ward at some point it has to come back which tends to affect the ride when it does. Also a solid front spring hanger will slide over rocks better than a shackle. both setups have pros and cons with no real clear cut winner depending on what you want out of it.

 

[rednck21]

one thing i've never understood the logic of. when you put leaves up front, why put the shackles in the back of the leaves? when your suspension flexes down, the axle moves forward. i've seen many instances where this lead to the slip yoke in teh drive shaft coming apart. why not just keep the shackles up front?

i do understand where your coming from, but i think its done that way for a better ride over bumps and such....?:?

 

[wakullabronco]

The only reason i wanted to run leafs up front is because i thought it would be easier. And for the oil pan i think im going to have to wait till i drop the motor in.
And working on it now is no problem because the body is off the truck.If you think it would faster and a better way to go with springs and run spacers for the spring hoops would be better(and safe).

 

[68ford]

good luck with the bumpsteer.

 

[SaddleUp]

one thing i've never understood the logic of. when you put leaves up front, why put the shackles in the back of the leaves? when your suspension flexes down, the axle moves forward. i've seen many instances where this lead to the slip yoke in teh drive shaft coming apart. why not just keep the shackles up front?

So it will drive straight down the road. When the shackles are in front they cause the front of the springs to shift right and left causing a lot of steering wander. (Especially on short wheelbase rigs) There are 2 fixes that I know of. One is to put the shackles at the back of the spring instead and the other is to use a spring plate across the shackles from one side to the other. On the old CJ5 I had (Many years ago) putting a spring plate on made a huge difference in the way it handled on the street. Unfortunately I think it also limited flex a bunch. Back then I never had it in a position that articulation was important though so I never knew the difference.

 

[68 Broncoholic]

Not to add to your excitement but you can alyways talk to the guys at http://drivenautoparts.com/ they built this...


I wouldn't recommend going with leafs up front as the Bronco frame is already set up for coils and a trac bar. Seems like the leaf idea would take a lot of time, tons of measurements so you're not dog tailing down the road.

Just grind off those leaf perches and weld on some axle wedges for c-bushings/radius arms. Almost all that go full width move the wedges inwards or grind off the perches to fit wedges. Plus you have to grind off the perches anyway to align with the frame mounts. I'd assume the F100 perches are much wider than the EB frame. We all had to do it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Not to add to your excitement but you can alyways talk to the guys at http://drivenautoparts.com/ they built this...


I wouldn't recommend going with leafs up front as the Bronco frame is already set up for coils and a trac bar. Seems like the leaf idea would take a lot of time, tons of measurements so you're not dog tailing down the road.

Just grind off those leaf perches and weld on some axle wedges for c-bushings/radius arms. Almost all that go full width move the wedges inwards or grind off the perches to fit wedges. Plus you have to grind off the perches anyway to align with the frame mounts. I'd assume the F100 perches are much wider than the EB frame. We all had to do it.

Randy is the one who built that truck. The front leafs didn't stay long. It quickly went back to coils up front. He was so much happier with coils up front.
Right now he is working on building a whole new truck

 

[NicksTrix]

ben, a IH scout has shackles up front.
couple years ago i had a guy have me build some set up that attached to the sides of both of them and connected them with a piece of 1.250 tube. i wasn't sure on the logic and didn't ask many questions.

ok buddy.. what ever you want. time & materials..

 

[SaddleUp]

ben, a IH scout has shackles up front.
couple years ago i had a guy have me build some set up that attached to the sides of both of them and connected them with a piece of 1.250 tube. i wasn't sure on the logic and didn't ask many questions.

ok buddy.. what ever you want. time & materials..

Probably for the same reason some of them had a stock spring plate across them. To keep the shackles from shifting side to side which helps keep it from wandering on the street.

(The spring plate I mentioned above that I used on my old CJ actually came off a Scout)