Author Topic: custom front suspension.  (Read 1512 times)

Offline OilBurner

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custom front suspension.
« on: December 09, 2020, 08:02:36 PM »
ok, ive got my 1982 chevy 3500 crew cab dually i have been working on, 12 valve cummins, 10 speed fuller with married transfer case, custom front suspension and a whole lot more. ive got a question on the front suspension. there isnt really anything wrong per say, just odd. my truck was 2wd so i started from scratch with the whole front end, i custom made a k member complete with coil spring buckets. i ran a 2004 ford superduty axle because i got a steal on it. i converted it to coil springs, and custom made my own 3 link with panhard bar. the axle has a high steer arm, and custom draglink, and panhard bar. im running factory 08+ superduty coils and the factory 2wd shocks from my truck. all components are brand spanking new, ive run the truck down the road a few times, rough country backroads with lots of potholes, i have no bump steer or death wobble. what my problem is, when the truck is sitting still, if i turn the wheel to the left or right the whole front suspension moves up and down. anyone got an idea on what might cause that? like i said the truck rides like a cadillac, but the whole suspension decompressing while steering at a standstill has be stumped.
1982 crew cab, 12 valve cummins, eaton 10 speed, married transfer case, custom coil spring front 4wd suspension, work in progress

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: custom front suspension.
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2020, 05:57:12 PM »
It's a Ford so there's the first problem and the steering geometry is not static. The tilt and rotation of the pivot axis is generally a characteristic of the steering knuckle design. Did you perform an alignment? What were the readings? Do you have pictures of your setup?
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Offline Deicerman

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Re: custom front suspension.
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2020, 10:12:05 AM »
Do you have .org steering setup or did you convert to cross over steering? The factory set up could cause this problem
 

Offline JohnnyPopper

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Re: custom front suspension.
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2020, 07:33:38 PM »
I notice that your 3 link on the passenger side is inset much more than the drivers. Not saying that it would cause the symptom, but just curious why.

Kingpin angle comes to mind... check your alignment per VZ

I'm going to replicate what you do and see if my front end decompresses in any noticeable way...
1957 Apache 3100 235 Inline 6, 3 on the tree
1973 C-20, 3+3 454 4BBL TH400  Water Injection
1978 K-10, 350 4BBL TH350 NP203 M.M. Part time Kit/Hubs
1980 C-10 under construction

Offline OilBurner

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Re: custom front suspension.
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2022, 10:48:48 AM »
Just scrolling through the forum and seen this thread I forgot I posted this lol. So to answer your question the left side being inset more is just a picture illusion. Measuring from the hubs in it’s exactly the same and same front to back. The diff being on that side and so far over gives the illusion. I’m going to have a custom pitman arm made up and shift my steering box forward an inch or two to solve the issue. But I’ve been driving it currently. I’m going to change out the front axle to a later model super duty d60. They have a better turning radius. It takes a five acre field to turn currently. And my 35s rum my links as it is now.
1982 crew cab, 12 valve cummins, eaton 10 speed, married transfer case, custom coil spring front 4wd suspension, work in progress