Page 11 Axle Foley

Well this was it my last attempt at the frigging rear axle mounting and anti-climb bars. I realised I had just been having my self on before, on how the axle was fitted. Sometimes I wonder if I do jobs half arsed and in a manner that will make the Truck look good if anyone happens to come round and want to look at how I have got on.. ya know do a job you know isn't really finished but it looks it...

Well I was advised that a single shock and spring on the Jag irs would be more than adequate for the F100... I did just that and it sat peachy, but was spongy as hell, I could bounce the rear down to the floor with not much effort.. I kept it like this really knowing, in the back of my mind, that the single shock would never do.. Also I didn't like the thought of how one shock acted on the lower arms, it has got to want to twist them. So twin shox was the way I was going to go. I added the extra shox and the Truck sat up like a prancing horse on speed.. So it was clear all my past work was just a joke and I had to have a total rethink...

I was quoted £400 for a set of 4 springs and adjustable shox, which if I had the money I would of bought at a shot, as this would of cured my problem easy, but as funds are low to none existent, another plan had to be thought up.. and this is what I came up with.

I cut the shock mounts out *that was fun* so I could angle the shox over a tad and also raise the mounts slightly

If you look close you can see three sets of holes, each side for the shock mounts, so I would have some adjustability. I looked at the angle of the shox and decided what looked to me the max, I could lay the shock over and it still work ok!

But before I could do that, I had to strip the axle down, so I could lay under the Truck and drill the holes. I couldn't work out accurately enough where the first mount holes were, so it had to be done from underneath. Once a pilot hole was drilled, I could then mark the other holes and drill to size from above.. said fast it doesn't seem much of a job... but it was a twat of a job, trust me.

To add insult to injury when I had a proper look at the shox and mounting I had.. The original cage mounting brk I was using, had 7/16th holes for the shock bolts.... yet the shock tops were 5/8ths??? so some slop there.. I still have no idea how this had come about, but it was there staring me in the face... they must of rattled a bit in the original car... Unless Jag changed the size over the years and this came about from a mixture of years, maybe?. So some bigger bolts, and a drill and file session later, all was much beefier and fettled. Update I found 2 bushes in my bits that just fit the shox and reduced the size to 7/16th whaaa whaaa must of had bushes fitted at some stage though I can only find 2?? Fuk it its done now so no going back.. Terrr trust me eh!!! warrra numpty I am going to redo this part so I use the bushes and smaller bolts and the nuts on the top (chasis) will be captive and the bolts loose, so I can move shocks without removeing any bed wood.

Well this is how the IRS sits at the lowest setting, I know everyone reckons the suspension settles a further inch once on the road... so if that does, I can lift on the adjusting holes I have drilled... Oh I forgot to mention I cut one coil of each shock to ;o) not sure if that helps or not, as the spring compress that amount when fitting onto the shox anyway??? Now it is sat back on the ground, the truck sits absolutely bang on, with the running boards 5 inch from the ground at the front and 7 at the rear, but I am sure the rear wings are on to high and once they are lowered and the boards lowered the same... 5 - 6 inch from the ground running boards should be a reality... Coool

Then it was onto the freaking Anti-climb, anti wind up (friggin wound me up) bars... I have been advised by many people, that the bars should sit at anything from 45degrees to 70degrees.. in all directions that is????
My last e-mail from Langy, was the bars should sit at 60degrees in all directions *hum?* lets have a go .....That was today's task... I cut some tube and fitted plate on the base of it to make a secure mounting (as before) for the bars onto the bottom tie-bar. I made a couple of 8mm brks to weld to the box section crossmember I fitted to give 60degrees forward on the bars... Then cut some thick walled tube and welded a nut on the top for the 5/8ths stainless clevis pins I had.

Well after some double and treble and quadruple checking, I was finally happy that the bars sat at 60degrees in both plains and I tacked the buggers on... and stood back happy with my days work. I can visualise what people were on about now. Even if I did get about 6 different takes on what the bars are there for, also I had an article sent me, on mounting the jag rear which helped and a lot of web searching later I made my decision on how I wanted to do them ;o)...

My take after this information overload, is this, you remove the cage, and forces are exerted onto various parts that otherwise would not have had any, as the cage took all the forces... right!! So the diff now hangs on 4 bolts that in the cage don't really take much weight, take the axle out of the cage and all the weight is now on them 4 bolts not designed to do so... so you must support the diff somehow, also the diff wants to wind up when power is put through it, in a forward and upward movement and also in a winding up movement when viewed from the front... ahh haaa now I get it *I hope*... so the bars must stop these forces twisting and rocking the diff, or it would fail. Add to the bars, the lower diff plate and tie bars and you have a cool looking, secure and safe un-caged Jag rear axle... you beauty!!

So finally the anti-torque bars are done and will work, I am 100% confident, after all I have read and seen. I am also going to put some supports on the rear, made from scrolled iron work as a tribute to Indian Larry and also cus I think they will look cool ;o)

It is all, only tack welded for now, I have learned by my mistakes... It will only get final welded when I am finally finished. I have also taken the 4 degree lean back of the shox out so the diff flange is at 90 degrees to the floor!

I saw last year a really cool rear Jag tie bar on Pop Browns stand, it was made out of brushed alloy and in the shape of an Iron Cross. I really wanted one, but thought the style of truck I was building would not suit it.... now the style has changed, well mainly the colour from Silver to Gold has changed the style... I think one would look perfect... so I have ordered one from Pop Brown and a heap of pike nuts so the rear should look neat... I think a final touch will be a cruising light ..... its gotta be done.

Body work will soon be my next chore, and I am seriously looking at fitting some BMW mini lights I have had for a couple of years, they have just sat under my bench doing nothing but collecting dust... I dismissed them at first as looking crap... but I got my Miss's to hold them in place while I stood back and WoW they looked cool in a 60's custom kind of way.. Hey you may laugh... but I can only see with my eyes and to my eyes that's how they look.

I made up some paper templates and stuck them on, so I can keep looking at them while I decided.. They are curling up as my grandson thought he would try and pull them off for me, thanks Thomas ;o)... If I use them, I have no idea how the heck I am going to fit them, that is a headache I have the pleasure of in the future... I want bright and safe lights on the rear, I live on a very busy main road and have to sit in the middle of it every time I come home, waiting to turn into our lane.. I am not going to sit there, with virtually invisible rear lights, cool as they may look.... I am afraid form has to follow function in this case... I will have nice big clear indicators to.... What ya recon?? Anyone fancy helping me fit them?

Page 11 Axle Foley

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