Thread: Suicide Axle Set Up.......

Tweet

I'm toying with the idea of doing a suicide set up with the 36 Cab. I'll give a rough idea what I'm up to and by all means anyone with a thought chime in. From what I've read.....if there is a spring failure I'm digging asphalt. I'm trying to incorporate ideas into the front end to help reduce that.

32 stamped rails from American Stamping in Memphis TN: I'll be bobbing the rear and adding a rear crossmember from a 27 T maybe. I'll probably add to the rise of the front rails to allow for more drop as long as it doesnt affect the factory relief in the side of the rails. The idea behind this, given a possible front suspension failure, with the rear in tact, the first point of contact would be where the rail starts to rise instead of the frame horns themselves.

42-48 Magnum 4" drop axle. I wont be using a spring, but instead, a cantilevered arm under the hairpins, pivoting of the bottom of the frame. The front of the arm would attach where the shock mounts would normally attach. The rear would be in between the frame rails with an air bag on each side. (I'm told that quite often air bags fail so I'm trying to figure out a way to cover that with a form of limiting suspension travel)

Which leads me to the placement of the front axle. I'm guessing if I allow the frame horns to extend just above the axle then it wouldnt be a true suicide axle but still look similar? The idea I have floating around in my head......If I set the suspension up so that at its lowest point (without springs/shocks in the picture), the frame horns just touch the axle and the lowest point on the frame would still be just above the pavement. I'm envisioning what would happen in the event of a spring or air bag failure. I'm thinking the axle would support the the frame enough to allow time to pull off the road to safety.

I'm trying to think out of the box but still try to be safe. You also have to understand guys.....I have no experience with the traditional hot rods. Wish I did. I'm reading up on ackerman affect at this time.