Caster is accomplished by moving the LCA rear bushing laterally.  Doing so moves the lower ball joint front to back, in an arc centered about the LCA front bushing.

Being basically lazy, and figuring this is a truck that never had ANYTHING adjustable before, I decided to just make mine in a fixed location.  I clamped a piece of 3/4" angle iron to each spindle so the iron was parallel to the center of both ball joints.  I remember there was a convenient place on the spindles to do that, like it was made for that purpose for the assembly line, but I cannot remember exactly how it was done.  I moved the rear LCA bushing until I got 6 degrees caster and then welded the bushing mount (not the bushing steel housing) to the frame.  I very carefully measured both sides so I had 6 degrees.

The caster CAN be affected by the camber angle, and that is hard to determine without the full weight of the truck with engine on the suspension.  Before you do anything, remove the LCA front bushing bolts and knock those metal flags off the heads of the bolts.  Then reassemble less the flags.  That will let you adjust the camber, as there is a slot down there, it is just blocked by the flags.

Once I get the truck up and running, if there are any alignment issues, I will worry about it then.  All I have to do is cut off a few welds and make an adjustable mount for the bushings, but I am pretty confident it will work great just as it is.

I just drilled a hole in the frame where the pointed locator on the CV crossmember could locate itself. It sure cannot move from that position.  I welded 1/8" wall tubing vertically where the 4 bolts go through the frame so the bolts cannot collapse the frame rails.  Since you have to add a couple of thick washers to the top or bottom of the frame to match the thickness of the original CV rails, I placed them so they would tilt the entire crossmember rearward, giving maximum caster capability.  That is also my ace-in-the-hole if caster is off.  I can relocate the washers top to bottom or vice-versa to fine tune caster.

Here are a couple photos, and I'm still learning on this photo upload deal.

I am thinking about something like this for my rear mount, after measuring the desired 6 degrees or so:


I am also thinking i am going to use this blue print to lacate my cv axle to the frame:

Great looking truck Kar! How bad was it to notch the rear of the frame? Doesnt look to hard.
Thanks!

djhenderlong wrote:

Thanks for the help. I emagine those flags are chamber adjusters correct?

 The flags are on the bolt heads to keep you from being able to adjust the camber.  Remove them and then the bolts can move within the slot that is already there.

Steve69 wrote:

Makes me want to buy and old ford truck and get to work.
Steve69

I spent nearly 5 months looking for a bump side (1967-1972) Ford F-100 short bed before I finally located a decent one nearly 80-miles from where I live.

I have a 2003 Crown vic front end, Thunderbird Super Coupe IRS rear end assembly & a 4R70W transmission sitting in the shop waiting for the time I get to the point of installing them. In the mean time, I drive the truck to work several times a month and sometimes on the weekend.

This was before I installed my stylish dog-dish hubcaps. 




...photo after I just got home with the Crown Vic & Thunderbird Super Coupe IRS. ...these items have been pressure washed since these photos were taken and look a lot better now.










 

Steve69 wrote:

Sweet Ultrastang!

Thanks.  Obviously, you aren't going to get a 44-year old truck  (well, 42-years old when I bought it) that doesn't have something wrong with it but, considering trucks generally live a much harder life than a car, it's amazing that it's in as good of shape as it is.

My first preference for body color was either blue or white. However, there were a lot of ugly factory colors on these trucks back then. Unfortunately, most of the trucks you find will be one of those ugly colors and not the color of your choice. The first major problem, aside from ugly paint colors, would be finding a truck that's not eaten up with rust. I looked at a BUNCH of trucks in my 5-month search and most were good for nothing other than for some parts.

I wasn't crazy about the Norway Green (that can be changed) but the primary reason for buying this particular '69 F-100 was because there's virtually no rust in it.

I was also hoping to find a truck with a 302 in it. --the 302 was not availble in the 5th generation trucks (1967-1972) until mid-year 1969. My truck is a '69-1/2, but it has the 240 inline six in it with a C-4. The only other (factory) engine choices in these trucks was; 300 six-cylinder, 352 (in 1967), 302 (beginning mid-year 1969), a 360 or 390 engine.

My first vehicle was a 1968 Mustang coupe that I had bought in 1982. 31-years later, I still own it. However, the very first vehicle I learned to drive was my dad's red & white '68 F-100 Ranger (upgraded with '70 model Ranger interior & exterior trim, in photos immediatey below). He had bought it from my uncle when I was about 6-years old (around 1974). He sold it when I was 22 (1988). --I wasn't very happy about that --even less happy to hear from a friend that the son of the guy that bought my dad's truck wrecked it and totalled it out.




Some other random photos of my Ranger;



























 

Last edited by ultrastang (5/02/2013 8:54 PM)

I really like the idea of the crown vic suspension in these trucks. especially with the irs would make an awesome daily driver.

ultrastang. did you have any trouble with the oil pan putting the inline 6 in? my 15 year old is doing a 69 ranger with the crown vic and a 300 6 cylinder and i dont want him to waste his money on the swap if it wont work right.

thanks

ya i knew it was old but it was worth a shot. thanks for getting back to me any how. cant find any one who has done this. just a bunch of people asking why i would do this lol. any how thank you for your time
clint

well, im just curious if a 300 inline six cylinder oil pan will clear in a cv kmember. my boy wants to do a k member in his truck but it has a real neat 6 in it and he wants to keep it. it has a blow through holley 4brl, small turbo, offy intake, cam and custom header.