3100 front suspension

[1955 CAMEO]

On to the next issue with the 55 cameo.

Dealing with the symphony of noise coming from the front end of the truck driving down the road. I stopped in for a thorough assessment from a local steering and suspension shop that came highly recommended by several car guys i know. Their thorough check showed nothing that needed immediate action. But everything will need replacing. Where does one start? New king pins, tie rod ends, seals, shocks, shackles and springs? Or ifs ?

[Indian113]

Not know your Truck or how you have changed it makes it tough for ideas. If it was mine I would use a Camaro front end on it because I've done a couple and love them. Now I'm going to go pop some popcorn because I opened up that Can of Worms again!

[tmoble]

what are you going to do with the truck? if it's restoration as in back to original then you'll want to retain all the stock stuff, rebuild it all. If you think you'll ever want to actually want to drive it anywhere do a Gen II camaro, Pinto/Mustang II or Gen 4 Vette. You can get a pretty nice swap kit for the Vette stuff. for the rear too.

[mongocanfly]

Yep...here we go again...Im using flatout xmember and vette suspension..like stated more info on your truck would be helpful...if everything needs replacing it would be a good time to upgrade front end though


Here ya go indian

[Indian113]

Thanks I Needed That!

[1955 CAMEO]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Not know your Truck or how you have changed it makes it tough for ideas. If it was mine I would use a Camaro front end on it because I've done a couple and love them. Now I'm going to go pop some popcorn because I opened up that Can of Worms again!

At this point it is pretty much stock except new 15 x 6 smoothies, chrome trim and new tires. Short term I would like to just get it operating safely and reliably. Long term - not sure if I would do a restomod or keep it stock but retored.

[59chev]

Think long and hard about what you want to do with the truck. I got new king pins, drag link, ect, ect. the first time I built my truck then threw all that money away when I did the Camaro Clip. I'm not done the second rebuild yet, but I wish I would have done the Camaro clip from the get go.

[mr48chev]

If you are happy with the way it drives and looks now I'd stay with the stock front suspension and rebuild it. Yes they do get worn out and squeak and need some attention but that is true with any suspension.

As far as a subframe swap goes, I have had two rigs that I did subframe swaps on my 48 that you see in the avatar and the 51 Merc I owned for 32 years. Both drove great after the swaps and both did road trips from Washington State to Texas and back. Problem is that for the truck that was 70's/80's technology when we didn't have much else to work with. It also involves a lot of cutting on inner fender wells and the front sheet metal most of the time unless you are setting it up to have a fairly high ride height. You also end up with a different bolt pattern on the front and can't use your stock wheels or the wheels you now have. It does drive great though.
I'd suggest that if you want independent front suspension that you look into something like the crossmember that uses Dodge Dakota front pieces that industrial Chassis puts out. The crossmember is stouter than a lot of bridges, the Dakota pieces don't cost much and are intended for 1/2 ton trucks rather than sporty cars and you don't have to hack up your sheet metal to get it to fit.

[1project2many]

Yep... can of worms.

Folks seem to think an I beam axle needs to go "just because." Yet we have semis logging millions of miles, construction trucks driving up and down highways, and buses travelling across the country all with I beam axles. And despite what some folks think, those vehicles are easier to drive than an original '55 Chevy. I know a girl that might weigh 110 lbs who drives a 66,000 lb tandem axle dump. Power steering, large brakes, and good engineering in the suspension make all the difference.

I think the subframe swap is an easy way for people to get around the work of understanding what's involved in making the beam axle more driveable. I promise that independent suspension by itself is not a cure-all. Here's an example: I've worked for a bus company since '04. Our 99-02 G 3500 based buses were really bad about transmitting pulses and vibrations through the wheel to the driver. You could feel ruts in the road, imbalances in the tire, and even the slightest brake pulsation would present as a dramatic shaking of the steering wheel. Other than having power steering, it felt very similar to a TF truck. We ended up building brackets to install steering stabilizers to cure this.

The stock TF truck front end can definitely be improved. Some modifications are mild, some require as much work as a frame swap. You can start with a sway bar. That makes a huge difference but other weaknesses show up quickly. The truck really needs a larger tie rod and drag link. Stronger steering knuckles can help, too. It is possible to install an assist cylinder type power stering system which would take a lot of work off the steering box. The ride can be improved some by disassembling the spring pack and adding UHMW plastic shims between leaves at the center bolt and UHMW sliders or buttons at the ends of the leaves. With some careful fabrication all of these modifications can be made to look original or near original and they can be done in a way that is reversible.

I would have a very, very difficult time cutting up an original Cameo. As a kid building my first '55 the Cameo was made of Unobtanium so maybe I still see them a bit differently than others.

[1955 CAMEO]

Appreciate your words of wisdom !
Makes sense - at this point I am trying to put a plan together. Would prefer to keep it as stock as possible.

[dsraven]

if you want the option of going back to stock how about rebuild the solid axle and install power steering and disc brakes up front. a dual system brake master cylinder and redone rear brakes/supsension pins/bushings. then it is more driveable even though the ride will still be harsh probably. all bolt on stuff except the steering column may need to be cut off for the power steering. you could upgrade the column or get a used stocker to cut up and keep the original in case you wanna go back to stock someday. include a new seat inside for a better ride as well but fab mounts so as not to modify the floor pan for the new seat. do you have the original engine and trans? what is the plan when done, daily driver or just friday nights? that would be the deciding factor for me. I am a bit like 1 project, cameo is made from unobtaineum so in my world it would be a shame to cut it up. that said I have MANY cuts on my 57 GMC which would make some guys cry I suppose.
your truck, your pocketbook. I suggest, on the first tear apart, you do what you want to end up with and spend less money overall.

[1955 CAMEO]

all good information, thank you for the advise.