Front suspension for street/drag

[Kyle@FTP]

In collaboration with Funkhouser Racecars Freds Truck Parts started designing and are just starting to make the R&D parts for a streetable dragrace style front suspension. Based off an A body spindle, tube arms and tube style crossmember. All to help reduce weight, improve geometry and give unlimited options when it comes to front brakes or spindle mount wheels.

We are aiming to make this a commercially available product so you can run it in the classes that require "commercially available products" to make the car/truck legal.

I want something that is "dragweek" compliant, light and strong. I searched the ol interwebz and couldn't find anything that I was really happy with. So we decided to bring it in house.

After we have this the way we like it, we tackle a "bolt in" style rear four link. The issue there is the customer will need to weld on axle brackets. but thats a month or 2 down the road. A 8.50 legal "do it yourself" cage kit is also in the works.

You Tube

[BR3W CITY]

Make it cheaper than a dropmember, and then send me one.

[Kyle@FTP]

We are going to do our best. I have no desire to be the next Porterbuilt. But we will build the best product that we can.

I love the look of the body on the ground. so the R&D kit will be able to lay pinch weld on a 315 radial in the rear and 29' tall tire in the front. But we will have an option for those that dont care about that and want coilovers.

8.99 or faster on a bag it the goal.

[tinydb84]

This might be a dumb questions but 8.99 on the 1/8 or 1/4?

I don't drag race but wouldn't that be in the 1000hp range?

[Kyle@FTP]

8.99 in the 1/4 mile yes.

Depends on the weight. We are aiming to keep this truck under the 3000lb mark with me in it at the start line. which means I need to get on a treadmill. We have more than enough power to go 8.99 at 3000lbs.

[BR3W CITY]

8.99 in the 1/8th would be like a 14 sec 1/4 hehe

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by Kyle@FTP

8.99 in the 1/4 mile yes.

Depends on the weight. We are aiming to keep this truck under the 3000lb mark with me in it at the start line. which means I need to get on a treadmill. We have more than enough power to go 8.99 at 3000lbs.

Dang, I'd have to lose 600lbs to even get close to that hehe. Thats why I'm liking that Ultimate Iron class popping up. Stay all steel over a tube chassis is temping.

[Kyle@FTP]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

Dang, I'd have to lose 600lbs to even get close to that hehe. Thats why I'm liking that Ultimate Iron class popping up. Stay all steel over a tube chassis is temping.

It will be tube from the the back of the cab back. or maybe to the trailing arm crossmember. I need to read the rules carefully. I love playing in the gray area of them haha. But light and string will be the name of the game with this build.

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

8.99 in the 1/8th would be like a 14 sec 1/4 hehe

That's why I asked. It seemed too fast for the 1/4 and too slow for 1/8.

[Kyle@FTP]

a streetable 8.99 in the 1/4 mile truck that will lay pinch weld with the cool kids is what we are after. Most say it cant be done. We accept that challenge.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

8.99 in a 1/4 mile @ 3000lbs should put it around 150mph

[Kyle@FTP]

In a perfect world the power on hand and the estimated weight puts it into the 7s@170 But its going to be far from perfect so Im beyond happy with 8.99@150 That will make for a fun street truck. haha

[BR3W CITY]

Trying to propel a brick to 170 sure makes that an exponential increase in difficulty. IMO 150 and you're hitting the invisible wall in a truck.

[Kyle@FTP]

A brick has sharp corners. a truck has a slight angle to the windshield and semi rounded corners. They are totally different.

[Super73]

Food for thought..

My truck has 1 5/8 cm back half with 4-link
CM 10 point cage
There is nothing extra in my cab
Ls1 with power glide
Mosified front cross member with mustang 2 spindles
Willwood brakes on all 4's

Truck should be about 2900 with out me in it (last time was 3200 with me in it)

[BR3W CITY]

Full interior truck with stereo, leather buckets, sound deadener, console etc.
Thats gotta put me at like 36ish with the ls and 4l80e offsetting the old sbc combo weightwise....wasn't stock in the 35-3600 range?

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by Kyle@FTP

A brick has sharp corners. a truck has a slight angle to the windshield and semi rounded corners. They are totally different.

Optical illusion
[IMG][/IMG]

[Kyle@FTP]

Made some good progress this week. Just need more hours in the day. Frame rail section is done, tire is done and spindle is 90% done. should have that all wrapped up this week and next week starts the fun stuff. Arms and crossmember.

The goal is to keep everything simple, light and strong.

[Super73]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

Full interior truck with stereo, leather buckets, sound deadener, console etc.
Thats gotta put me at like 36ish with the ls and 4l80e offsetting the old sbc combo weightwise....wasn't stock in the 35-3600 range?

When I first put my truck together:
Ls1/4l80e with stock verter
Bench seat
7" steel wheels with 275/50/15 on all 4 corners
Had hood, inner fenders, front bumper, bench seat, wheel tubs and most the bed floor

3,940 with me in it.

[BR3W CITY]

Good to know, I gotta be close to that. Hopefully with ditching the inner fenders and a few other small weight measures, I can keep the whole thing under 4k w/ me in it.

500hp/4k lbs in a truck is enough to keep me entertained for....like 3 months.

[Kyle@FTP]

I assume most of you guys are boxing your own frame or having it boxed?

[Super73]

Boxed frame with a cage is unseeded weight

[Kyle@FTP]

The reason I ask is because we are kicking around the idea of offering a "diy" box kit. We supply the precut metal, you just click it together and burn it onto the frame. Im designing it for my truck so I might as well make it available.

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by Kyle@FTP

The reason I ask is because we are kicking around the idea of offering a "diy" box kit. We supply the precut metal, you just click it together and burn it onto the frame. Im designing it for my truck so I might as well make it available.

If it was priced reasonably then I could see people going for it. I think most of the people who can install it probably could come up with it on their own but if it saves time you might get some interest.

[Kyle@FTP]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

If it was priced reasonably then I could see people going for it. I think most of the people who can install it probably could come up with it on their own but if it saves time you might get some interest.

Thank you for the feedback. My though was not everyone has access to solidworks or a water jet. for $150-$180 they get a product that just clicks together and weld.

For a long time I had just a welder and a grinder, I imagine there are a lot of guys that have just a welder and a grinder.