Frame building questions
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 22
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From: Batavia IL
Frame building questions I am building a frame to drop my chevelle on and trying to figure out what ride height to build it. It is going to be a street driven car that may see some track time. Anyone have any ideas on where to set ride height?
Seems it would be up to you but I'd recommend air bags so you can adjust it to suit and if you're building it from scratch, you can make it perfectly integrated. I used the frame for my car but used an M2 front end that I had to modify quite a bit, then I built the back half from scratch. Carefully consider the front tire size so you have adequate turning radius while keeping a good track width. You could also channel the body some to get the body lower on the frame. I had to do that on the Volvo to get it low enough. Now when it's deflated and sitting on the frame, you can just barely slide your shoe between the car and the ground. Then I can air it up to look like a 4X4.
3" is the NHRA minimum but I've never seen them check it. With my Metro, it was so low initially, the oil pan would drag when going through the burnout box (the little divots for the water were low enough the pan drug in the center part). The lesson is, it CAN be too low.
3" is the NHRA minimum but I've never seen them check it. With my Metro, it was so low initially, the oil pan would drag when going through the burnout box (the little divots for the water were low enough the pan drug in the center part). The lesson is, it CAN be too low.
^^^Im with Rob!
I've built a few frames but they were on bagged trucks. I tended to set the ride height around 4" but that is pretty low if your local roads are not up to par.
I've built a few frames but they were on bagged trucks. I tended to set the ride height around 4" but that is pretty low if your local roads are not up to par.
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Sales Tech
www.bmrsuspension.com
813.986.9302
Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
4" seems reasonable, that is pretty low but should look good
I don't mean to hi-jack but here is a Metro thread.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/multimedi...ro-9-85-a.html
I don't mean to hi-jack but here is a Metro thread.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/multimedi...ro-9-85-a.html
Well as I am sure you know on a chevelle the lowest point tends to be the engine crossmember. Fortunately for us having it low there is pretty good cuz the wheels do a good job of keeping the car from scraping. That being said, not too many guys go below 3-4" of clearance at the engine crossmember. Another thing is when running that low you need to make sure you can tuck your exhaust up out of the way.
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With my swap, CTS-V oil pan, it hangs about +1" below my crossmember, but the lowest part of my Chevelle is the Edelbrock swap headers.. .. Have not messure it, but I have to be carefull going over the larger speed bumps..
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Batavia IL
I am using the corvette front and rear aluminum cradles that the suspension mounts to. I was going to have the frame side rails at 6" and channel them to the top of the of the body side rocker panel rails.
If I set it at this height, then the oil pan will have about a 4" ride height. I am planing on running air bags so I think I should be able to adjust as needed. I was just not sure if this is going to be too close to the ground for street driving.
Any thoughts?
If I set it at this height, then the oil pan will have about a 4" ride height. I am planing on running air bags so I think I should be able to adjust as needed. I was just not sure if this is going to be too close to the ground for street driving.
Any thoughts?
Assemble the complete front end under the car, build the frame to it, not the other way around. Put struts in where the shocks go so that the lower control arms are level with the ground at ride height. The suspension ride height is an inflexible measurement. If you're using air bags, you don't want to run 200# of air in the bags just to clear speed bumps, it'll ride like a wagon.
Build the car around the suspension, the frame's only job is to hold things in place. Remember that the crossmember height (a fixed distance) has no relationship to ride height. Only the frame mounting points of the suspension have a relationship to the body (and ride height).
When doing my Volvo, I had the Mustang 2 crossmember welded onto the frame (4) times before I was happy with everything. All told, I lowered it way more than Heidts recommended in the kit as well as narrowing the crossmember over 6". I know I'm going to have some bump steer but I've been able to minimize that and still get it on the ground like I wanted.
Here's the front end at iteration #2 of 4.
Here's the rear frame.
Build the car around the suspension, the frame's only job is to hold things in place. Remember that the crossmember height (a fixed distance) has no relationship to ride height. Only the frame mounting points of the suspension have a relationship to the body (and ride height).
When doing my Volvo, I had the Mustang 2 crossmember welded onto the frame (4) times before I was happy with everything. All told, I lowered it way more than Heidts recommended in the kit as well as narrowing the crossmember over 6". I know I'm going to have some bump steer but I've been able to minimize that and still get it on the ground like I wanted.
Here's the front end at iteration #2 of 4.
Here's the rear frame.
Last edited by Nashty; Feb 24, 2009 at 01:39 PM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Batavia IL
Good information Thank you for the reply, that was all good information. It looks like you have quite a project going on there. The photo's were helpful as well.
Another issue that I am trying to figure out is how far to set back the engine. I was going to try to stretch the torque tube to make the wheels fit in the wheel wells, but was told by another member to try to not change any drive line from stock. If I was going to do this, then I will have to move the engine back off of the cradle and make new mounts. The cradle is where the front end components mount to, and this would have to stay with the location of the front wheel wells. Do you just move the engine back as far as you can, until it gets in to the drivers way. Is there any rule to this?
Another issue that I am trying to figure out is how far to set back the engine. I was going to try to stretch the torque tube to make the wheels fit in the wheel wells, but was told by another member to try to not change any drive line from stock. If I was going to do this, then I will have to move the engine back off of the cradle and make new mounts. The cradle is where the front end components mount to, and this would have to stay with the location of the front wheel wells. Do you just move the engine back as far as you can, until it gets in to the drivers way. Is there any rule to this?
