Question for those who have done the CV crossmember

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 2, 2007, 2:46 pm

and front suspension swap. What kind of drop did you get? And what was your solution for mounting the lower control arms to the frame? Thanks.

Post by **Greg D** » December 2, 2007, 3:12 pm

If you are using the suspension from the donor you have you basically cut it off at about the firewall and weld the new subframe onto your truck frame. If you are talking about the late 03 & up crn vic, the lower control arms are bolted to the new crossmember.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 2, 2007, 3:38 pm

Greg I believe he is talking about the aluminum crossmember from the 03 and up cars. There are 2 control arms that go back to the frame, the mounts need to be welded to the frame. Sort of like the radius arms on a twin I beam. I hope someone comes along to answer your questions, and from what I have seen there seems to be about a 4" drop using that system. Perfect IMO for a slick.

This whole system seems to be the cats arse IMO system for a lowered truck. Weld on the radius arm mounts, bolt the X-member in, hook up the steering, poof you are good to go. Beats the hell out of something like a Volare, for instance, so far as I can see.

Be super-ideal if you were using a modular block setup.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 2, 2007, 3:54 pm

Greg D wrote: If you are talking about the late 03 & up crn vic, the lower control arms are bolted to the new crossmember.

Greg: JC's right. I'm talking about the 03-07 CV. I haven't bought mine yet have it picked out but waiting on a check), but from the pics I've seen it looks like there's a ball at the end of the rearward facing lower control arms...just wondered if there's a socket-like bracket that it fits into.

J.C. Thanks. 4" would be great. I was thinking that I had read you'd get a 6" drop, which would probably be more than I wanted. Overall it seems like a really sweet setup and fairly easy to accomplish in comparison to the other options.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 2, 2007, 3:56 pm

PM 61ford and see if he can help you out some more.
here's some stuff, first a pic that shows exactly what we are talking about, and a link to the pics he used
[albumimg]1681[/albumimg]
http://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery ... umid=16991

sure hope somebody throws one of these conversions in the "Tips and Tricks" section soon, this comes up a lot in here

Post by **Greg D** » December 2, 2007, 4:03 pm

I forgot about the rear lower control arm pivot on this swap (I haven't thought about it for awhile). I would just weld some up from some plate with a tube through the plates for the stud to bolt into.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » December 2, 2007, 4:08 pm

When I installed my 03 CV x-member I got a 6" drop vs the stock springs and axle without the engine or frt sheet metal. I think it will be closer to 4-5" everything on it. I flipped the rear axle and it sets almost level now without the engine. I have the police springs in it and they are stiff. If your wanting to go real low you should probably notch the frame a couple inches when mounting the CV x-member. I'm going to wait and see how it sets all together, then maybe cut a little off the springs.
By the way I looking for an engine again, the 4.6 that I had nailed down turned out to have a broken block. The wreck drove the starter into the block and cracked it open. If I don't come up with a complete donor car for powertrain and wiring it's back to carbureter and push rods!!
Check out my pictures, it will give you an idea of the stance.
Doug

GDG · Post by **GDG** » December 2, 2007, 4:37 pm

g&g, I just posted a few pics in my album that show the rear bushing mounts. It requires cutting a small wedge out of the frame and welding in a plate to bolt the bushing to. The bushing mounting plate is on the same angle as it was in the CV frame, about 45 degrees. I also boxed the frame in that area. The pics are kind of dark but it should give you an idea of what is required, not too difficult. I will try to get some better pics soon.
Doug

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 2, 2007, 9:29 pm

GDG wrote:g&g, I just posted a few pics in my album that show the rear bushing mounts. It requires cutting a small wedge out of the frame and welding in a plate to bolt the bushing to. The bushing mounting plate is on the same angle as it was in the CV frame, about 45 degrees. I also boxed the frame in that area. The pics are kind of dark but it should give you an idea of what is required, not too difficult. I will try to get some better pics soon.
Doug

Thanks GDG! The pics helped a lot. Which brings up another question. I was under the impression that the CV crossmember fit the slick frame almost exactly. It looks like there's some space at the top of the frame that you've shimmed? Is that correct? Or did I see it wrong? Thanks.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » December 3, 2007, 8:15 am

Those are the frame spacer sleeves from the CV frame they maintain the proper spacing for the upper control arms. I cut them out of the CV frame with a holesaw and used the mounting bolts from the CV also. After getting the mounting points on the bottom of the frame rail I cut the top of the rail out with a hole saw and dropped the sleeve in and welded them in to the top flange of the frame and bolted it in. I saw one installation that the frame was built up in that area and also used sleeves. I thought using the original sleeves would be sufficient. You can fab up some sleeves from a piece of tubing if you can't get the ones out of the CV. After the x-member is bolted in then you modify the frame for the rear bushing mt.
Doug

MrEvil · Post by **MrEvil** » December 3, 2007, 5:25 pm

Nice pics GDG, now all I need to do is find myself an '03+ Police Interceptor to part-out. I figure I'll have parts for the '61 and parts to keep my '98 crown vic on the road for some time.

63BIGWINDOW · Post by **63BIGWINDOW** » December 3, 2007, 10:05 pm

Gritsngumbo wrote:and front suspension swap. What kind of drop did you get? And what was your solution for mounting the lower control arms to the frame? Thanks.

An easy way to guestimate the ride height/drop is find a similar year car,with running gear wheels/tires (a driver) and measure from the ground to the top of the crossmember with the car sitting level and measure wheel/tire combo @ centerline,then measure your truck lower frame where the crossmember will mount and subtract from the car upper crossmember measurement this will put you in the ball park,providing the wheel/tires you plan on using are similar to the CVs.
You could also take the wheels off your truck and set the front frame at the car crossmember height for a visual(my favorite).

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 4, 2007, 9:35 am

Hope I'm not being a bother, but I still have questions about the CV Crossmember install. I may be jumping the gun as I have not purchased mine yet (located it but haven't completed the buy) but like to plan out my projects as much as possible (and I don't like surprises).

There seems be be a difference in the following installs.

GDG's Install: '03 CV Crossmember
[albumimg]3189[/albumimg]
This install leaves a space above the frame

61Ford's Install: '04 CV Crossmember
[albumimg]1681[/albumimg]
While this install seems to fit the frame almost exactly.

I guess my question is there a difference in the '03 and '04 CV Crossmembers? I'm under the impression that the frames are almost identical.
61Fords install seems like it would involve less fab work and an easier install for me, but maybe I'm missing something.

If there's a difference in the 03 and 04 maybe I need to be looking for an 04 rather than the 03 I've located. Thanks in advance to all.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » December 4, 2007, 10:53 am

G&G, there are a couple of parts missing from 61's installation in this photo, the upper control arm brace/brackets and the spacer sleeves. Take a look at your donor car and get everthing that is on the car. When I bought mine they cut the frame and gave me the frame section that everything bolts to so I was able to get the sleeves out of the frame. When you see all that stuff in the car it becomes clearer, it is an easy installation into you Slick. PM me and we'll talk on the phone if you have any questions.
Doug

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 4, 2007, 11:32 am

Thanks GDG for the info and the offer. Getting the entire front frame section is a good idea, I'll see what I can do. Hope to have the crossmember etc. from the donor within the next couple of weeks. (Waiting for checks to come in.) I'll arrange for a "phone meet" when I have it in hand and can speak with a little more knowledge.

61ford · Post by **61ford** » December 4, 2007, 6:36 pm

yea mine isnt finished yet i didnt remove the crossmember and i didnt even know bout those plates on top until i seen his pics im now trying to find me a set mine is fixing to be finished as my body is fixing to take a ride to the sandblaster.

gdg is the the factory cv steering shaft and what kind of column are you using?i was wondering if i could use a cv shaft with my f100 column im using.

mods-how bout we take all the pics and make a sticky kinda like the mustang install?i think it would be good to take everyones knowledge of this and place it in one place.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » December 5, 2007, 8:05 am

I'm thinking of a 67-68 F100 column. I don't know much about Ford columns, I saw a 67 in the junk yard it was short (just came through the firewall) and had a coupler on the end of it. I plan on getting that type of a column and fabbing a shaft to join it to my gear. I will use as much of the CV shaft and u-joints as I can. As far as that goes you could cut the 61 steering shaft , put a bearing in the end and make up a shaft to connect.
One other thing G&G, make sure you get the stabilizer bar and brackets when you get your frt end. All those compatible and proven parts really take the mystery out of a project. Also I used 1/4 " plate to fab the lower control arm bushing brackets, I used the bushing for a pattern, then welded in gussets to reinforce them.

turtle1056 · Post by **turtle1056** » December 5, 2007, 2:29 pm

if you hunt up a 78-79 4x4 steering column it has a splined end on it for the collapsable shaft extension which would hook up perfect for the rack on this setup.
It is also of the short variety, and usually had tilt as well.
Looks to me like a direct bolt in on both ends

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » December 5, 2007, 2:37 pm

Sounds like that would be an ideal solution for my 64 F100. I need the tilt feature and that would let me keep my original steering wheel (correct?). Thanks.

Question for those who have done the CV crossmember

Question for those who have done the CV crossmember

Re: Question for those who have done the CV crossmember

CV Crossmember Question