Hello, I'm going to be putting in a cut and modified rear end. I am putting ladder bars on it. I don't want to hear the word LCA or Torque arm.

My problem is. The only place that I can mount a crossmember is below the fram rails. And below that I have to mount the mounting hardware for the bars. That's NO ground clearance!


I can't mount a bar in front of the mounting location on the bars because the frame rail runs out... the eyelet of the bars just touches where the rear floor pan comes down.

So it seems as though I need to make a modified crossmember that will be welded to the bottom of the frame rails ..BUT still allow me to mount the ladder bar eyelet up higher.....


In the pic below, That is the location that I want the ladder bar to be in. it makes the bars LEVEL and good ground clearance.. but the attatchment for the ladder bars is LEVEL with the frame rail. So i'm kinda screwed. I will not be using torque arms of any kind. So I want this to be pretty sturdy...

I'm just trying to find a way to have good ground clearance....

I figure the crossmember should be at least 2x4 correct??

That that would put me 2 inches below the frame rail. Plus another 2 inches for the mounting hardware for the bars.

THATS 4 inches. And thats my problem. Just too low... Wouldnt give me to much of a safe feeling.

Any help would be appreciated. I just want to figure out the bar situation before I tackle the rear end.

Thank you,
Rob.

 

Oh yeah, I really want to use what I have laying around or can get at a junk yard. I got these bars for free... and I want to make them work...

If there is a way to cut that 4 inches down... I could use a taller rear tire (i have 255/60/15) and /or spring pad...

 

Just had a brain storm. Instead of running a flat bar across, I can just make it arch and put in my ladder bar mounts.

Just not sure of what side steel tubing to use.

I kinda just modified the SSM liftbar X-member. But this one will mount to my existing frame rails.

Then I can go ahead and tie it in to the front of the car.... SFC's..

Tell me what you think.

Orange boxes are frame rails, Red are the ladder bar hangars...brackets....

 

I don't know if the SSM lift bars will be strong enough to use as ladder bars. My ladder bars are made of 1" material.

You're going to need safety loops over those rod ends to make them legal. Recheck clearance with the safety loops attached.

The lift bars will need to be welded to the diff. The amount of torque created by the diff can spin out of a U-clamp. Once welded, the SSM bar will have no adjustability.

Personally I don't think the SSM bars will make good ladder bars because of the way they're designed. They mount under the diff and really reduce ground clearance.

 

My SFC are custom made with 2x2" tubing. I was able to mount the ladder bar crossmember between the SFC. It's just a straight piece of 2x4. The driveshaft still sits above it without having to notch the crossmember. The front hardware had 5 adjustment holes and I cut the bottom one off for clearance. To make the ladder bar fit, I sectioned my floor so that the ladder bar could pass through. Pics on my web site.

 

Do you have any pics? I have a 83 camaro that will be a dedicated race car. I want to do a ladder bar setup also.

thanks.

 

I didn't actually modify SSM bars. I just used the idea of the SSM crossmember.


It would mount to the frame rail peice, and then back to the Lower control arm mounts. And then run some 1X1 up to the front of the car. Then attatch my ladder bars to that.

With the x-member made of 2x4..... should be a lot stronger than some of the TUBING i've seen.


with this setup I would be able to keep the rear seats. My son loves to ride in it. And by letting him ride in the car it keeps my wife happy.

Happy wife = Budget approval for car

 

OK. after looking at the pics on your site:

Here's the plan,


1. 2x2 square tube from rear to front stitch welded to rocker lips.

2. Cut Lca mount so that I can mount the crossmember level accross the frame rail, LCA mount and but agains the 2x2 SFC.

3. Build my 2x4 crossmember

4. Weld ladder bar brackets.

5. Weld on rod end safety loops

6. Install bars.

7. Find pinion angle ?

8. Tighten down U - bolts and weld them to axle.

Thanks for the pics. I really for some reason didn't think that the sub frame connectors alone could handle the force.

Ya know, It's easy to come up with this stuff when your in bed trying to sleep. And it sounds great. Until you get under the car and LOOK.

I just hope that the driveshaft loop doesn't hang too low. I'll have to see how much driveshaft travel I have.

ahh.....but,

If I didn't need the back seats it would be like this correct?

1. Install SFC's

2. Cut out floor pans


3. get a piece of 2x4 and mount that across SFC's and mount ladder bar brackets.

Man thats tempting.

Thanks.

 

Sorry about asking for pics. I forgot that you have good pics on your sit.

Good looking car. I have the same hood and scoop for my project.

 

Well after looking at the car ...... cutting up the floor boards is a must. Stephen, Do you have a pic of where you mounted your sub frame connectors...... ........

 

I was in this same predicament many years ago. After contemplating all reasonable options, I finally decided on losing the back seat and back-halving the car and running full length 2x3" frame rails (in addition to the ladder bar crossmember), to make use of some decent sized rear tires. A roll bar (which was later upgraded to a full cage) was also part of the necessary structural enhancements. I'm glad I went this way, since traction is not much of an issue now, and I can tuck 14x32 slicks up into the body, so the car can sit reasonably low, which looks so much better!