The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop What IFS possibilities for '46 3/4 ton

Anyone done a successful intall of an M2 IFS on the Art Deco 3/4 ton? I have read about several AD 3/4 tons M2s but none on the '41-46. I know that the frame measurements are close to the 1/2 ton back to the second cross member. If anyone has done this I would like some advice.

draglink

I have not done this but I believe the measurements are the same for both trucks in front of the cab. I have both a 1940 1/2 and 3/4 ton truck and I believe they are with these trucks. The 1946 is different than the 1940 so I can't help with measurements. Some one on the list with a 1941 - 1946 1/2 could take some measurements for you.

Thanks, Bill.

The part nos. for the front and second cross members are the same which would somewhat support your belief. I will get some reliable measurements somewhere.

Thanks, again for the reply.

drag

drag,

Good luck. Let me know how it works out. Some day I will strip off the front suspension on the 3/4 ton and an IFS would be my first choice. I've done the dropped straight axle thing already.

The entire front suspension from a 67 to 72 Chevy/GMC pick-up unbolts with the cross member it is easily adapted to fit most any other truck frame rails. The nice thing about it is that all the suspensions mounting points are part of the cross member and if you need a narrower track width you simply narrow the cross member. The motor mounts bolt to both the frame rail and the cross member so if a V-8 swap is in the works they are easy to adapt to fit after the cross members width has been altered. This also give you a choice of weight ratings from ½ ton to 1 ton duelie as they all come apart in the same component type manner, much like the aftermarket front ends sold by the rod shops
If you wish for a more car like ride many prefer to graft a Nova/Camaro front sub frame to their trucks.

Grant,

Now the 67-72 truck sounds like a good alternative. I will follow up with research on this.

The car ride is not my goal. I want to be able to drive the freeways with disk brakes under me. I am finding that the choices for the eight luggers are well hidden when it comes to modifying the existing hubs and axles for disk brakes and higher gears. My preference is not to cut my frame and to use my front and rear axles, but I want to drive it 65-70 mph.

Thanks, Grant for some good info.

Drag

You really do not hae much of a choice....Must II.

Don www.meyerbrosrods.com

MII is not your only option. You can find 4.11 gears for your rear end, which will be an improvement over the 4.56 gears. There has been discussion about an 8 lug disc brake kit. It is not available to my knowledge yet, but should be pretty soon.

An upgrade from the "huck" brakes to "bendix" brakes will also be like night and day. You can pull the backing plates and hubs off a 53-59 3/4 ton for that upgrade. It's a bolt on change.

A 2 chamber master cylinder with a booster will also help in stopping your ride weather you convert to disc brakes or not.

At the end of the day it all depends on what you want out of your truck. If you like the quirky way a 46 3/4 ton truck drives, keep it mostly original. These trucks are getting hard to find in an original state. Preservation is actually a pretty cool thing. There are plenty of incomplete projects for sale out there that have already been subframed.

Thanks for that information, bigbad.

Would that gear update be the 67-72 Eaton HO72 carrier swap, or is there another way to go to 4.11?

draglink