new guy needing suspension help

[Avery08]

I think you are the right bunch to help me out with a huge suspension problem.I've been watching your site and it's quite informative.I'm wanting to convert my current car into awd.I'm nearing 50 so not a kid with a wild idea.Maybe a middle aged man with a wild idea lol.The car in question is currently running a mustang II front suspension and stock mustang II crossmember that has been narrowed 2 inches in the middle to fit the car.My goal is to use most of the existing crossmember if not all to save some down time.
My plan of attack is to use a gm bravada transfer case,transmission,and front differental.I'm currently running a gm motor and rear differental so i won't need an adapter to connnect the transfer case to my trans.My thought is to narrow the bravada differental to fit between the front wheels.I would of course keep the gear carrier part of it tight to the drivers side frame rail.This differental has a flange at the drivers side and a tube with an axle running through it and a flange at that end.
I plan to put a 4" tube through the crossmember on each side,welded of course to retain the structural integretity as much as i can of the crossmember.These tubes will allow the halfshafts to come out directly behind the spindles.My last hurdle would be to adapt the bravada uprights,or possible c5 uprights to the mustang II a-arms that are in the car.The halfshafts would be stock bravadas shortened or lengthened to the appropriate length.
The car has a 103" wb,weighs about 2500lbs,and measures 54" from wheel mating surface to wheel mating surface.The current wheels are 17"x8" with 4.5" bs.
I know this is a quite lengthy first post.I might add i build streetrods,customs,harleys, for a living.I've been at this current shop for about 15 years.We have tig,2 lathes,and a mill.Thank you again.........

 

[Fabrico]

The spacing and lateral location of the balls on the new uprights, as viewed from front or rear, will have to be a close match to the Mustang II'S. Otherwise you will have problems getting the wheels statically aligned, keeping them dynamically aligned, and keeping axle plunge under control. Then there's things like aligning the inner axle joints with the inner pivot points of the control arms. And steering to contend with, now that there is a differential in the way. This doesn't include a bunch of finer details such as the possibility of highly altered castor, or making sure camber change stays compatable with the outer axle joints, etc, etc.

 

[Avery08]

Thank you for the reply Fabrico.I talked to a couple companys today that make uprights as well as suspensions.I've also been scouring all my bookmarks and the web for more info.I think the right route for me to follow would be fabricated uprights.I would have them made to to directly replace the current mustang II spindle but be able to take the stock awd bearing pack.That would leave all stock mounting points and geometry as it is today.As well as allowing me to run the halfshafts through them.I'm looking into ats,coleman,gmachineracing,and scp for possibilities.Do you know of anyone else i should add to the list who could fabricate these?Thank you...........

 

[SusTestEng]

The biggest challenge right from the start will be axle plunge. You can't use rear wheel drive caster amounts on a front driven axle. The caster sweep will try to pull the axles out of the diff. Most AWD cars have very little caster when compared to RWD cars. The caster amount in a FWD/AWD car is one of the main reasons you don't get that great steering feel and turn in grip when compared to a RWD car.