fatman experiences

coffincustoms · Post by **coffincustoms** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:50 pm

Hello all, I have been piecing together my front end as you can tell from my other posts. I am curious as to how many of you have used a fatmanfab crossmember or kit. I was quoted $570 for the crossmember today and I swear I heard someone get it for 400 here. Any ideas? Also how easy are they to install?

Website · Post by **wideblock** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:38 pm

i have useed fat man products quite a bit in the past. never on a dodge. but all my experience has been good. they make a hell of a good product.

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:42 pm

hey Coffincustoms!

I was looking on there website and seen that the crossmember for 59-64 1/2 pickups run $519. There saying its 60 1/2 inches hub to hub. I to am thinking of going with one of there kits. If they have one thats a made to fit weld in setup, it should go fairly easy.

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:00 am

Yes fatman's IFS was used on Daryl's truck, thats the gray one all over in the magazines, as you can see from the measurements, Daryl used 1" offset rims to get the width back on the front

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:59 am

I havnt seen the truck yet! Is he a member here? So the factory hub to hub measurement is 61 1/2 inches?

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:00 am

Yes he is a member here, and his truck has been all over in the magazines and even the internet. He was in the Classic Truck Top 10 Trucks. Not sure on the measurement you have there, what is your end points?? as far as center of wheel, back of hub???

soopernaut · Post by **soopernaut** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:53 am

CLIFF wrote:I havnt seen the truck yet! Is he a member here? So the factory hub to hub measurement is 61 1/2 inches?

Here is his truck.

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:46 pm

ok i have seen this truck!. it is sweet! thats about the ride im looking for but with a straight axle. But im not sure if the ride quality will be up to par for my liking. I was thinking dropped springs and dropped axle to get it that low.

MOUTAINMAN...you just mean the measurement form HUB to HUB?

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:55 am

Cliff
Yesterday I looked hard at the straight axle and flippin it on top of the springs, which would give ya about 4" drop, anyway owners in the past that have done that have experianced bump steer, and it looks as if the arm off the gear box would need to be lenghten, and the arm connecting to the driver wheel would need some changes, if that could be accomplished then the flip would be do able

BigDad · Post by **BigDad** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:59 am

That is my Silver dodge truck
I used a hob to hub kit from Fatman it was then
about $2000.00 total --might of went up since then
I used the tube a-arms , or if you use typical a arms you need to use strut rods, more fab work that way --
Its not too bad putting the kit on ..
It will take around 10 hours to cut, measure weld
etc .. There are other places to purchase a kit too
No, you will not get a straight axle to sit , drive like this --

soopernaut · Post by **soopernaut** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:18 am

MountainMoparRobin wrote:Cliff
Yesterday I looked hard at the straight axle and flippin it on top of the springs, which would give ya about 4" drop, anyway owners in the past that have done that have experianced bump steer, and it looks as if the arm off the gear box would need to be lenghten, and the arm connecting to the driver wheel would need some changes, if that could be accomplished then the flip would be do able

This truck has the front axle flipped. You could contact the guy for more info.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Ot ... dZViewItem

slick · Post by **slick** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:13 pm

why would flipping the axle cause bumpsteer?

Cageman · Post by **Cageman** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:46 am

The steering link will not be level, or in the center of its travel, the center is the longest it will be, and you want it to be level at ride height, When you move the axle up and down, the steering arm is moving in an arc. you dont really notice it happening when every thing is normal.
Now when you flip the axle, the steering link is goin up hill, it is now in the arc and when the wheels move up, it will turn the tires with out any steering wheel input, as the didtance from the pitman to the steering arm on the axle will get shorter, but the axle is still in the same place, or parallel to the pitman arm, this is waht cauaes bump steer, but both wheels move in this case as the wheels arnt independent. When it goes back to ride height, it will move again, same thing when it drops down.
I can see it clearly in my head, but I am having a hard time describing this, I hope I am not confusing anyone! I need a pen and paper to show the arc that the link travels in.
One time I made my own steering link out of some dom tubing and two rod ends, The oem link had a bend in it to make the arm level, when it actually wasnt. I just made a link that went from the pitman arm to the steering arm and it went a t an angle. I would change lanes every bump I hit. I then messed with washers and longer bolts and it came out perfect. I had no idea what bumpsteer was then. I cut the front end off and stubbed a new one in and havent looked back since, but I still have the link I made, in case I come across a truck that needs a link.

Sweptline.ORG

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