Posted by Jesse Ybarra
on 8/12/2009, 14:46:29, in reply to "Re: fc170 lift"
205.188.117.15
Craig is correct, I do raise a lot of trucks, but they are very modified, new springs are best and actually less work and money, the results of body mounts alone can cause a lot of problematic issues, as craig said, for most FCs the 50 year old springs are probably sagging, or ready to crack, the body is only attached at the front with 2 bolts, the rear bolts are only for positioning the body between springs, that the body floats on, while resting on the body springs. Raising the body 3" adds additional leverage that can cause frame and body cracking damage.
Raising the cab 3" can be done, but you will need to think about the following items:
* The steeing column, is not straight up and down, it is at an angle.
* Raising the cab up 3" is going to need to go staight up not angled like the steering column.
* moving the cab up puts the dash closer to the steering wheel, but what about the turn signal switch.
* the steering box, can be rotated, at the steering box mount bolted to the frame, rotate it, to change the angle, in order to get the column moved forward at the top, to be closer to the dash again, problem now is, that at the bottom, this changes the draglink length to the bell crank, at the top as it is rotated / moved forward on top, the steering wheel gets closer it is to the windshield.
* moving up the dash, 3" will require disconnecting it from the the steering column, the brake master cylinder brackets will need to be slid up the steering column, the bracket mount and lower dash mounts, when slid up the column, that is with the new angle, it will now put the column where the brake switch is.
* The electrical harness will need to be modified, it does not have 3" extra slack to allow the move up.
* Clutch cable, brake line from master cylinder, heater hoses, throttle linkage, choke cable, will all need to be modified to accept the 3" raise.
* this last one, is the one, I hate the most, 3" of leg room is lost, as the body goes up, the steering wheel goes down, imagine sitting on a phone book on your drivers seat.
About the getting more air to the motor. If your motor is running hot, something is wrong, raising the body up 3" will make it worse, the engine runs cool because the fan pulls air through the radiator, the body as it is, only allows air to go in a tunnel that funnels the cool air to the radiator, as it is, the air absorbs the heat going through the radiator, hot air continues down and out the large rear screen. If you need more cooling try a 6 blade fan, on a stock FC all fresh air goes only into the radiator (or heater if it is on,) as it is coming in from the grill, later FC tunnels are better, but both models should run cool enough in your area. Stock FCs are able to be driven in Phoenix, Craig had no problems with 12 people in the FC Tour Jeep. Why it is worse to raise a stock FC, raising body raises the tunnel, this allows the fresh air that is in motion, because of driven speed or engine fan speed, to go around with 3" over the top not thru the radiator.
The temperature of water is important, but even hot water cools an engine, as long as the water, is not boiling.
It is the oil that lubricates, hot circulating oil in the engine, is cooled by the heat transfer, that happens as water is circulated though the block, as the hot water is pumped in the radiator, the fan in a shroud sucking air through the radiator, is how that heat is removed.
You previously had asked Roy, about his FC-170, he didn't answer. As an example, I will answer that his truck is not stock, most of his lift is because of the arc of the replaced springs. Also as an example, about temperatures. It has a 4.3 GM / 700R auto, the late model motors run best at higher temperatures, that would blow the head gaskets, on a flathead FC-170, it and many other highly modified FCs look original on the outside only.
--Previous Message--
: Never thought of a body lift for an FC but
: would you not run into steering wheel
: clearance problems with too much of a lift?
: (Knuckles dragging on dash, LOL!) Probably
: clutch cable problems also. The rear cab
: mounts kind of, shall I say
: "float" a bit and if you look were
: intended to compensate for frame flex. With
: say a 3" lift it might compromise that
: system. I'd go with new springs all the way
: around. The ones on your truck are probably
: 50 years old anyway. 7.50 x 16's fit fine
: with the stock truck.
:
: Craig
:
: --Previous Message--
: does raising the cab create any problems?
: I'm
: thinking it will look better and give the
: motor a little more air? Any body got any
: ideas on this matter. Thanks Ed
:
:
:
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