Frame / Springs: Question on front/rear springs, 50 champion

[doubledaddy]

I have swapped the front king pins and rear axle fron a 50 land cruiser to the 50 champion I am building to get the larger brakes, everything bolts in. Also installed the rear sway bar from the cruiser. I am wondering if using the front and rear springs would be a good idea, my thinking is this would stiffen up the ride. Also, how can I tell if the cruiser springs are standard or heavy duty. I know before I started this project the champion had a lot of roll on corners. The car will be lowered 3 inches all around and will have wider wheels from a chevy van, I do not have the cruiser wheels. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks

[Alan]

The heavier sway bars from the Cruiser will take a lot of lean out of it. The way the Stude suspension was designed the front roll center or moment center is below the ground. The lower the moment center the the more the car leans in a turn.

[52-fan]

How do you fit Chevy van wheels to a 50 Champion?

[bezhawk]

The Land Cruiser front bar runs behind the oil pan. If you have room with the engine you are running it too would be a good addition. You will have to fabricate some sort of attaching point to the control arms. Perhaps one the the GM retrofit bars like Dick Datson used to recommend would be a better choice? I believe it was off a later Olds Cutlass Ciera?

[doubledaddy]

It has the 11" drums from the 50 Land Cruiser which has 5X5 lug pattern. I had thought about using the cruiser front sway bar but I havn't looked into deminsions etc. Might work, I have a Champion six built by Bill Cathcart. This has the tie rod behind the engine with the pan drop in front. Will have to see if I can make it clear. The body is off the frame so it's easy to work on. If it still rolls too much after I get it on the road I can swap the springs later. A lot of work before I reach that point. Thanks for the response.

[52-fan]

It has the 11" drums from the 50 Land Cruiser which has 5X5 lug pattern. I had thought about using the cruiser front sway bar but I havn't looked into deminsions etc. Might work, I have a Champion six built by Bill Cathcart. This has the tie rod behind the engine with the pan drop in front. Will have to see if I can make it clear. The body is off the frame so it's easy to work on. If it still rolls too much after I get it on the road I can swap the springs later. A lot of work before I reach that point. Thanks for the response.

Okay, 5x5 like the Studebaker trucks. I had forgotten about the early Commanders using that bolt pattern.

[doubledaddy]

Thanks, Alan. I had never heard of the "roll point". Looked it up on Google. Very interesting. I never thought lowering the car could make it roll more but it does make sense. I am planing to lower the front by having the spring recess cut out and dropped 3 inches to avoid cutting the spring. Going to check on the geometry some I proceed.