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1934 Ford Roadster Pickup - Suspended With Function & StyleBuilding A Kugel Komponents IRS & IFS From the February, 2009 issue of Custom Classic Trucks By D.Brian Smith Photography by D.Brian Smith
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Readers following the progress of the CCT/ Smith Men '34 Ford roadster pickup project truck know that much headway has been made. Smeding Performance built a 555hp/557-lb-ft 427ci Ford stroker engine. Steve's Auto Restorations created a '34 Ford car-based roadster pickup cab and mated the body with a custom Pro's Pick bed. Comprised of industry leaders in terms of a chassis' essentials: suspension, steering, brakes, and drivetrain, award- winning chassis-builder SAC Hot Rod Products fabricated superlative underpinnings for the Ford ("All Independent & Polished," Oct. '05). Much of the componentry comprising the '34 Ford chassis came from a company established in 1969-Kugel Komponents. Founded by former Bonneville Salt Flats and Dry Lakes multiple-speed-record holder, builder, and longstanding street rodder Jerry Kugel, Kugel Komponents has eight employees. Together Jerry's wife Judy and daughter Jerilyn run the business office. Joe is a fabricator, while the Kugels' other son Jeff oversees the shop and builds the IRS systems. Technicians Jose, Rene, and Jimmy have been with the company several years. Kugel Komponents provides line clamps, universal brake systems, award-winning suspension systems, and handcrafted roadsters. Kugel's independent rear and front suspension systems are so beautiful, we wanted to see how the components go together. We visited Kugel's shop one sunny Sunday morning for the IRS build. On a separate occasion, we watched Jose construct the IFS. We imagine many custom vintage truck/car enthusiasts would pay to see how well-engineered these products are and how they go together. Instead, for the cost of a newsstand copy of CCT (or yearly subscription), we'll give you the armchair quarterback's perspective. Kugel Komponents lives up to it's slogan, "Creators of Quality since 1969," and has fun doing so. But don't simply believe us. See for yourself. Enjoy.  From any perspective, the...  From any perspective, the polished Kugel Komponents IRS is a work of art....  ...Find out how Kugel constructs...  ...Find out how Kugel constructs these world-class street rod suspension systems, both IRS and IFS.  Can you believe it took Jeff...  Can you believe it took Jeff Kugel a mere two hours (even with a feature editor snapping photos and asking questions) to assemble these polished Kugel IRS Komponents? The same procedure is followed each time to prevent mistakes and be efficient.  To begin, Jeff screwed the...  To begin, Jeff screwed the four aircraft-style steel keenserts into the bottom of the aluminum housing. As shown, he then staked each of the keenserts. Since the pivot plate bolts to the housing and the control arms swing from the pivot plate, it's crucial that the pivot plate never slips free. That's why the steel keenserts are used; hard steel is being screwed into steel as opposed to soft aluminum.  After putting Teflon tape...  After putting Teflon tape around the threads to prevent leaks, Jeff screwed the oil plug into the bottom of the aluminum housing.  He turned the housing on its...  He turned the housing on its side and used Permatex high-temp silicone before pressing the oil seal in the side of the housing. Afterwards he inserted the axle-lock ring in the opening to test that it rests underneath the bearing flange. It did, so he repeated the procedure on the other side.  For installing the housing's...  For installing the housing's third member-case studs, Jeff placed the case on carpeted wood blocks on its curved rearend. He installed the Loctite-treated Allen studs first by hand and tightened them with a portable Snap-on impact wrench.  Torco Oil, 85W120 viscosity,...  Torco Oil, 85W120 viscosity, totaling 26 pumps went into the case.  Since the Currie Enterprises...  Since the Currie Enterprises 3.50:1 geared third member is a T.S.D. Limited Slip unit, compatible with 31-spline axles, a 4-ounce bottle of Ford Racing Additive Friction Modifier was added, bringing the total amount of lubricant in the case to 1.5 quarts. If the differential were standard, 29 pumps of Torco gear oil would have been added in step 8, which equals 1.5 quarts.  Jeff placed the Strange Engineering...  Jeff placed the Strange Engineering polished- aluminum case with the Currie T.S.D. Limited Slip third member inside atop the Kugel housing. The pinion yolk is missing in action, since it's being chromed. Also, the gold Grade 8 fasteners will be replaced with polished hardware upon the IRS' final detailing.  Kugel has a drawer in one...  Kugel has a drawer in one of its toolboxes dedicated to all the IRS hardware. Jeff dipped inside the hardware candy store for the appropriate fasteners.  Before installing two washers...  Before installing two washers and a nylock on each stud, Jeff used anti-seize on the studs' threads. Especially when attaching stainless steel fasteners to more stainless, this is essential to prevent the nylocks from seizing.  Jeff employed the speed wrench...  Jeff employed the speed wrench to swiftly tighten the nylocks holding the Currie/Strange assembly firmly in place.  Once the third member and...  Once the third member and case were in place, the pivot plate was bolted to the bottom of the Kugel housing.  Before moving to the next...  Before moving to the next step in the assembly process, Jeff put the rearend on its literal pivot-plate-attached bottom and confirmed the unit was level.  Consisting of an axle, axle...  Consisting of an axle, axle plate, bearing, lock, and lock plate, Jeff hand-assembled the stub-axle assembly, prior to pressing it together in the hydraulic press. As shown, the process required 4 tons of pressure. He repeated the press process for the other stub-axle assembly.  Jeff installed the short stub-axle...  Jeff installed the short stub-axle assembly within the driver side of the housing and the long stub-axle assembly in the passenger side.  After clocking the axle plates...  After clocking the axle plates into their grooves, he hand-tightened and impact-wrench-tightened the bolts holding the axle plates.  Once Jeff put Loctite on the...  Once Jeff put Loctite on the caliper-cradle bolt threads, he installed the caliper cradles.  Before installing the housing's...  Before installing the housing's air-breather valve, Jeff wrapped the fitting with Teflon tape.  With the polyurethane rear...  With the polyurethane rear crossmember bushings (black donuts) and the breather valve installed, Jeff tightened the Allen fasteners, which hold the single E-brake bracket in place. Rest assured, Loctite went on the fasteners' threads prior to this step.  After ensuring the rotor's...  After ensuring the rotor's flange and axle flange were true within the caliper cradle, Jeff installed the four bolts through the axle-flange plate and applied anti-seize to the stainless steel bolt threads, which mate to the halfshafts via U-joints.  Before installing the control...  Before installing the control arms, Jeff installed the control-arm adjusters and dialed in 10/1000 of toe-out. He installed smaller-diameter mock-up bolts within the pivot tubes to attach the control arms. Upon final detail and assembly, chrome-plated Grade 8 bolts will be utilized.  Since there is little tolerance...  Since there is little tolerance between the holes and the bolts that hold the outer hub uprights, Jeff greased the shafts of the bolts before using a rubber mallet for still extra persuasion.  Next, Jeff attached the washers...  Next, Jeff attached the washers and nylocks to the anti-seize- enhanced bolts, which mate the halfshafts' U-joint yolk assemblies to the axle plates and rotors.  To speed the process of building...  To speed the process of building a Kugel IRS, the halfshafts are pre-built and kitted with specific customer orders. In other words, Kugel technicians have already pressed the U-joint assemblies into the halfshafts and assembled the flange and spline-yolk assemblies for the hub carriers. Jeff installed the outer U-joint strap to the hub carriers with the Grade 8 stainless steel fasteners, after applying anti-seize to the threads. He made sure the flats of the washers mated with the surface being bolted to and the nylocks mated with the smooth, curved surface of the washers.  We didn't show Jeff checking...  We didn't show Jeff checking to see if the assembled IRS was level with the shop's level. It was. He attached the camber/caster gauge to the hub end to adjust the camber/caster.  By turning the camber adjustment...  By turning the camber adjustment nuts on the end of the control arm, Jeff dialed in .25 to .50 degrees of positive camber, and adjusted the other side to match.  As we took a photo of the...  As we took a photo of the assembled Kugel IRS, Jeff Kugel explained that the IRS would be fully cleaned and detailed, and the rear crossmember would be attached before delivery.  The only items not assembled...  The only items not assembled on the fully detailed and ready-for-delivery, Kugel Komponents polished IRS are the Aldan Eagle dual-coilover shocks, the radius rods, and the pivot arms. They'll be installed at the chassis builder's shop, SAC Hot Rod Products.  If you order a fully polished...  If you order a fully polished Kugel IFS for your '33-34 Ford chassis, rest assured that the front suspension system works even better than it looks. You'll get Wilwood Engineering disc brakes, Aldan Eagle coilover shocks, and Kugel's front crossmember, spindles, upper and lower A arms and front anti-sway bar.  Kugel starts the IFS assembly...  Kugel starts the IFS assembly process by putting together the components supplied from Wilwood Engineering. The Wilwood hat (far right), hub (to its left), and rotor will be bolted and wired together.  Jose began by fastening the...  Jose began by fastening the lug bolts through the back of the Wilwood hub. The hub accommodates a Ford or a Chevy bolt pattern. The memory trick for a Ford pattern is: bolt, hole, bolt, hole... As the hubs are for a '34 Ford, the Ford pattern was used (5x4.5 inches).  After attaching the Wilwood...  After attaching the Wilwood hat to the front side of the hub with three Allen fasteners, Jose turned the assembly over and began to install the rotor. He threaded the safety-wire bolts into the holes in the back of the rotor, through the holes in the hat. To figure out how much safety wire is needed, use the circumference of the outside of the rotor as a guide. Jose fastidiously threaded the wire through each bolt hole and safety-wired the rotor and hat together.  Prior to fitting the internal...  Prior to fitting the internal front bearing in the backside of the hub, Jose loaded the bearing up with grease.  He put the internal wheel...  He put the internal wheel bearing, spacers, and seal in position, and tapped...  ...the assembly into its new...  ...the assembly into its new home.  Since both brake and hub assemblies...  Since both brake and hub assemblies were complete, Jose moved to the spindles. He inserted the spindle in the upright and put anti-seize on its threads.  Jose put the spindle through...  Jose put the spindle through the opening of the disc-backing plate, bolted the upright to the plate, and installed the caliper bracket and the steering arm.  With the spindle assembly...  With the spindle assembly resting on its base, Kugel put the spindle through the hole in the disc hub. As the Wilwood rotors and calipers are directional, Jose made sure the vanes (or vents) between the rotor plates were pointing forward.  The greased outer bearing...  The greased outer bearing found its new home, thanks to Kugel's technician.  With the castle nut tightened,...  With the castle nut tightened, the disc-brake/hub assembly was ready to accept the six- piston Wilwood caliper. Jose installed the brake shoes in the calipers (not shown).  To check that the assembly...  To check that the assembly was rolling smooth and true, before attaching the caliper Jose spun the rotor/ hub on its spindle while on the installation tripod. The directional arrow on the caliper showed he was working with the appropriate one, so Jose bolted it to the caliper bracket.  Sometimes shims are required...  Sometimes shims are required between the caliper and caliper- bracket assembly-but not this time. After installing the brake-pad retaining pin and tube in the caliper, the cotter pin and Wilwood outer bearing dust cover, Jose paused to admire the Kugel/Wilwood componentry and his handiwork.  Moving to the A-arms, Jose...  Moving to the A-arms, Jose inserted the Polyethylene UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) bushings, the stainless steel sleeves, the caster washers (four to the left and to the right of), the two centric camber adjusters, and the control-arm bolt of the upper A-arm.  The set screws on the two...  The set screws on the two centric camber adjusters must line up. They tighten onto flats on the upper control-arm bolt. The chamfer on the end of the bolt thread shows the flats on the bolt, and how to line up the set screws. To adjust the camber, the bolt is turned-not the camber adjusters. In this application, the bolt is analogous to a cam, as it's turned as one unit to adjust the left or right side of the front end's camber.  In preparation of pressing...  In preparation of pressing the ball joint in the upper control arm, Jose applied grease to it.  Just over 10 tons of force...  Just over 10 tons of force was used to press the upper ball joint into the upper A-arm. The same tonnage was required for pressing the lower ball joint into the lower control arm (not shown).  Jose used the grease gun to...  Jose used the grease gun to lube the upper ball joint's zerk fitting.  After getting the grease injection,...  After getting the grease injection, the zerk fitting was removed and replaced with a chrome cap, fastened with an Allen bolt.  The upper and lower ball joints...  The upper and lower ball joints received a boot, a washer, and a castle nut. The upper ball joints lose their zerk fittings, while the lower ball joints' zerk fittings remain in place (lower ball joint shown).  Before the assembled Kugel,...  Before the assembled Kugel, Wilwood, and Aldan components were boxed and shipped,...  ...they received a final detail-polishing...  ...they received a final detail-polishing and inspection.  Included with the Kugel IFS...  Included with the Kugel IFS is a Kugel front crossmember. The finished product, as created by SAC Hot Rod Products, is a stylish and optimally functional masterpiece. Watch for our next article on the CCT/Smith Men '34 Ford roadster pickup project truck.
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The Thinker??? - Haul Monitor
Ryan talks about the friendly badgering that goes on around the shop and overcoming obstacles that seemly pop up out of nowhere during a project....
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