Front straight axle

[Alexandre_Garcia]

Thinking of a front straight axle race car, the shackles must be facing front always? Or they can be rearward too?

[mopowers]

I think on a straight-axle car, the front hanger is stationary and the rear hanger is the swing shackle.  Not really sure what your question is.  Speedway motors has a lot of parts you may need. 

[bOb shingler]

with one i did in my falcon 30 years ago i had the shackles in the back.

[Blvedere]

The fixed end of the spring goes forward, the rear shackles must lean back slightly because when the spring flexes it gets longer and the rear point must move back. Hope I explained this okay.

[Capt Jack]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Coronet-383-V8-Auto-65-DODGE-MOPAR-383-CU-IN-ALTERED-WHEEL-BASE-CAR_W0QQitemZ110245728093QQcmdZViewItem#lg

good picture examples in this ad (not mine) 

I would think for steering stability, you'd want them rearward as the shackles tend to twist

[blasphemous]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Coronet-383-V8-Auto-65-DODGE-MOPAR-383-CU-IN-ALTERED-WHEEL-BASE-CAR_W0QQitemZ110245728093QQcmdZViewItem#lg

good picture examples in this ad (not mine) 

I would think for steering stability, you'd want them rearward as the shackles tend to twist

It's not so much the shackle twisting that you want them in the rear.  If the shackles are on the front of the spring, when it compresses, the axle will move forward.  That drives the axle into whatever bump made it compress, making that much more profound.  With the shackle in the rear, the axle moves back when it compresses, softening the force of the bump you hit.
The shackle should also face away from the spring center.  The reason for that being when it compresses, the spring is moving up.  With the shackle already leaning away from the center, it's moving up as well during compression.  That makes the articulation smoother and easier than if you have a straight, or worse; negative angled, shackles.

[68_Val_Sedan]

the shackles must be in the back.  It has more to do with bump steer than anything.  Whe the spring compresses it gets longer, that getting longer would move one side of the axel forward and cause some really funky steering issues on every bump and when the car leans in every corner. 

[bOb shingler]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Coronet-383-V8-Auto-65-DODGE-MOPAR-383-CU-IN-ALTERED-WHEEL-BASE-CAR_W0QQitemZ110245728093QQcmdZViewItem#lg

good picture examples in this ad (not mine) 

I would think for steering stability, you'd want them rearward as the shackles tend to twist

wow very nice and col hotrod but you'd think with all the work they would have move the springs inboard and mini tubbed it.

[Alexandre_Garcia]

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I got all I needed. Mopowers, yes, what I meant was about the stationary end of the leaf spring. Capt Jack hit it squared, the coronet picture cleared it all to me. Two things came into play: normally the front half of the spring is shorter, and since the idea is to make an AWB car, the front portion should be as short as possible. Second is that all the trucks I can see here have the sping mounted the other way, the stationary end is back. But now I see it clear in the pics.
Bob, would You please post some pics of your falcon? alexandrev8garcia@gmail.com

[az426hemi]

Here are some pics of Steve Magnante's 63 Dart.

[Alexandre_Garcia]

Hey, these ones didn't came in the de luxe mag, ultra cool! Thanks!