1953 Ford F-100 Helix CornerKiller RX IFS Install

Every day there are people thinking about plunking down their cold, hard cash for an independent front suspension setup for their vintage truck. The demand of today's classic trucks is far beyond what was expected of them in the past (not in the utilitarian sense-far from it in fact). Trucks are almost expected to ride and handle like most cars these days-which is a bit of a stretch-but there are cars on the market now that will start to apply the brakes for you when you get close to an object! The argument that these kind of ultra-modern features are making up for careless, distracted, and totally non-mechanically minded "drivers" is for another time and place. Nonetheless, most people now want their old truck to ride less like, well, an old truck.

A company called Helix has jumped in the IFS ring with their new CornerKiller RX IFS suspension packages. The kit is available in either a deluxe or economy version. The deluxe CornerKiller RX kit includes TIG-welded tubular upper and lower control arms and the crossmember with ground and smoothed welds, while the economy packages include an ungrounded crossmember. All packages include 11-inch drilled, slotted, and vented rotors with bearings and seals, coilovers, stock height spindles, calipers with brackets and pads, a front-mount manual rack-and-pinion with tie-rod ends and bushings, a spindle nut kit, and all mounting hardware.

There are also options that include Helix's Magnum Mustang II forged, 2-inch drop spindles, power-assist rack-and-pinion steering, or the Helix AirShock suspension system. To make installations easier, Helix offers complete air suspension packages that include everything you need in one box, including compressor, manifold, tank, lines, airbags/shocks, digital control with eight presets, a remote control, and a plug 'n' play wiring harness. Helix also offers an upgrade program that allows you to exchange your old aftermarket suspension parts toward a CornerKiller RX IFS at a nominal fee, which is pretty sweet.

Right now, Helix has kits for '53-56 Ford F-100s and '55-59 Chevy trucks, but they also offer a universal crossmember that can be trimmed to fit just about anything. Join us at Jimenez Brothers Customs (JBC), in Riverside, California, as they walk us through the installation of the CornerKiller RX into a '53 F-100.

Here we have your basic stock suspension setup on a '53-56 Ford F-100. Obviously there's a bit of work that needs to be done to strip the frontend of its parts as shown here.

Here we have your basic stock suspension setup on a '53-56 Ford F-100. Obviously there's a
After more work, everything is stripped from the front of the frame, except the bumper, which helps hold the framehorns in place during the install. With the frame safely on jackstands, it will need to be leveled from front to back as close as possible. A traditional bubble level should work. For those who need to really know how level things are, there are digital levels out there.

After more work, everything is stripped from the front of the frame, except the bumper, wh
One of the first things that needs to be done is to make patterns for the boxing plates of the inside of each framerail from the original front crossmember back to the transmission crossmember, or about 36 inches. The boxing plates should be made from 1/8-inch mild steel, and cold-rolled is preferred over cheaper hot-rolled steel. You'll need at least 6-feet of it, by 6 inches wide.

One of the first things that needs to be done is to make patterns for the boxing plates of

With the boxing plates cut to fit and the frame prepped, it's time to tack weld them in place. Don't forget to chamfer or bevel each edge of the boxing plates and the frame where the two meet for proper weld penetration.

With the boxing plates cut to fit and the frame prepped, it's time to tack weld them in pl
Remember to jump around while tack welding the perimeter to avoid warping or misalignment. The same rule applies when it comes time to fully weld the boxing plates in; give them some time to cool between welds if needs be. Next, dress the welds with a grinder to smooth things out, but not to remove too much metal. Avoid hard stones for grinding. They can quickly and deeply scar the surface you are trying to make nice. Try rubber-backed 36-grit sanding discs instead and replace them often.

Remember to jump around while tack welding the perimeter to avoid warping or misalignment.
Next, grab the TIG-welded Helix CornerKiller RX crossmember and dress all the edges to be welded with an aforementioned 36-grit sanding disc. Doing this will help for clean welding and make it so you won't have to remove it and do it later after the crossmember is in place.

Next, grab the TIG-welded Helix CornerKiller RX crossmember and dress all the edges to be

Now, from the center rivet above the front leaf spring shackle mount, measure back 19 3/4 inches. This will give us the axle centerline. It's also a good idea to go over the axle centerline area of the frame with the grinder.

Now, from the center rivet above the front leaf spring shackle mount, measure back 19 3/4
Earlier, JBC made sure the frame was level side to side, but it also needs to be level from front to back at the axle centerline as shown. The Helix CornerKiller RX crossmember is pre-cut for proper geometry as long as the frame and the crossmember are level.

Earlier, JBC made sure the frame was level side to side, but it also needs to be level fro
The crossmember is checked from front to back. Remember a small torpedo bubble level will work as well.

The crossmember is checked from front to back. Remember a small torpedo bubble level will

With the frame and crossmember verified as being level and the center of the CornerKiller RX crossmember on the axle centerline, Job carefully tacks the crossmember in place. This job is better suited to a higher amperage 220-volt MIG or TIG welder to ensure proper weld penetration and safety.

With the frame and crossmember verified as being level and the center of the CornerKiller
Check everything again for level after the crossmember is tacked in. It'll be easier to adjust the fit now versus after being completely welded in!

Check everything again for level after the crossmember is tacked in. It'll be easier to ad
Here we have the rest of the Helix CornerKiller kit. There are slotted and cross-drilled 11-inch disc brake rotors (choose Ford or Chevy bolt pattern), big GM calipers and brackets, heat-treated 2-inch dropped spindles, adjustable upper and lower control arms, a manual (shown) or power rack-and-pinion unit, and adjustable coilover shocks.

Here we have the rest of the Helix CornerKiller kit. There are slotted and cross-drilled 1

The shorter control arms are the uppers. On the bottom, the leg on the control arm that spreads out farther than the other goes toward the rear.

The shorter control arms are the uppers. On the bottom, the leg on the control arm that sp
Next, the adjustable coilovers can be installed. The Helix coilovers feature chrome springs and 10-point dampener adjustability to help tune the ride you want.

Next, the adjustable coilovers can be installed. The Helix coilovers feature chrome spring
Install the spindles with the steering arms pointing forward as shown. Next, use the jack to lift the lower control arm up so the ball joint in the upper control arm will seat in the tapered bore in the top of the spindle and install the castle nuts on each ball joint.

Install the spindles with the steering arms pointing forward as shown. Next, use the jack

The rack-and-pinion unit simply bolts to the CornerKiller crossmember with two provided bolts. Just make sure the steering shaft is coming out the back of the driver side!

The rack-and-pinion unit simply bolts to the CornerKiller crossmember with two provided bo
Now install the caliper brackets onto the spindles. There are two bolts that make this happen, one of them is the big cross bolt that comes in from the front of the spindle (arrow).

Now install the caliper brackets onto the spindles. There are two bolts that make this hap
The rotors can slide onto the spindles once the wheel bearings are greased and the inside wheel bearing seal has been installed. Don't forget to fully remove any grease that might get on the brake surface of the rotor during the install and before the calipers go on.

The rotors can slide onto the spindles once the wheel bearings are greased and the inside

The disc brake calipers attach using two standard caliper bolts. Be sure to tighten every bolt down as specified in the instructions. After the new disc brakes are plumbed we'll be in business!

The disc brake calipers attach using two standard caliper bolts. Be sure to tighten every
After making sure all the parts fit properly, any bare metal or as-cast parts should be taken back off and painted to avoid rusting. Remember to tow your truck to an alignment shop once it is fully assembled again before driving.

After making sure all the parts fit properly, any bare metal or as-cast parts should be ta