Hi all, name is Dave from Indiana. Ive got a 56 Chevy that already has a Speedway axle installed. Everything is ready pretty much except the steering box is missing. It has the stock frame rails. I plan to use origonal 56 steering box, what pitman arm do you all recomend. I ended up taking over someone elses project. Thanks for any help.
Hi Dave, I have a 55 Chevy with a straight axle from a Chevy truck. The car has the stock framerails also, I used the stock 55 steering box with the steering arm off the truck to the driver side spindle. I then had a custom 38 inch tierod made at Speedway Motors to connect the driver side spindle to the passenger side. I hope this helps, good luck with your project. Jason
Thanks Jason, but this thing is already set up for cross steering. I do have the origonal steering box in hand but not the pitman arm. That where my issue lies. I've spent about 7 hours today searching this site but haven't really found my answer.
X2, that is how it is done. You will get way to much bump steer if you try using draglink with two tie rods.
I think they used a vega box for the crosssteer - i recall the shaft sticking straight down twards the ground and the pitman arm would run parallel to the ground. I also recall the one i looked at would have horrific bump steer if it was ever driven, it was somebodies project car.
Go thru these pics on this link. You will see how its done. Never mind the differant frame rails. http://www.gassersinc.com/members/jimcecil/my56/56gasser.htm
The pictures look to be set up for front steer, I'm wanting to stay with a rear mounted box with cross steering
Then just take the opposed steering arm from what was shown on link I sent and moint it to point back on right side of the car. One drag link from steering box to upper mounted stock 56 car steering arm. And one tie rod from truck steering arms below left and right. Done. If the drag link does not hit the right frame rail.
^^^^^ Here is what I mean to what I just wrote above. That is all Speed Way stuff if I remember the write up correctly. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6768524&postcount=3
Johnny.. Speedway axle is what is in the car, everything is already set up with the rear cross steer except the steering box is not installed. May be I'm missing something in your previous post. I'm kind of slow I'm trying to figure out what pitman arm might work using the origonal manual 56 steering box.
I'm sorry for the confusion. I thought I read Idler Arm. I believe Kiwi Kev left the stock 56 pitman on the stock box. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6768501&postcount=1
Thanks Johnny........ I'll try to locate a pitman arm for the 56. Looks like I'll need to cut the ball off the origonal type pitman arm and drill it to accept the 5/8 hiem joint.
No problem. Do yourself a big favor. Find the intro link here on the HAMB and introduce yourself. I didn't see one posted by you. It's a writen rule here and some guys are not as nice as me about just jumping in without one .
Thanks Johnny... should have intoduced myself first I suppose, Didn't intand to disrespect the site. I'll go over and and make my introduction now. By the way looks like all I need is a pitman arm for 55 thru 57 pwer steering car and I'll be good to go. Thanks again for the help. I'm sure I'll have more questions as this project comes together. Dave
Welcome Branded. I'm currently dealing with the exact same problem, but with a 55. I have the original non-power pitman arm, but I don't think it will work. Let me know how the power steering pitman arm works out. Good luck.
tisk, tisk, tisk. i don't know why everybody goes through so much head scratching when doing straight axles. i have a henry j with an axle on top of the springs and if i can get a pitman arm to go under the 327 chevy oil pan, getting one to do it on a car with as much room as a 55-57 chevy would be a cake walk. just get a pitman arm that fits your steering box and any other one you want to run as the little end. if it doesn't have a standard tie rod tapered hole or better yet, just get a heim joint to match whatever size tubing your cross length is going to be. get a piece of 3/4 thick steel plate. now cut off the big end of the stock arm for the splines. some grinding may be in order to get it round. now get a hole saw and drill the 3/4 plate to accept the splined end. do the same for the little end, if that is what you are going to use or just drill a hole in it for the heim joint bolt. weld the crap out of it. install, heat and bend where needed. viola!!. and don't tell me you can't do this. if you can build a car, you can surely cut and weld a pitman arm. have fun. i do it all the time. it was the way pitman arms were done before the forged ones started coming out.