I have a situation (Chevy straight axle with 1/4 elliptical springs & short arms) where I want to use a bell crank to convert a side steer set up to cross steer using a bell crank. There is not room to mount the steering box in the ideal location to avoid bump steer for side steering or to mount the steering box up front for cross steer. I can mount the box further back and fit a bell crank up front. I could fabricate a 90 degree bell crank but would consider buying an assembly that already exists. Looking for ideas of what you may have done or seen, or what is on the market.
Studebaker used a bell crank system for years.. Look for late fifties early sixties passenger cars and Larks.
Not picturing your situation but you might Google Chip Fooses 32 Ford roadster steering. Might get a few ideas.
Try this. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/foose-p-32-roadster-have-you-studied-the-steering.509047/
I don't know if you can see it real well, but my Anglia had a Bell crank on top of the frame. 1st Drag link came froward from Corvair box, 2nd drag link sent it 90° to right side spindle
Mid 30s GM started using a 1 to 1 ratio, 90 degree, to convert a side steer mounted box, to cross-steer the new IFS, with twin tie-rods. This one is 34-35 LaSalle, but Buick must have one also, maybe others with IFS in those years
Thanks, good stuff so far. Hodroddon, this is what I had in mind. Did you build the bell crank assembly, details? Looks like heim joints. What about pivot bearing? F&J, I have a few 30s & 40s GM products here, I'll have to take a closer look at them. 34Phil, I found that jeep stuff, but i would have to come up with the mounting bracket from an old Jeep.
I found some big GM panel trucks and motor homes use a bell crank too but that stuff looks pretty high dollar and probably overkill for my project.
Just in case: take a look at those cars to see which direction the box needs to turn. That LaSalle uses a side steer location on the box, with pitman arm still pointing down, but they had to reverse the worm direction!. It almost looks like an "evolution step" in design, like they were focused on keeping the box where they always were, but used it with cross steer. I don't have enough books to tell, but maybe GM only did that for a couple of years? If you do come up with a fix for your car, can you post it? I'm always looking at stuff being fabbed. Thanks
Two flat plates in the 'L' or Boomerang shape, 1/8" material. They are spaced apart the thickness of the heim joints so that they are in double shear. The pivot is just a thick wall piece of tubing that was a few thou larger than the shank of the 3/8" bolt. The frame had a blind hole threaded bung so that the bolt would bottom out in it. the length of the tube was such that when the bolt bottomed out it would leave about .005" up and down play. A zerk fitting allowed a bit of grease to be pumped in for smooth operation. the only think I would do differnt if I were to do it over would be a stud with a lock nut or a regular nut and a jam nut. It never came loose (been there since 1968) but it would just be better piece of mind. You can play with the length of the two legs to quicken or slow the steering as well. this one had multiple holes on the drag link to spindle side.
I've seen some 80's and 90's GM motor homes have that. Also known as workhorse chassis. They don't look too big and have a flat bracket to bolt onto frame.
I'm sure I'll figure something out. I've got a couple of different ideas. It's a long slow build. I really only get to work on it in the winter, mostly over the holidays. I will probably load up a build thread when I get closer to done.
Another thought stolen from large A class motorhome with independent suspensions: They use a bell crank and simply have big sealed roller bearings. One on each end of a big bolt. They look quite home made.
That was my thought also. The Studebaker design may be a bit more of the size you need, but of course not so easy to find vs the later model truck stuff.
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