I'm in the process of tearing down my '51 Chieftain so I can pull the body of the frame and get to work on the underpinnings. However the stock steering configuration has me stymied. I can't figure out how to separate the column from the steering box. Does anybody know the procedure for doing this? I hope I don't have to yank the box and column as a unit.
Yup. Does not come apart. Not until late '57 did they get a rag joint on the power steerting and possibly even later on manual boxes.
remove the steering wheel and linkage and pitman arm and it comes thru the engine compartment after you unbolt the floor seal , remove any turnsignal arms and shift levers too , if you have power brakes ( option back then ) remove the complete unit . the unit comes out under the car so jack the car up as high as you can to pull it . and your going to have to remove the splash pans too . I am one of the lucky ones as they cut mine for a rag joint and new bearing unit . when they clipped the front end
hard to tell, but it appears there is a single horizontal bolt holding the box to the frame? clearances suck in that area because the previous owner put a SBC in there and the left side headers really encroach on the steering stuff. you're lucky you already had a new clip on the front. i was debating on whether or not to do a new MII front end on this, and the steering junk might push it over the line. the main point in this frame-off is to get access to the rear end and replaced the lowering blocks with a Jimenez Bros 2-link rear with notches. wasn't sure i wanted to lay out the cash for the front end right now, but while everything is taken apart is the best time to do it. really hate the thought of putting that old wobbly stuff back on there. i was considering putting a Scarebird front disc kit on it, but for the money i'd shell out on the kit and the components i'd be 1/3 of the way to a new stubbed MII with power steering.
mine wasn't clipped with MII , mine was done with a late ( post76) GM F-X sub frame which is way more complicated than installing the MII . but I like the suspension and steering it has .
ok, i've located the bolts, but can't get the pittman arm released. trying to crack the large nut on the bottom of the steering box...won't budge. tons of Kroil and cursing. loosened all the other steering linkage with the hopes that it would wiggle stuff lose to be removed, but no luck. ugh. am i missing something? i don't see any cotter pins or anything securing that nut. also realizing i'm going to have to remove the manual brake cylinder from the frame just behind the steering box in order to remove the column and box. how the hell did 50's mechanics work on this stuff?
You might need to remove the column/gearbox assembly to replace the pitman arm . Than it might be easier to get the nut off and use a puller. Probably really need to take it to a shop use an impact gun to remove the nut and to use the puller to get it off. You have to remove the end plug on the centerlink, you only need to do the driver side. It's spring loaded a little. Remove cotter pin and unscrew plug out and keep everything in order. Once it's loosened up the pitman arm ball will come out of the centerlink, it's slotted a little.
If you don't have the tools enough to get the pitman arm off, probably don't have them to get it tight enough either. I'd leave it on and do as I already mentioned with the centerlink.
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