Thanks for letting me sign on. I have a 41 Chevy Coupe that is all original. Everything mechanical has been rebuilt or replaced. I had one of these in HS (1965) and my wife and I dated in it. Unlike this one that one was a Hot Rod. Now our 50th anniversary is coming up next Feb and I got the car so we could go cruising. Problem is the steering box is worn out (3 inches of play) and the steering sector and worm shaft are not available. When I was younger and had quicker reflexes this was not a problem but now it makes my tighty whiteys creep up into the never regions of my you know what!! My thoughts are to replace the steering box with a HD VEGA unit. I don't want to do a mustang II conversion as I want to retain the stock appearance. Problem seems to be the pitman arm configuration. The stock one is two piece deal and bolts to the Y shaped tie rod bracket. I am think if an aftermarket pitman arm can be bent and then welded to this Y bracket then it would still look fairly stock. The steering shaft housing on the column can be cut and a bearing installed on the lower end inside the column tube. Has anyone done this type of steering box conversion on one of these old Chevy's? Does anyone know what the stock steering box pitman shaft dimensions are? Thought if the VEGA shaft was the same it would be even easier and maybe could reuse stock pitman arm. Hey, it could happen!! LOL Oh, just so everyone knows I did try to adjust the stock box according to the shop manual and it will not adjust. The front end suspension is all new and suspect the former owner did this because he thought it would tighten up the steering. I believe the sector and worm are flat worn out. These boxes were basically junk from day one so I think trying to adapt a modern box would be the way to go. Open for suggestions.
happy thanksgiving. the parts for that original box can be found. i run the stock 33 chevy box in my car and i found nos parts to rebuild mine.
Thanks guys for the info and pic from the shop manual. I have tried to find the NOS parts for quite awhile and just thought it might be just as easy to modernize the steering box by replacing it with the Vega or Saginaw box that has circulating ball type worm gear. The 41 box was never a marvel of engineering and even after it is adjusted correctly it will have play in it within a few hundred miles. I guess the biggest hurtle here is can an aftermarket pitman arm be welded to the old Y bracket for the tie rods and will it be safe? The column is an easy fix as I did one stock column conversion on a 54 Bel Air that I converted tp a RP mustang II front end. That car was beyond redemption as a stocker so it became a drag/show car. The 41 is too pristine to resto mod and I was just trying to figure out a good way to fix this and still retain the stock appearance. If this would work, others who have this same problem may want to convert their cars the same way. Any help will be appreciated as I am anxious to get this going. Thanks again for the info.
SD, I had the same problem with my 41 Chevy and I know what you mean about the bad steering. So much play in the wheel that you are always "looking" for where the wheels are!! I rebuilt the box to no avail. Still scary play in the wheel. Then, after posting and reading here, I had the 2 piece Y bracket welded together since it has 2 rubber bushings between them that caused more play. That didn't help much either. Nothing worked so I went the M2 route. Steers and rides awesome now. And with those huge fender you can't see it. Good luck. Paul
Ok, this might work for you. Not sure how similar a 41 box is to a 50 box but I'll bet it's close. I had a 50 delivery with a worn out box in it and found a 52- 54 steering box was a bolt-in-swap! I can't vouch for the similarities in steering column/shaft interchangeability but the newer box has bearings instead of the old 41's bushings and is a lot smoother in operation...the original pitman arm bolted up too.
the 49-54 cars have the pitman shaft sticking out the side, don't they? instead of the bottom? quite different. 55-57 cars have the box sitting above the frame, instead of next to it, so that won't work either.
I have sent boxes to Lares Corp. Been very pleased. Larescorp.com 800- 555-0767 LARES CORPORATION 855 CLEVELAND ST. S. CAMBRIDGE, MN 55008
Thanks again. I knew you guys had some answers. Just let me revisit this a second. ALL the bushings in the Pitman arm have been replaced. All three adjustments to the steering box have been done and redone three times. The box itself has been previously rebushed and rebearing. I am positive the sector gear and worm are just plain worn out. (Most likely from incorrect adjustments by previous owner after rebuild of box.) I guess the next thing to do is either the IFS Mustang II route which is very expensive or try the less expensive retrofit with a VEGA/ SAGINAW style steering box. I am going to call Borgensen or Flaming River next week and see if they might be interested in working with me to develop a retrofit kit for these old Chevys. They both sell NEW VEGA or SAGINAW boxes and a straight bendable pitman arm. There has to be a market out there and if it is only a matter of designing a Pitman arm that will work and replace the old Pitman arm piece going to the old box then the rest should be fairly straight forward. And yes the sector shaft and pitman arm is on the bottom of the box and unlike the 49 through 54 Chevy where it is on the side. Again, keep the suggestions coming as I am so thankful you guys are here answering my posts.
Have you checked to see if the 41 pitman arm would possibly fit on a vega box? Don't have a vega box here (that's not still in the vega anyway) or I could check myself. edit- I see you did mention that in your first post.
To SD, I have the original working box from my '48 that should work just fine for your '41. If it gets you and your lady out enjoying each other's company, then it'll be a simple remove and replace and you can focus on what's important in life. Let me know.
No I haven't as I do not have a Vega Box yet. I was hoping that I can find one near Lyons, ks and give that a try. There are other dimensional things I need to check also. Before I ask someone to go to all the work to measure and count splines I was hoping someone had already tried this and could tell me the any problems that I will run into. My prime idea was to try to put together the info or a kit to help other old chevy owners who wanted to do this. Thanks for the reply and I will keep it mind that you have some Vega boxes and might be willing to measure the sector and count the splines for the pitman arm.
I might have to take you up on this. I am pretty sure they are the same. What kinda dollars do you need to part with it?? Thanks for the reply.
You said the bushings (rubber) have been replaced. there is 1/2 your problem. Take the bushing area apart and weld it solid. Now it should stay on the road. As far as working with Borgensen, help me here... 10 years ago they were bought out/merged?? well they had a cross steer set up for the 41. fixed all the problems of bump steer and allowed the use of GM Power/manual steering box. I ordered one and it was slow.....after some time I did get a hold of someone and they acted like I didn't know what I was talking about. I pushed it and the gave me the name of the guy that set this up and he said it worked nice but the new company dropped it. I have the paper work somewhere. get a hold of a x steer off? a ? nova? any GM 60's 70's and cut it and narrow it so it fits the geometry of the old chevy and fab up a box. as far as a vega box, way to light for that 41 that's what you use in a model A. I still have the 41 set up under my old chevy and I get along OK. If that thing is all original It maybe drives terrible! Pump the A arm shocks full of GUN grease. Fab up a pair of new tube shocks. as said before WELD that rubber bushing solid. set the "box" as tight as you can and still get full turn. fill that box FULL of gun grease. front end alignment... problem! tough to bring it to someone that will work on it! I did my own ... yes you can set camber! and give it a "toe in" not sure how much I have, just kept giving it more till it stayed on my side of the road. now what do you have for tires? put on a set narrow radials. You wont know the car back!
Thanks for the info. That is what it may come down to. I had been told that welding the pitman arm does help but right now there is so much play in the box it wouldn't matter. If I have to replace the old box with another old rebuilt box, I will do the weld. Right now I want to leave it unwelded in case I replace the old box with an new Saginaw or other modern box. I may have to weld a new pitman arm to the old and don't want to screw the old one up as yet. Will need the tierod Y part to fab up the new pitman arm I think. I haven't talked with Borgenson yet so after I do I will post what they tell me. Thanks again for your help.
Hello SD: How about using an unmodified pitman arm, but use a tierod setup from a Ford truck with twin I-beam? The longer rod has a tapered hole for the shorter rod to pivot from. No, I've never done this- just trying to think outside the box. It won't be the last dumb idea I come up with.
I hear what your saying about keeping it stock but I tell you the Mustang 11 and power steering on my '41 pickup really made it much more fun to drive.
I hear ya. Just thought I would ask anyways. They will probably tell me to go pound sand but you just never know. Thanks
You bet it does. The one I put under my old 54 Chevy worked great. Still might have to do this. Thanks
Let me get back to you on that. I will probably need it but first gotta make up my mind which direction I am going to go. I hate making decisions!!! I would hate to ask you for it and then not use it. Thanks for the offer.
your picture of the 41 coupe reminds me of quick story.. a young couple said they would love to have an old car! He pictured a hotrod she all original ..problem It was her money so she bought a black 41 coupe all restored! it was nice frame off lots of detail. she drove it to work 2 times, came home and slung the keys and said HOT ROD IT! and he did!
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