I bought a project from a friend of mind several years ago. I have been collecting the needed parts since I got the car. I have done mock up / tear down to the point where thinking about it spins my mind out of control. This car was being built in the late 70's / early 80's with the best of pieces being used. It has a tube axle with 4 link bars. The shocks are lever action attached to the end of the springs. It is a lot like the speedway T bucket front ends. It has the tie rod way out front . I would like to run the tie rod through the 4 link bars or even under the 4 link bars. We threw everything together for this picture. The tie rod and the frame would be one very quickly. I posted this picture so you could see what I am working with. BTW...that 324 Olds ehgine and trans are in Texas now in a 32 roadster. any suggestions would be appreciated.
can't you bolt those steering arms in the lower holes in the spindle, then heat and bend as needed to get the tie rod between the 4 bars?
That is what I have been thinking of doing. I figured I would run it through the HAMB Braintrust first…I’m sure it has been done before. I was actually thinking about under the bars. The tie rod should not be a distraction from all the carbs ( Thanks again )
They ( Steering part vendors) sell some arms with severe drops on them but they may still not drop that much. Some have a 3-3/4 to 4 inch drop in the extended drop design. You would have to see if that drop woudl get you where you wanted to be though. If that doesn't work I'd keep the tie rod right where it is. It should steer better than having it out front and to me looks a lot better. It really doesn't make any difference if you put the arms in the top holes or the bottom holes of the spindle, they are going to move the spindles exactly the same in either spot. I'd say a good number of T setups similar to that have the tie rod in front rather than the back because that is what the guy building the car saw on other T buckets so they think that is part of it being a T bucket rather than understanding that some of those setups that have that have no clearance for a Tie rod on the back side of the spindle.
Thanks @Mr48chev . my old coupe had the tie rod under the connecting arms. In a couple of situations, the tie rod scraped the frame a couple of times but didn’t bend
When you change steering components you also change ackerman angles and it will cause tire scrub on turns...
I'm thinking finding steering arms that put the tie rod between the four bars may be the issue. Plus they have to clear the drag link and it looks to be right in the big middle of where the tie rod would want to go. Actually it looks like the spring might be in the way more than anything. I've got a feeling that if you put the tie rod down low the spring is going to be in the way. There are a few different styles of deep drop steering arms around. https://www.peteandjakes.com/parts/part-1108d-bolt-through-deep-drop-steering-arms-1935-48-pair/ https://www.roadstersupply.com/Polished-Deep-Drop-Steering-Arms-Thru-Hole-p/ahr-60305.htm https://www.amazon.com/Zinc-Plated-1937-48-Ford-Steering/dp/B01N3834XY
If you have to go with bolt on arms; Pete & Jakes have some they call suicide arms that are flat to start with; but are extra long to bend around and stay behind the spring and under the frame without loss of over-all length, #1107-XL.
Drag link steering arm in the top holes, recontoured to get the drag link as close to the axle as practical. Bump steer? Steering arms in the lower holes. Maybe ream the tie rod holes halfway up from the bottom and install the tie rod from the bottom. I think I remember seeing Jeep? dropped tie rod ends here on the HAMB. If the tie rod is going between the 4 bars, try to get it as close to the bottom ones as practical.
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