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Technical Hoop Steering

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by 2935ford, Apr 15, 2013.

  1. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    I purchased a hoop style steering arm and will be using tie rod ends for the drag link.
    The hoop steering arm is the threaded end type and goes through the spindle and backing plate then a lock nut goes on the inside of the backing plate to hold it firmly in place.

    My question: How do you get the nut to sit flush against the backng plate and also sit on the edge of the spindle plate lip? Are you using some type of flat washer flattened on one side? :confused:
     
  2. shinysideup
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,627

    shinysideup
    BANNED
    from ruskin, fl

    The nut goes on the same way it went originally.
     
  3. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

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    What combination have you got? The nut shouldn't be that big in diameter as I think the shank on the bolt is 7/16.
     
  4. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    I have a hoop style steering arm, round spindles, '56 F100 backing plates, grease shields and drums. I'm using a lock nut (which could be my issue?).
     

  5. shinysideup
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,627

    shinysideup
    BANNED
    from ruskin, fl

    I cant understand WHAT the issue is?
     
  6. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
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    Got a close up photo of what you are dealing with? Worse case you could modify a flat washer to work but I'd use a thick one and file or grind a bevel on it rather than bending a thinner one.
     
  7. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
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    Usually the stock Ford square headed bolt fits with one side tight to that edge of the spindle, I think.

    On the car where I used the same hoop, I had to cut away some of the outer portion of the grease shield to be able to get a wrench on the nut. IIRC a small washer (AN style)was required under the nut too. I used locking nuts, the kind with a deformed edge, not the nylon insert ones. Mine barely fit. If the threaded portion of the hoop was 1/4 inch longer it would have helped a ton.
     
  8. Kramer
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 911

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    This is what I ended up doing for mine. I have the same combo as you do 2935ford. I am just at the roller stage, so I don't know how it will work out yet.
     
  9. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    Kramer: I'm also seeing that the nut on the top right is a tight fit with the wheel cyl and grease shield.
    alchemy: impossible to get a wrench on the nut if someting isn't done to the grease shield for sure.

    A fun little issue!

    I will post a pic shorlty.
     
  10. Kramer
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 911

    Kramer
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    Ah, I don't have the wheel cylinders or grease shields on yet. Looks like I will be following this closely to see what you come up with.
     
  11. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    In the pic you will notice the bottom two bolt heads are angled to lay flat against the backing plate with one edge of the hex head against the spindle ridge.

    This is what needs to happen to the top two nuts. Just not sure how right now to do that. :confused:
     

    Attached Files:

  12. tiredford
    Joined: Apr 6, 2009
    Posts: 560

    tiredford
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    from Mo.

    I had the same problem so I just eliminated the grease shield. I havent got the car done yet so I dont know how good it works... Why do you need a grease shield anyway? The rear seal looks like any other without a shield.
     
  13. Kevin Lee
    Joined: Nov 12, 2001
    Posts: 7,582

    Kevin Lee
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    Haha – Well, it does kind of help shield the grease from the bits that stop your car.

    I use washers with a flat filed on the outside to fix the issue in question.
     
  14. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
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    Could you fit a grease shield on those late brakes, even without the hoop steering? Can you fit that nut on there at all?
     
  15. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    Kevin: What type of nuts did you use? Did you trim the shield at all?
     
  16. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
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    2935ford
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    alchemy: I hadn't got that far but I was pretty sure it would be very tight.
     
  17. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
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    2935ford
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    I just went through the Tardel/Bishop book and they don't talk about this installation.
     
  18. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
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    from Texas

    I have taken cars apart that had the grease shield split so the interference points of the shield could be bent aside, the nuts tightened up and then knocked back in place. One even had a few turns of old time friction tape around the grease shield so it had no gaps to allow contamination of brake linings. Love those hotrodders.
     
  19. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    pasadenahotrod: Thanks. ......hard to believe there could be 40 ways to do this?
     
  20. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
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    from Tracy, CA

    Yep a whole bunch of ways an ingenius person could solve this problem! :D

    I did what Kevin Lee did, until I swapped my spindles for different ones.
     
  21. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    el Scotto: what spindles?
     
  22. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    Well, everything I have learned so far......tells me it's Ok with the new seals on the hubs to disregard the grease shields at least on this wheel.
     
  23. Kevin Lee
    Joined: Nov 12, 2001
    Posts: 7,582

    Kevin Lee
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  24. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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    Kevin Lee.....Great idea!
     
  25. jervin
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 45

    jervin
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    Did removing the shield workout for you? I am dealing with this on my 32 with 40 brakes. Thanks-Jack
     
  26. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    jervin - sorry, my attention went back to my other build.
    Leaving the grease shield off and a flat sided washer does it but I'm not quite done with it yet.
     
  27. 97
    Joined: May 18, 2005
    Posts: 1,982

    97
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    Last edited: Oct 3, 2013
  28. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
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  29. 97
    Joined: May 18, 2005
    Posts: 1,982

    97
    Member

    I should point out that I make my own hairpin steering arms , the thread size may be different on the ones you buy from Speedway and/or other vendors. I see in a previous post someone said 7/16??? Dunno I cant remember if I increased the hole size or if 1/2 is stock size.
     
  30. LSGUN
    Joined: May 26, 2007
    Posts: 1,358

    LSGUN
    Member
    from TX

    I ran into this problem recently and noticed a few others have as well. I followed 97's advice (thanks again) and tried out the Allen nuts and they cleared the wheel cylinder. I didn't really want to run a Super Bell slingshot as I prefer the looks of the hoop arm. Don't forget to run a modified washer or two behind them. They aren't pictured below.

    You need the 1/2-20: http://www.mcmaster.com/#allen-nuts/=skz1lf

    steering arm f-1.jpg
     

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