So in my quest to stuff an fe in my 47 I came across steering Clearance issues. People before had mentioned chain drive setups but I never really gave it a thought as building a custom chain drive system didn't sound like the best idea when it comes to something as vitally important as steering. I also noticed most people relocating their steering were converting to ifs. My mind immediately went to it must have a rack style steering setup. Well now that I have a better understanding of steering stuff and now that I know there's companies that make those chain drive things and you can use boxes. it's seeming like a good idea. So here comes the questions. 1.) I notice my stock box is roughly at a 45 degree angle to the frame with a straight bellcrank ( is that correct? ) I would like to run the steering link almost parallel to the frame for maximum clearance and that means the box angle will be even tighter what am I going to have to do to have the steering function correctly? 2.) what's the best way to mount the steering bot to the frame? I noticed that my stock box actually makes the frame flex a little bit under load. 3.) I plan to raise the front of the truck a bit to get the truck to sit level instead of like a muscle car. What am I going to run into for problems there? Any and all help is appreciated, thanks. Sent from my SCH-I545 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Pictures would help the rest of us in internet land diagnose these issues a lot easier. What is the vehicle? A '47 What??? I am assuming pickup from the cab in your avatar, but who knows. Where are the clearance issues??? Is the oil pan interfering with the drag link, or are the headers / exhaust manifolds in the way of the steering column linkage? I am not sure how a chain drive solves the same problem a rack and pinion would. Rack and Pinion implies IFS, but you are later talking about a stock steering box which implies straight axle. We need more info, Captain! The steering box should flex the frame a bit. It is designed to do that, so it distributes the load into the frame over a larger area then just the bolt holes. You would likely see fatigue cracking at the bolt holes if it didn't flex. Items that are extremely stiff and don't flex are prone to fail quickly.
Duellym see if you cant make some photos on your particular problems as you ask them..... AND,,Guys,take a little time and try to help a fledgeling hotrodder...afterall he is only 16
16 year-olds know how to take photos and post them on the internet better than anybody else on the planet.
I dont think chain drive steering is legal on the street. Have an accident and the lawyers will have a hay day with this.
Thanks, I have been looking at steer clears and I like them, I'd like them even more if they weren't so ridiculously expensive. But I'm sure you get what you pay for. It is my 47 truck and yes I am keeping the straight axle, here are some pictures That's what I called the straight bellcrank, when I can get the box should this still be in the same position it is in now or is it Ok to be at a different angle? That's how close the column is to the exaust port, the motor is mounted all wrong so the motor actually need to be lower and closer to the firewall. this shows how close the motor is to touching the head there's about a 1/4 of an inch between the head and the column. Sorry about one of the pictures being sideways, I guess I shouldn't be doing this on my phone. Sent from my SCH-I545 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you mean that straight arm on the bottom of the box, that needs to be pointing straight ahead, or very close, when truck wheels are straight. I'm not sure on where the motor can/can't be moved by those pics, but the column is not any closer to the exhaust port, compared to many older hot rods with small spaces. If a header pipe can fit, then it is OK, if that is where the motor needs to be I have an older hot rod: mine is about the same distance, and my column actually rubbed on the casting bump on the head, so I ground the bump off. If I had moved the motor away a bit, then two/three other things would have hit, so it was in the best spot I had .
like F@J wrote, sometime you have to just squeeze them in. gather all the pieces and trial fit, you can move the motor over a little for clearance. moving the radiator forward might help or getting a shorter fan spacer.
Thanks, it is true but with how far back I have to push the engine I think the exaust port will be exactly where the colum is, I guess I should just mount the motor correctly and find out.
I don't necessarily think it is a good idea to mount the engine and then figure how to deal with the steering; need to take it into consideration when locating the engine as mentioned by previous posters. Have you considered shortening the column such that you can put a u-joint right where it exits the firewall, then drop down to another joint and forward from there, looks like you could get by the exhaust and a 3/4" shaft is skinnier than the mast jacket there now.
offset the motor to the passenger side a little.raise the motor a little and/or move it forward a little electric fan?.that clutch pedal looks like its taking up a lot of space.top hung pedal ?
Yes I have considered that, the major problem I'm having with doing something like what you stated is how I'm going to change the axle of the shaft out of the firewall and not have the u joint at the box at a extreme angle. I may just need to think about how to do this for a while. What you say is true though, just the shaft is going to clear alot easier than it sleeved.
Brake/ clutch isn't an issue. It currently does not have a clutch pedal to take up space in it. I want to be able to have it like a daily gasser sort of thing, so I really don't want to offset the engine or make it sit any higher than it needs to, won't that just make it handle even worse? I don't need that. I don't think offsetting it will really work either as I think the exaust port is going to almost line up perfectly with the steering column
I don't know if this would help ,but it's worth looking into [or other HAMBers that have a similar situation] Toyota Townace vans with forward mounted controls have a R&P steering with the rack mounted backwards and the pinion going forward. At the bottom of the steering column there is a "V" drive for the steering shaft to go back to the pinion This V drive is OEM and safe enough for mass production steering [worth considering]
Thanks for the idea, I'm gonna have to think and see what's going to work the best for me. If I go to an aftermarket column is there a way I can keep the original key and starter switch in it? Sent from my SCH-I545 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you are talking about a old Ford column that has a steering lock/ignition key switch? You can use your old column by cutting off the inner shaft at the box. Then add a simple flanged bearing at the bottom of the outer tube. Lots are done that way, including mine. My column is a 40-48 style Ford car, cut off, and a bearing added. You can modify the inner 3/4" diameter shaft at the bottom, to use a double D ujoint by weld/grinding. .
So I have another quick question, my truck originally had a 4 banger in it wich I'm sure is a lighter than a fe with the springs being worn out it Sita really low in the front. Makes it look like it has a muscle car stance. I have the truck up on Jackstands right now and it sits about level, actually a Slight bit higher in the front but you really have to stare at the roof to notice. That's how I want it to sit. Here's a pic for reference, even though you really can't tell How do I figure out what size spring I need and how many helpers it's going to need to hold the weight of the truck?
I run in to this a lot, people that " think " this or that about my product. There is no law that prohibits "chain drive steering" on the streets of the United States. I have been selling Steer Clear for over 10 years now and not had any fail. In fact testing has proven that if used with a steering column that is built from round tube ( not solid bar stock ) the column would fail before the Steer Clear. Most of the top designers now regularly use them in there cars and it is used in a lot of different race vehicles.
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