I have a 50 Chevy with a straight front axle. I haven't set the steering up yet, but I'm thinking I may have figured out a plan. I'm wanting to remove the steering arms from the lower rear of the spindle and mount them so they come forward from the top. I already know about Ackerman angle, and will bend the rod ends outward as needed. I picked up an early Bronco steering box and think it will work out pretty slick as the steering rod enters directly above the frame rail, and the box wraps around to have the pitman arm swing rearward. The only thing I need to go back and redo is I need to run the shackles on the rear of the spring since my steering will be in front of the axle. I plan to run the setup as shown on this example of an early Bronco aftermarket system. Any of you have any good pictures of good setups? Or do any of you see any major flaws in my plan?
You mean run a setup like that behind the axle? As most straight axle gasser style cars have the tie rod "behind" the axle. I don't see why a cross steer setup won't work though but you may need a panhard rod to keep the axle from wanting to move sideways. Very much like the rod you see behind the drag link in the photo.
No, steering in the front, per his comments: "I'm wanting to remove the steering arms from the lower rear of the spindle and mount them so they come forward from the top." and... "The only thing I need to go back and redo is I need to run the shackles on the rear of the spring since my steering will be in front of the axle." Wicked50Coupe, I don't see anything wrong with your approach. And with a parallel leaf setup you probably don't need a panhard bar.
Yea, I think it will be too drastic for the rod to come from the column to a box rearward the axle. I guess that's why I posted this thread. I think I have it figured out, but you know how that usually goes. you see a better idea when you are finished with your work. I'm actually trying to finish my headers, but had to stop until I know where I'm running all my steering stuff.
...I'd suggest cross-steering setup,(behind axle) you can get the steering arms, tie rod, steering rod from Speedway,...I'm using this on my 37 Chev coupe with a Saginaw 525 manual steering box, works great. Chassis Engineering mite have a bolt-on steering box bracket.
i had one of these once. it had a straight axle too. i never did get a good setup on it though. the problem is, the box location and the column are such that it can't be a drag link type so it must be a cross steer. i eventually took the axle off and put a stock front end back on. i have a question though. why put the steering arms,with tie rods, on the front of the axle when all you need is a steering arm. put it on the top going forward and leave the arms/tie rod on the bottom and going back. that way no Ackerman problems. i did this on a '65 lemans that i put an axle on and it worked fine.
Not the best pictures, but heres a couple shots of my 53 when i was mocking up the steering. The box is a cut down 65 nova, i machined the shaft for a DD joint. I cut the original 53 column behind the firewall and machined a tapered sleeve to weld to the mount so the joint is actually inside the firewall, to have less angle on the shaft. I bought a steering box at a swapmeet to use the pitman arm on the nova box, the guy said it was 59 chevy, but i dont know for sure. I made the draglink out of 7/8 od DOM tubing. The 4" dropped Axle and steering arms are from speedway. Im not sayin mines the best setup out there, but the car really handles good, even with bias plys.
Thanks for the pics, really gets the gears in my head turning. I originally thought about Saginaw, but was afraid I'd have to drop the column to get it to work behind the axle. Good to see one that worked. I know what you went through with the column, I had to do the same thing on my roadster to get the column into my Corvair box on that.
Isnt the bronco 2 box configured the same as a vega box? Gives you that power steering option, although that's not the gasser way.
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