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Using 37 bones, SoCal teardrop mounts under frame, 56 box(I will probably cut off flange and make my own). I want the wishbones as far outboard on the frame as possible, but clearance problems with the pitman arm will be an issue. Any solutions?
Thanks ahead of time,
Without seeing your setup, hard to really offer much, but how about heating and bending the steering arm outboard? That is what I did to the one in my '27 Ford and my '39 Dodge, using the same steering box you are. Just heat it slowly, but really red hot, bend it, then let it cool slowly.
Don
I don't have the box installed yet, but it looks like the pitman arm will directly intersect the wishbone. By cutting off the gearbox flange and welding a new one on(per Vern Tardels book)I can move the pitman arm outboard a little more, but I still may have interferance problems. Just wondering if anyones done this setup before and maybe has a part # for a different pitman arm that works better in this situation.
You will notice my steering arm has a tapered hole at the bottom for a tierod end. (I drilled it out to 5/8 for a spherical rod end and bolt though) The normal circa '56 arms have a ball on the end that goes into a spring loaded socket, so I am using what I believe to be a '59 steering arm, and Ford made the change to a tierod end sometime in there.
I have also seen two different methods of Ford attaching the pitman arm to the shaft. One method is a splined shaft with a nut on the end, and the other is the type I have, with the large bolt going across the top and cinching the arm tight to the shaft. Don't know when these changes occurred though.
Don
I've never seen a 56 box mounted like that(in my many months of 32 ford experience LOL). But it looks like it gives you much more clearance with it above your frame instead of through it. Was that a 59 truck pitman arm? My wishbones look alot Longer than your hairpins(they are 42") and meet the 32 frame past where ity starts to widen and this tends to put them further outboard..
I had to mount it on top because of the width of the 394 Olds, there was no room to do it otherwise, and I didn't want cross steering in this one. I think it is a '59 arm, but I have had it so long I forget the application.
You can really heat and bend these arms pretty severely, they are forged and very thick, so you almost can't mess them up. I bet if you mock it up and then figure how much you need to bring the arm out you will be able to reshape the arm enough to accomplish that.
Don