Steering geometry

[unibodynewbie]

I have looked at some of the steering corrections on here. My truck is a 61 uni that is dropped with a few leafs out of front and a lowered straight axle. There is about 3-4" height difference from where the spindle mount and the steering arm mount off the gear box. Is it possible to cut the steering gear arm or maybe make a Z'd arm that goes from there to the spindle mount?

I really don't have the money or place to do the raising of the gear box. My bumpsteer is pretty bad right now.

Any help with pics would be great or any ideas period.

Thanks.

Shane

[Alan Mclennan]

I think Leeroy, on here posted a link to a supplier of ball joints that may help with your problem.

[sully5]

The Z'd drag link (if that's what you mean) doesn't change the geometry at all. I have a flipped front axle on a 64. I heated and bent the actual steering arm that is on the spindle itself, then shortened the drag link. I haven't driven it yet, but the geometry is back to the same geometry as original. The goal is to have the drag link parallel to the ground with the suspension at rest. You can get an idea about where your bumpsteer is, by bouncing the truck up and down while watching the steering wheel. With a straight axle, you cannot completely eliminate bumpsteer unless you go to rack and pinion mounted on the axle. However you CAN get it to a manageble level.

[Leeroy]

I recently had a long chat about this issue with the guy I am using to drop my axle who has done lots of straight axles, he said the best way to do it was how sully5 suggested, heat and bend the original spindle, although he didn't mention shortening the drag link.

Alan, the link I posted was drop tie rod ends that can be used instead of the existing tierod and those spacer blocks. The price was similar to the spacer blocks.

[sully5]

The dropped tie rod ends are listed on a couple of sites. Speedway is one of them. They seem to be out of stock pretty much everywhere I find them. I'm on an email list to be notified when they come available again. Been waiting about three months so far. I can drop my truck another inch or so when they come available. My oil pan is a little too close when I get it down where I want it. The blocks are OK, but you have to make sure they clear the wheels. I have 16x8 wheels with a 5" backspacing and the tie rods are a little too close to the rims for me to use the blocks. 17"+ wheels would probably be fine with my offset using the drop blocks.

[Gritsngumbo]

Have you tried Nostalgia Sid's?
http://www.droppedaxles.com/FORD_AXLES.html
They have the tie rod drop blocks.

[unibodynewbie]

I don't have any problems with the steering rod and tierod ends. That clears fine. I wasn't sure you could heat up that metal on the spindle, I thought it would compromise the metal.

So heat up the spindle arm and shorten the steering arm? That's what I was thinking about, just wasn't sure it could be done.