I bought A 53 chevy truck axle today and I'm going to be installing it in my 54 bel air.I have never done A gasser before and would appreciate some help. I would like to be able to use the stock springs and was wondering were to buy the frame mounts or best way to make them. I was going to cut my original steering column and put in A column saver kit. What is the best steering box to use and I noticed the axle that I bought was originally set up with the drag link on the driver side.
Try the search function. Lots of info on live axles. Not much probably on using coil springs. You can probably use the original spring pockets and make perches for the axle from pipe and plate. You will need to run some sort of locators for the axle, trailing arms and a pan hard bar, like Ford. You will also need to limit suspension travel to keep the springs from hopping out while you are pulling a giant wheely. Good luck
This might help. Think about using car brakes on truck axle. Keeps them five lug. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/best-straight-axle-for-51-chevy-car.491018/
I assume he meant he's using the truck leaf springs. First, measure things. Then, see what you need to do to make it work. Perhaps weld a channel on the frame behind the axle for the spring mounting bolt to go through, and weld a tube to the frame in front of the axle, for the upper shackle bushing to go through? As for steering boxes, there are several ways you could go. A chevy truck gearbox and column from the 40s-50s might be adaptable, and use the drag link that's already with the axle. Or change the steering arm to one on the pass side, and use a Vega box or similar, and have cross steering. Hopefully someone here has done a similar truck axle into a car swap, and has a recipe to follow.
I used the same axle under my Pontiac. The easiest way is to simply make mounts to your stock frame if it's good. The easiest is to use the stock steering. I had a 54 Chevy but danged if I remember how the steering box went. Cross steer is generally the easiest. There are quite a few posts here on doing that. It seems daunting if you have never done it but it's easy. Oh yeah, my truck axle had already been swapped over to 5 lug before I got it.
There you go. If you've never done it you'll want a little more detail but basically they did what I suggested above. I did cut my frame off just after the steering box and made a new frame in the front but the basics are all the same.
If you want the look without all the thinking and fabrication. Just put some spacers between your frame and crossmember. You can raise the front end up and it still drives decent. a friend of mine drove his 53 like that for about 10 years and probably put 50,000 miles on it. If you are a decent fabricator then put the axle under it if not then spacers are way easier to get the gasser look. I say this and I like straight axle cars.
That's A neat idea but the original steering is wore out and expensive to rebuild so I think I will put the truck axle and springs in.
I have a 52 210 with a 49 Chevy Truck axle. I didn't do the swap so I cant say for sure how they did it. Although I will say Im fixing some of their butchery now. I could probably show you some things not to do, since Im fixing that stuff now. Looks like it has the truck springs, and it also kept the truck spindles. Speedway makes a kit for normal 4.75 mid 70s disc brakes on a 47-55 truck spindle. Like was said earlier you can use the car spindles or buy what they call "modified spindles" which will open up your options more. But you don't have to. I even have an earlier version of the kit that came on my axle, I would sell it if you want it. You would just have to buy your own calipers and rotors. Im finishing up my cross steering now. I used a 525 box from speedway. I did have to make a bracket. Which Im not a super fab expert but I think it will work. Its both bolted to and welded to the frame. I just ordered all the linkage. I can take some pictures when I have it all in and give you a run down.
...try for a cross-steer set-up like this, used a 525 box, homemade steering box mount, everything else from Speedway Motors....no bump-steer, easy to steer with 2 fingers...
The truck axle I bought already has a disc brake conversion which is a plus. I would appreciate if you would get me some pictures of your set up. I would like to be able to reuse the truck springs that is on it.I was looking in A speedway catalog this morning and they sell A spring insulation kit with shackles bushings and frame mounts said it's for 1 3/4 springs with 3/4 eyelets .I measured mine and that's what size they are, so I probably will order that kit .
Thanks for the pictures, they are very helpful and the steering and bracket looks very nice. I have A 72 nova parts car with manual steering that I'm thinking about trying the box .
You DO know the reason fellas went the straight axle route back in the 60's, right?! Strictly to reduce weight on the front end. The "theory" back then was.....raising the front end as high as possible helped weight transfer. Since then it has been proven that 'theory' was worng (sorta). We had'em jacked up front and back!! "Better weight transfer"! (yeah, OK!) My little 64 Falcon would almost tip over when using an off-ramp! PLEASE don't leave the front end sooo high you could hunt coons with it! Remove as much weight from the front as possible and get some 'loose shocks' for the front to get that nose high front end ...on acceleration. Looks cooler and might be a little safer to drive. AND...on coming traffic (like ME) won't be totally blinded by your headlights. Post plent of pics! 6sally6
I don't plan on jacking it up to high . The look I like is just a little above factory but yet noticeable.
My front spring setup was a bit all cobbled together. The frame mounts and bushings appeared to be for a 5/8 bolt but it had a 9/16th bolt through it. I bought a set of original leaf spring bolts but they are too big (11/16ths). So rather than start drilling I ordered a set of grade 8 greaseable 5/8ths bolts from a 4x4 site that I think should work. She shackles are goofy too so that’s one of my next steps. I haven’t pulled them down yet to see exactly how goofy they are. my steering is similar to the one pictured save that mine is front steer.
Sounds like you are having A time with it. I was looking in a speedway catalog and they sell A axle mounting kit for 1 3/4 springs ,shackles, bushing,mounting hangers that I think would work with my 53 truck leaf springs. I would like to see if anyone has used the kit on original 47 -54 truck springs. If you would, could you get me some pictures of the spring hangers and especially the back one,I would really appreciate it.
If you are talking about the same ones I looked at, I think the bushings are going to be too small. Look up a factory shackle. The speedway shackle has a .750 bushing diameter. The factory ones are larger. I wanted the use the Speedway ones too because they are cheaper and easier to get. But Im concerned that the bushing is too small and would float around in the spring eye. Of course its possible you found a different part than I did.
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