I need some help please. I'm getting ready to put in a dropped axle under my truck. The problem is that the dropped steering arms are hitting the axle. How do I fix this problem? Does anyone make steering arms that fit closer to the spindle? Do I look for a new axle? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ant
It is a 40 ford truck and it has a original axle that was dropped and stretched. In the attached picture you can see how the steering arms don't meet flush to the spindle and is hitting the axle.
I could be wrong but it looks like the spindle is up side down. looks like there is a ton of positive camber in it or maybe its just the way the pic was taken.
This is a stupid question, but is there a driver side and p***enger side to an axle? If so how can you tell the difference?
X2, that would appear to be the problem. Everything I've ever seen it's on top. Sorry Lone Star that I don't have a better answer.
On my 40 with a dropped stock axle I had to do a little clearance grinding, just took a tad off of both. There is a front and back, makes a differance on the tapered kingpin lock pin/ steering stop.
According to the instructions that Speedway shows for installing the king pins you have it right http://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/910-32121.pdf I'm with Brandon in that I think that you are going to have to polish in a bit of clearance to get it to fit. It looks like the problem is in the way the axle was dropped. Not bad but it doesn't have that curve out at the spindle boss that a lot of them have and angles off pretty steep.
Hard to tell from this picture. Maybe you can post one that shows the whole axle with both spindles on there.
My steering arms had to be ground just a little to clear. The pic does look odd with respect to camber. Is it just the picture?
You just need to grind the arm and or the axle a little. Stock ... the lock pins go in from the front . If they don’t want to go simply run a 9/16 drill threw the hole.
The problem is With those later (37 to 48) axles …. Its hard to get much drop in the first place and even harder to make sufficient room in there for the steering arms. Ad to that them kinda steering arms are made to fit new axles that have a mile of space there …….... you get the idea.
Your problem definately comes from the odd way the axle is shaped. The '40 axle doesn't drop as well as the earlier ( model A or 32-36) axles.Those bolt on steering arms are also more intrusive than the original Ford arms. If you put real Ford spindles on it with the steering arms attached,I think it would clear. That is if a little grinding doesn't do the trick.EDIT..296v8 beat me to it.
If the spindles are on correct, you need to make a new set of steering arms that has a drop as well. Not sure how close to me in texas you are?
Ch***is Engineer make a bolt on steering arm that drops out the bottom and they work well on the 40 axles. I also like to use the stock spindles and steering arms. You can bend them tighter and get the clearance. The super bell style of steering arms don't work well on the 37-47 axles. www.droppedaxles.com
BEFORE you grind anything.... You need to lay this axle down on a flat surface with the spindle straight out, step back, and then take a picture of the spindle shaft. I don't know if it is this picture or not, but from the way it looks your spindle is on upside down. It should point straight out and be 'level' with the axle and not bent downward facing. If it is facing downward, when you put the hubs, wheels and tires on, they will be laying out extremely far at the top. Trust the advice given above about the spindles. The picture may be deceiving, but I'd hate to clearance the steering arms and them not need it because of my own mistake.
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