Ok I am working on my 55 chevy pickup and can't decide weather to sub frame it or leave straight axle my question is can u take a rack off of anything and put it on there the poor boy way and still look good and if so what do u use thanks
i suggest you keep the axle , maybe have it dropped....and install a newer power steering box. there are kits for that , a quick Google found these: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1955-59-Chevy-Truck-Power-Steering-Kit,37043.html http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CPSK059 http://www.cl***icperform.com/power2.htm
Stock would be a dropped axle, not straight. As the others have said, keeping this is best and possibly having it dropped further would provide what you want with any upgrades you want to make for improved drivability. - EM
Some will disagree, but I am not a fan of racks on straight axles. If you mount the rack to the frame you can get some goofy handling characteristics like bumpsteer. If you mount it to the axle that takes some of that out of it, but then you have a lot of weight hanging on the axle and they also look ***bersome there. I guess there are folks who have made it work, but my vote goes for a modern steering box, either manual or power. One of the scariest cars I ever drove was a T bucket with a rack. Every bump in the road took it off in various directions and it was white knuckle time the whole trip. Don
We are having a semantic problem, I think the OP means original axle v something less desirable, like Camaro, or MII. Perhaps beam axle is more correct but whatever you call it Don understands what the OP is saying. The only correct way to mount a rack on a straight axle is to either mount one with a dead end or to mount the rack directly to the axle itself. I don't think that either is the best route to take, like Dion I am not a big fan of a rack on a beam. Steering box is a stronger and more stable setup. Drop the original axle or move it to the top of the springs if you want to get the old truck down in the snout, look for a steering box that suits your taste (power or standard) and run with it. the old trucks don't drive like a Lexus but its a truck and that truck feel is pure ecstasy. Anyone who ever rides one that is not wore slap out is ruined for life and will fall in love with all things obsolete.
Since you can't decide and I don't know if you have ever driven the truck, my 2c. Leave the original axle in there, but make sure the king pins and spring mounting hardware are in good shape. Drive it for a few years. If the ride totally ****s and you don't want a different truck, put on a MII. The MII is the easiest up grade with kits designed for your truck. If you have more better skills, a sub-frame would be the way to go. Lowering springs are available if you want to drop the front with the orig. axle.
I had a Morris Minor with a Chevy Van axle, and a rack and pinion unit mounted to it. It didn't drive any better than my friends 53 Chevy truck, and did not look good at all.
If you want to have a more modern suspension, and get better brakes and power steering and maybe lower it a bunch at the same time, then go with a subframe or MII conversion. If you want to keep it traditional, just fix all the stock stuff, and it'll work ok.. The original steering box can be rebuilt, and has the appropriate ratio. Rack and pinion steering works well in cars that were designed for it, but not so well in old trucks with solid axles.
The Jalopy Journal
