Hot Rods drop steering arms

Im building my first hotrod. I have a couple ch***is books from street rodders and so-cal. I am at the point now where i need to set up my steering. My front suspension consist of a 4" drop super bell axle, slotted split wishbones with a suicide leaf setup. I have 28-48 ford spindles with a ford disc brake kit. I definitely do not want the steering out front of the axle. I can get it behind the axle but i need a steering arm that is 5"+ spindle mounting eye to tierod mount. I was looking at ch***is engineerings deep drop arms but they have no specs listed. Is there any others besides pete & jakes arms? What does everyone do to keep the tierod behind? Would i be safe using the ch***is engineering arms and heating and bending as needed?

Thanks, ****-head

 

I built a 32 truck several years ago with a 4 inch axle and split 32 bones. I had 41/48 spindles with no steering arms. I used the deep drop CE arms because they were forged and could be bent. After I got them bent to fit I had them magna fluxed to check for cracks. Drove the truck about 10,000 miles before selling it to a fella in England who to my knowledge has had no problems.

 

Awesome! Thanks man! Sadly i dont think i have anyone near me within 100 miles that can magnaflux. I have heated and bent some ford truck steering arms without fail. I think i should be ok.

 

I've used the CI dropped arms with a 4" dropped axle and didn't have to heat and bend them to work properly.

I especially like the idea of their dropped arms are forged. HRP

 

Thank you, it appears the CE arms will be the way to go. Thanks for the replies.

 

So-Cal also makes a nice set of dropped arms that may work for you. I used them on my roadster and am very happy with them. I'm not sure about the CE arms, but the So-Cal ones are a bolt-through design:
http://www.est1946.com/deepdropspindlesteeringarms.aspx

Malcolm

 

CE is also a bolt through design. I will check out so-cals some. Are they capable of being heated and bent?

 

CE arms are a little over 3" from center of mounting holes to top of boss [SoCal "B" dim.] for tie rod end and you will have to heat and bend anyways as the ends are at an angle [unless they have corrected] but comments on here were heat and bend...While SoCals are slick I think CE are way stronger but your choice

 

CE are a little more in my budget as well.

 

I think the CE arms work well unbent with 37/48 bones but the extra material on the bottom of the 32/34 bones requires some additional drop. All of the deep drop So-Cal arms I have on the shelf are stainless, don't know if they make steel ones? I have bent So-Cal arms but it's tricky and I was hesitant to let it out on a customer ch***is so I tweaked some CE's. Most automotive machine shops can magna flux.

 

Thanks man! I will try out the CE arms. I have aftermarket bones. So i may need some extra drop to clear them. Sadly where i am in colorado, there is one machine shop and they dont magnaflux. Its a chore getting them to ream some kingpin bushings. I do my own stuff anymore if i cant order it in.

 

If your using the aftermarket bones like Speedway sells the CE dropped arms will clear as is.

 

They are built bones by ron lahr.

 

Very interesting, never seen anything like them.

 

They are unique thats for sure. Ron builds some cool swiss cheese frames as well.