Technical Advice requested: Steering arm hits axle and conflicts with grease zerk

1933 Ford un-dropped axle. Chrome after-market steering arms bought used out of HAMB cl***ifieds. Steering arm hits axle when bolted up.

Question 1: to gain clearance, should I :
1) grind the axle, or
2) grind the steering arm?

I'm thinking grinding the axle is the simplest approach-surely someone else has run into this and has a recommendation that will give me confidence before I break out the angle grinder?

Question 2: how do you deal with the steering arm covering up the grease zerk fitting?
1) grind clearance for grease gun out of steering arm
2) 45-degree or 90-degree zerk
3) live with it -you don't lube the axle that often any way?

 

If it was me I would just notch the axle,as for the grease zerks they are avalible in several off sets. HRP

 

i like to use original spindles with the steering arms built in

 

If you used original 39-48 Ford spindles you would have no issues. Not what you want to hear. But thats how I would fix the problem.

 

Like Danny says.
All you need is just enough.
They also have the needle type grease fittings, like on a drive shaft u joint.
You could redrill the spindle and move it some.

 

Fix it right and do as Corn Fed mentions

 

The 39-48 spindles don’t fit with the Boling Bros self-energizing drum brakes I’m installing-that’s what started all this in the first place. The spindles I took off were 39-48s with built in steering arms.....plus I wanted to go to changeable steering arms in case I go to a dropped axle in the future and need dropped steering arms.

Which one of you is Danny?

 

Have you asked Boling Bros. what their recommendation is? Since it's related to the use of their brake kit, they may have worked through this situation before.

 

HOTRODPRIMER aka Danny

 

man, you're not talking about a huge amount. I would take a smidge off the axle, and taper it over a few inches.
then, change the zerk to a 90degree
done, onto the next challenge.

 

I would have no problem with grinding that axle and changing to an angles zerk.

 

Thank you gentlemen, I’m gonna grind the axle and see what I can find in an angled zerk. I’ve just read a few posts about broken axles, so I needed some re***urances cause this is my first straight axle car. Thanks so much!

 

Those broken axels are cast,yours is forged Henry steel.

 

If you later switch to an original dropped axle you are likely to run into the same if not more clearance issues. And you might not be able to grind your way out of that. Plus, if you grind this axle you probably ruin it as a candidate to drop later.
I suggest you find a different pair of arms. Maybe the kind that loop below the kingpin. Unless those too wont fit your brakes.

 

‘37-‘41 Ford spindles don’t fit Boling backing plates without some grinding for clearance, but isn’t that the case with aftermarket round back spindles too? Those would need the same clearance, so all you really gained was bolt on steering arms.
Grinding the spindles you had to clear the backing plates and then bending the arms later if you ever install a dropped axle would have been much cheaper, and as seems so important on the HAMB much more traditional.

 

I’ve put Boling Brothers (MT Products) brakes on two cars now, both with round back spindles. You have to flatten out the upper rounded section of the spindle where the backing plate bolts on and do a little clearancing to the upper kingpin boss on the spindle as well, nothing major just enough to see some light through. I think the later ‘46-‘48 spindles don’t have to be trimmed and clearanced as much.

 

The Boling Brothers website tells you what to do. Don't grind on the axle. This isn't rocket science.

http://www.bolingbrothers.com/front-brake-kit-for-1937-1948-spindles/

 

Remove some material from the steering arm bosses where they attach to the spindle. That will move the steering arm away from the axle and toward the spindle. Given the angles involved and minimal interference, not very much material should have to removed to provide clearance.

It appears in the pics that there is sufficient clearance between the inside of the steering arm and the king pin boss on the spindle for such a solution.

As for the zerk, plug the hole and drill/tap a new one where clearance exists, as suggested by 31 Vicky with a hemi in an earlier post above.

Ray

 

There goes the chrome job

 

Looks like you don't need to gain much to clear. In conjunction with milling a bit off the steering arm at the spindle interface points, wouldn't it be possible to mill a small amount from the top of the axle (at the kingpin-spindle contact area), or from the underside of the top spindle kingpin lug. Add an equivalent thickness washer on the underside of the axle, thereby effectively "dropping" the spindle by the thickness of the washer.

 

The photos indicate the steering arm chrome is already 'compromised'....at least with my suggestion the ends of the mounting bosses on the steering arm are not visible.......

edit: just re-visited the photos 're the zerk. I think Hotrodprimer has the best idea by using the angled zerk.

Ray

 

Thanks fellas!

 

I was going to say just throw a 45 degree zerk on and run.

 

I would take little off both; the steering arm and the axle.

 

^^^^do you wear a belt and suspenders too?

Ray

 

Grease fitting are usually pipe thread. I have seen them with extensions on them. I may even have some on my box of odd ball fittings that I take to Hershey. It would only take a couple of hours for me to find them!

 

Yep, a little careful grinding and problem solved. A little will not hurt the axle, or the arm. Nothing to get in a twist about.

 

I got the ***orted zerks in SAE and metric in case parts were made abroad. Planning to do the axle grinding Saturday morning. When I ordered the spindles from Speedway I ordered the matched spindles and kingpins as a set. The fit was perfect with one thin shim. There is much less vertical play (none) at the end of the spindle than there was with the spindles that came with the car. I think I’m gonna be very happy when I’ve got the little kinks worked out. This is my first old Ford. After working on modified sports cars for 30 years, I imagined that with a fenderless highboy, that I’d have lots of room to work and no clearance/interference issues. I was so wrong. Learning and growing-thanks for the advice available on this site! After this I have to deconflict the side steering to tube shock clearance -got problems there too. Then it is on to plumbing the braking system!

 

Use flush mount zerk fittings and buy the tool to grease them.
Bingo bango bobs your cousin !