The steering stop bolts on my 34 Ford front end go in from the back, with the stop nut facing forward. It was like this when I go it. I think this is incorrect however. First, does this create a problem, and second, can I just flip the axle around to solve the problem? Thanks a bunch.
The stops should hit on a machined circle indent on the face of the spindle. Depends which way the ***embler of your car faced the spindles. I would think it's much easier to turn the stops around than to turn the axle around, if need be. The axle, the stops, and the kingpins don't have a front or back. But, Henry originally faced the stop nuts to the rear.
I'm taking the axle off to drill it, so flipping the axle isn't an issue. I just wanted to know if there was a "wrong" way and a "right" way. Thanks for the reply.
The steering stop bolts only seem to want to go in one direction when I try to place them through the hole. My setup, as I I mentioned earlier, allows me to place the bolt in from the back with the nut on the front. How is this so if there is no front or back to the axle? Thanks again.
I believe the holes for the kingpin retainer bolts (which are also the "steering stop bolts") are tapered from front to rear. Your axle is installed backwards. There is nothing else geometry wise, to prevent you from turning the axle around 180 degrees so that the bolts go in from the opposite side.
Original Ford axles do NOT have a front and back, or a taper in the hole. I would bet the kingpin, which may pivot slightly when the bolt is forced against it, has done so. Try twisting the kingpin the other direction a degree or two and fitting the bolt again. Make sure any burrs are removed from the bolt before reinserting.
I have an aftermarket tube axle and there are NO stops. Just a 1/4" set screw where a steering stop should go. ??
See the long chrome acorn nut sticking out the back of the muy yellow kingpin boss? Another view, this one looks like it's ****ing up against the caliper, but it hit's the spindle back plate like it should. A couple more....
Here's an easy and inexpensive way out far as setting up a steering stop. Get yourself a Chevy Mag lug nut. They're 7/16-NF as is the Ford kingpin stop bolt/nut. A bit long though so try to get a stainless one and cut it to size. Some of the older aftermarket stop nuts are overlong so you'll have to cut them down or the turning radius will be so large you'll have to make an appointment for a left turn. I cut a couple of them down years ago - Deuce Factory stainless fwiw - for my 32. Cut an eighth inch at a time till it turned the correct degree of sharpness and did it's job as a stop nut for the steering. You do not want to depend on the steering boxes internal stops - a Vega in this case - because they will be damaged over time when the steering is bottomed out internally in the steering box. The 32's stop nut ended up 1 3/8" long including the 1/8" thick washer. Steering stop nuts sold by most hot rod aftermarket folks - including the Deuce Factry - nowadays are 1 3/8" including washer so no probs there. It can be quite a juggling act trying to set the steering up so the stop nuts stop the steering in the correct place, have the drag link the right length to center the steering wheel when running straight ahead . . along with having the pitman arm in the right place. Changing one thing at a time usually does it....
the bolt its telf is tapered... and if the axel is infact inbackwards than the caster will be off alittle.. atleast on my axel its got a little caster pre drilled into the axel
Every Ford axle I've seen has had a slight taper front to rear as does the KP retainer pin, it's not enough to keep the pin from seating in the wrong direction, but it will seat noticably deeper in the correct direction and gives total engagement. I have also never seen one with castor built in, unless it was twisted for left hand castor lead on a roundy round car, flipping it shouldn't make any difference.
The kingpin retaining pin will go into the hole in the axle boss either way and p*** all the way through without the nut and lock washer in place...I just tried it. The retaining pin has a tapered key that interlocks with the notch on the kingpin wedging the kingpin in place. The tapered key locks the kingpin in place as it is tightened up. It does not wedge in the hole of the axle. I had mine in backwards simply for mock up. The nut goes toward the rear so that the round recess in the spindle makes contact with the nut at full steering lock.
Original ford axles are like Alchemy said. On Model A , the "Ford" script is stamped on the front right side and left rear side. When I took apart my first Model A , my Grandfather pointed that out. Ford did that so there was never an issue on the ***embly line. MAFCA verifies that in their tech section. On the later ones, like my 36 and 39 axles , there is only one metal stamping code ( EE1 for example )which is only on the front right side. Those axles I installed the same way simply because the stop goes in easier. With what Tommy just did, I'm wondering if the issues for some are because any slight amount of grime and rust build up would prevent the stop from going in smoothly since the threaded end never makes contact with the surface of the axle hole on the stop/nut side.
Ya kinda lost me there. Wouldn't front right and rear left indicate the same when the axle was oriented either way?
C9 -There is no front or back side for the Model A axle. Both sides are the same with exception to the relative position of the script. Spinning it 180 degrees does not affect anything, including how the script appears.
I did the lug nut trick on my F1 after I installed the disc brakes. The factor bump stops were still there and too long. Most people has lost them over time and replaced with just a nut.
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