I'm looking for info on bending 37-41 ford steering arms to fit under or over a stock radius rod setup on a 34 fod pickup The axle is 3" over stock drop. Are there any tech articles on this? thanks
They shouldn't take a lot of bending. Use a big Rose bud tip, and heat to cherry red. While still red bend them with a 20" Cresent or a pipe snipe. Make sure you have a measureing tape or a standerd so both will be the same. Let them cool by them selves, do not force cool them. Clean them good after cooling and check for cracks. Ford steel is very good so you shouldn't have much of a problem.--TV
The only thing I do is make sure they are flat when done, you can check this with a level. That way you will know if you twisted them when bending. I'm sorry i forgot to tell you to level the bottom connector when done. Once you get it bent down or up you must level the connector pad, it should not be on an angle.--TV
If you get too crazy with the cheese wiz moving the arms, it is a real good idea to check the "ackerman principle" which is also known as a contributor of bump steer: in laymans terms, put both front and rear axles at ride height and with wheel off mark the kingpin intersection on the ground, from this point to the center of the rear axle, use a string to show that line, now the trick is to use a plum bob to make sure the tie rod end hole is aligned with the mark on the ground. This is a simple way to make it handle safely. Also a note, anytime you are changing wheel base from the intended stock front axles originals use, this will change the angle slightly so most street rods will want to check this! Good Luck!
I'd be concerned about heating these things to cherry red without and subsequent heat treating or hardening. The steering arms are probably forged, and heating them will eliminate some of the strength of the part that was put in by the forging process. I believe this subject has been covered in the past. Some post bend "baking" might be in order.
at he risk of asking a stupid question.... to maintain proper ackerman angle is it a straight line from center of kingpins to center of dif., or center of rear crossmember?? asking cus i'm running a 9" and it's offset... i have lines snapped right now to the center of rear cross member.. and everything is centered.. i need to heat and bend to clear the dropped axle. Model A beam, 39 spindles..split bones
It's the center of the rear wheel track @ the ground contact point & the center of the front king pins, That's what you use.
Rather than bend the steering arms I borrowed a tapered reamer and put the taper on top of the arm 1/2 way through. The tie rod now clears the original 32 wishbone using an old early dropped axle. My roadster was done a long time ago by someone else using the heat and bend method. I like the look of the re-taper method but either will work. You can't tell from this angle but these arms are running up hill quite a bit to get enough clearance.
Don't get them that hot. Dull orange is enough, kill most of the lights in the shop so you can see the color better. You don't want to heat them any more than you need to......
Yep, and either the center or slightly to the rear of the axle centerline is good, not in front of the axle centerline. Going behind slightly enhances the cornering in some cars. Good Luck.
No its not the crossmember always. Spring behind, 4 link, spring in front all would have a differnt crossmember. But it is always the center of the tire track at the ground contact point. That's where it matters at the ground. King pin angle projected to the ground.
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