What do guys think about gear reduction steering? I was thinking of running the column through a bearing in the firewall, connected to a crank gear on the outside of firewall. And having the rod from the steering box going into another lower bearing in firewall and terminated on the inside. On the lower rod, I was thinking of using a cam gear chained to the crank gear. In my head it seems like it would work pretty good, for a rat rod atleast, no serious driving intended.
Wrong forum, bad idea, poor execution. I'm pretty sure others will clarify all of this for you. EDIT: what exactly is "serious steering"? Does it involve moving the car under its own power in places where other people might be? Why build a car if you don't intend to drive it, or something that's less than well done? "In my head it seems like it would work pretty good, for a rat rod atleast, no serious driving intended." It sounds like you're planning on building something less than adequate, correct me if I'm wrong.
normal steering gears are about 15:1 to 20:1 ratio, you want to replace it with a 2:1 ratio setup? huh
sounds like alot of work for absolutly a ****ed up return on your time spent, unless im mis-understanding your idea.
Its been done http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306392&highlight=open+house+hollywood
you mean something like this? except with a reduction http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Steer-Clear-Box,6254.html
That is what I was talking about, I didn't know it has been done. I was thinking of a larger top sprocket to a smaller lower. It seems like it would improve the result, maybe I'm wrong. I plan on using something like this on my '40 chevy pickup. I figured I could gain some leg room doing this. But i don't really want to spend the $600 for the part listed. I'm still a world away from this stage of my build, so atleast i'll have plenty of time to think about it
a larger top sprocket (turned by your steering column) and a smaller lower sprocket (going to your steering box) would speed up you steering...the opposite of what you said in your first post
I was thinking of doing this at one time and usung a timing chain and two lower timing gears. My brother inlaw picked up a 1946 Dodge g***er built in the early 60s that had a set up like that.
if your worried about leg room use a newer fwd column they are short and that way you can use universals down to the box. forklifts also have short columns.
This setup was widely used in Sportsman Roundy-round racing in the '60s-'70s. A friend here used the setup in his '30 Highboy Roadster on '32 rails. (I never could understand why; it was hokey and ugly, and prone to failure) The car has changed hands now, and has a Vega box instead. (ho-hum) Car is popular a goodguise events...
Thanks alot for your guy's input. So instead of a larger top sprocket, should I use same size sprockets? I wonder how it would handle with a larger top. I know it would speed up the steering, but I wonder if it would speed it up too much. The fwd column is starting to sound better and better. Thanks again -Dan
It's obvious to me that your knowledge doesn't meet the requirements of such an endeavor. For the safety of the driving public, I suggest you 'wonder' about another concept, stick to a production steering box on anything you put together.
Isn't that the truth! People start to imagine themselves doing this kind of stuff as if they're simply putting together a book shelf from Wallyworld. This is life and death EXTREME engineering your talking about...not something to mess around with haphazardly! Use tested methods and quality parts to steer/stop your car. No need to reinvent the wheel.
ALL driving is serious unless of course reckless vehicular homicide is funny. It ain't funny to me. I'm glad to hear you have plenty of time to think about it. Do some more research, I'm sure there's a way to get safe, reliabel steering for less than the $600 you mentioned. And, I'm asking you please, for the sake of this wonderful hobby of ours, NEVER use the "RR" word again. Call it a 'budget build', 'traditional hot rod', or even 'a cantenkerous conglomeration of cast off components' but not a rat rod. Build it your way but build it to be SAFE for yourself and the public at large.
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