HELP!! have a 50 merc with a sbc chevy fitted in really nice 5 % rearward pitch.. WELL the stock steering hits on the oil pan. Everything cleared until I got the bright idea to wack off one ring of the coils. OOPS there goes my clearence. And Im not recutting the mounts that i fabricated to raise the motor > tried lowering the idler arm on the p***enger side.the end of the tie rod nut hits both directions. Does any one know of a pitman arm that fits a 50 merc that would drop 1or 2 in.. Cant drop the steering box thats right on the top of the frame now, so thats out. Really looking for an easy fix here, but really DO NOT WANT to cut the pitman arm. If I could I might heat and bend it but its not long enough to make that much up! Notching the pan might be the easyiest But the baffel is there and I dont want the modification to hit the crank. I beleve the pan is 5 QT. Could use some help I can do the work.. Thanks for any input Larry
Maybe go back to stock height springs and install dropped spindles? I don't know if you'd still have the same issue doing this.
Your drag link going from the pitman to the idler shouldn't change when lowered. Your outer tie rods do, hense the dropped steering arms. If your drag link is hitting the pan I would either heat and bend the pitman, or maybe get a fatman tierod kit for a merc, they will accept tie rods from the top or bottom on the drag link piece
By cutting one coil to lowering your suspension should not affect the clearnce between the cross link and oil pan But you have a issue now so you will need to lower the cross link but it is very important to lower it the same amount on booth side so the cross link is always level. This can be done to the stock cross link by putting a S bend on both sides of the cross link. Or you can get a set of fatman's or my heavy duty tie rod kits. Fatmans & mine are bent forward and slightly down for extra oil pan clearnce and you have the choice to put the tie rod ends in up or down. Mine uses a little longer tie rods to help overcome bump steer issues on bagged rides. 1 whole coil cut off an old spring can be allot so check to see if your lower A-arm is still angled down from the frame to the upright or at least level. If your A-arm is angled up your car will never handle very well. Rick Erickson / Extreme Kustoms 951 678-3520
Just reading some of your replies I thank each and everyone of you for your ideas and comments and photos as well. Kinda unknowingly got into a jam!! I really paid attention to the clearence. then my BRIGHT IDEA was CUT the coils. One cure like Rickybop suggested put stock coils back.and he is right on there. Im going to turn the car over so I wanted it to look COOL!! So much for that. Thanks all!! Larry
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