Gasser steering setup help needed

I'm building a 1965 barracuda g***er and using a straight axle setup and using a modified mopar k frame cradle for v8 360ci and need help to setup my steering, I'm using a Vega steering gearbox. I was told that I can mount it 2 ways, front steering or rear steering but if I use front steering the linkage will hit k frame and if I go rear steering linkage might hit oil pan

 

Why use the K frame when simple a crossmember will do?

 

Can you post a picture or two of the setup as it sits now? Lots of really smart people here as you know, and a picture is worth 1000 words to help understand.

 

This Kat is pretty sharp, He can set you straight on a straight axle 'Cuda... Hey @squirrel, you out there?

 

Gene has already called me a few times asking about this....

 

I would keep things a little bit simpler and just do a drag link style, not cross steer. And yes, loose the K member. It's dead weight and hill clean up the overall visual of what your trying to pull off.

 

Weld in a tubular crossmember side to side ahead of the K member first. Then remove the K member and toss it. Losing it will make things simpler, and save weight too. Then set the Vega box up for front side steering, and rear side tierod. Front side steering with the pitman arm pointing back will get the steering away from engine and headers, and also make the rest of the engine and exhaust much simpler and easier.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong , but won't mounting the steering box ahead or behind the axle necessitate reversing the steering box for one or the other ?

 

Do you have steering arms already?

 

No. It will require only reversing the pitman arm 180 degrees depending on which side you do. Behind the arm goes forward, ahead the arm goes back. Most modern boxes aren't "keyed" so easy to put the arm any direction. When using a keyed pitman arm I simply file the keyed area out, and make them universal fit.

 

If he runs aa Vega box there are huge numbers and styles of pitman arms available. Either flat arms, dropped arms, black, chrome, etc. Very cheap, regardless of what you buy.

 

I ask because drag link cares (front or back steer). Front ends are not hard to design, if, the basics are understood. I say this since it seems OP has been asking questions for sometime now.

 

The drag link only cares if the arm is a straight through hole, or tapered for rod ends type scenario. But either wont make much difference as long as he knows what he wants to use.
I personally have mostly done straight through, with heim ends on my drag link. But done a few Tri Fives using the stock pitman arm ball and socket ends. In those cases I used the original end of the steering to connect to the Chevy box, and then converted to DOM tubing. Then used the stock Tri 5 tierod ends on the off side top backing plate. Using the original arms flipped over from driver's side lower to p***enger side upper, to make it use the stock ends.

 

Sorry I miss spoke. Tie rod is what I was thinking but wrote drag link instead.

Tie rod - front steer vs rear steer.

 

I think you're confusing front or rear side steering, with front or rear side tie rod, which can and will affect Ackerman angle. I only once did a front side tie rod and after modifying the steering arms on the backing plates it worked just fine.
I always leave the tierod on the backside, just move the drag link and steering box to the front side, or backside. My current build and the last build both were front side steering, but still had backside tierods.
I can't draw. This is my setup:

 

^^^^^ There are guy's that have swapped existing steering arms either front to back or back to front. All I'm saying is you can't.

 

Again! You can't swap them if it means swapping the tierod too. But if swapping a steering arm to the opposite side to use for the drag link (not the tierod) then the drag link doesn't care what shape the arm is, or it's relevence to any other part of the steering.
It's only the tierod and it's arms that need be correct for Ackerman angle. But even they can be reworked to work. Especially easy on the flat plate arms that most aftermarket sellers offer. That's what I used and modified when I lipped them to the front on my other car. Just pie cut them, and then welded them back together to get the angles corrected.