Model A Vega Steering

I am getting ready to mount my Vega Steering box. Looks like it has to be in front of the motor mount since the power break unit is behind it. Can anyone tell me how to decide exactly where it should be mounted, give me some hints, etc? Thanks guys>

Larry
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Motor mounts or their whereabouts aside, mount the box with Pitman arm installed and pointing straight ahead.
The draglink should be parallel to or a little to the rear of the tie rod.
A little to the rear translating to: draglink and tie rod are not exactly parallel, but close when viewed from above.

Take into account any bolts that may have to be removed from either steering box or motor mounts and make minor adjustments there. If you can. No use bolting one component in and covering up bolts to another. Sometimes you can't help it, but when you can....

Height-wise, the top bolt on the Vega box will be just below the top edge of the frame rail or center of top bolt about even with top edge of the frame rail.
This is assuming you have a threaded bung in the top hole of the steering box bracket and a bolt of the correct length.



This pic may help. Note that the steering box top bolt is just below the top of the upper frame rail on my 31 on 32 rails roadster. It's slightly higher on the 32.
Fwiw - both cars run an aftermarket steering box bracket - Pete &amp; Jakes - but they're easy to make.

The box on the 31 has a flat full length aftermarket Pitman arm.
If you have to gain a little room, up to an inch at most, you can heat and bend an aftermarket Pitman arm into a shallow 'S' shape and that will pull the draglink back a bit if required. It also slows the steering down a touch, but no big deal cuz it also makes the steering easier.
Be very careful not to elongate the holes at either end of the Pitman arm.

You may want to heat and bend the Pitman anyway - assuming it's aftermarket. This in case the Pitman points down and is too low. Or is mounted too low.
Catching the Pitman arm on something is bad stuff. Even going slow.
Reason I comment on this is I see a lot of cars with very low Pitman arms on the front. In fact they are the lowest point on the car which is not so good in my opinion.

 

I ran out to the garage to take some mesurements and this is what I came up with. My vega box is mounted 20" on center from the front body mount hole in the frame to the top steering box mounting hole. The center of the top mounting bolt is 1.5" from the top of the frame rail. Hope that helps.
- Duane