I have installed a Vega steering box in an A frame. The front and rear axles are 40 ford. I have completely rebuilt the front axle. With no weight on the axle the wheels turn real smoothe When I put the weight on the front axle the wheels are hard to turn. The Vega box wants to twist the frame trying to turn the wheels. Caster is at 3 degrees. does anyone have any suggestions. The motor is a Ford pinto no weight.
How much weight ? What size front tire's & wheel ? pic of Mount . Mabe not rigid enough, Will turn more Easier when vehicles moving .
Frame not being boxed would twist 'dry steering', those Model A rails are like a giant leaf spring with a channel shape.
Yup. The frame was considered part of the suspension. I remember driving my G-Pa's '31 on the farm, and watching the twist.
Me too, I was mesmerized. ...And to think that the 'older guys' were planting big '48 Mercs in these 'A-bones'? Suicide, for sure!
Hmmmmmmm......I have a Vega box on my unboxed A frame with my roadster and it steers like I have power steering!
Nice project.... I used a Vega box on our boxed 32 rails. It still deflected ever so slightly with the weight on the ground while turning the steering. Likely no problem but, next time I'll probably double plate that section and add a couple interior pieces to stiffen it up... It were my A I'd do the same.......
Pinto motor is light. The tires are 600 x 16. Frame is not boxed. I can't box the frame no room. All I can do is reinforce the outside with channel iron.
Would help if you post pic's. How long are your steer arm's & pitman arm? Steeringwheel size ? On one car I notch the frame ( model A frame ) 1/2 inch & box to clear , exhaust header
How much difference would it make going from a 14 to a 16 inch steering wheel? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm not sure how you can't box the frame because of room but if you plan on driving the car faster than 45 mph I woul run at least 5* caster and that will make it even harder to steer How long are your steering arms , can you put it on the ground remove the drag link and still steer it by hand
A pinto engine and no room to box the frame?,we need photos of the frame to see what the problem is. BTW,you need to set the axle at 7 degrees. HRP
what HRP said. I can't picture how there wouldn't be tons of room. I just put a Vega box on my '34 frame, interference with engine mount and header, but I did it. Something is wrong if you don't have "room" to box an A-bone frame...
Did you put the kingpin bearing in the correct location? Post some pics of the steering mount, axle etc! I like looking at your stuff anyway...always interesting!
I just learned something. I had no idea the frame was considered part of the suspension. I knew I liked the HAMB!
If you want, I can probably dig up the formula for including the tires in the overall combined spring-rate, 'cause they are part of the suspension, too.
I sometimes am called upon to tweak the suspension on cars that see the high-side of 200, and then make hard turns. Just about everything that moves is part of the suspension. It all counts.
True. I just forgot about the tires being part of any car suspension. I guess because it was for the Model A, I was surprised about it.
I just learned something. I had no idea the frame was considered part of the Model A suspension. I knew I liked the HAMB!
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