I am new to the site and I just bought a 56 F100. It has a 350 chevy motor and the rack & pinion that is mounted to the back of the front axle. The R&P mounting block hits the motor oil pan when the front of the truck goes down.
Is there a fix for this. I've been looking for an oil pan that goes further back before coming down but I can't find one. That's the only solution I can think of short of going to a complete mustang 2 frontend.
Any suggestions would help. I don't want to put 3 grand for a new suspension right now.

 

Hey, Rogers F100, welcome to FTE!

There is a wealth of knowledge here. If we could see a picture of the problem area, a solution might present its self.

 

I will take some over the weekend. The R&P mounts to the read for the axle and it is mounted with two big machined blocks. The one on the passenger side sits in the center of the oil pan and it has about 2 " of clearance. Sometime before the suspension hit so hard it dented the oil pan up about another inch or so.
It's just not right but I want to make it right.

 

Like previously said the picture would help but I've heard of issues like this before on here and people used a rear sump oil pan to resolve it. A quick google search came back with many brands. If your oil pan is already a rear sump then I can't help you and hopefully someone else can.

You may be able to offset the engine or raise it by changing engine mounts if there is enough clearance.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111481584553

 

The fix is to throw away that incredibly dangerous rack & pinion steering setup that bolts to the axle and put back some kind of reasonable steering system that works as it was designed. If you want power steering and keep the straight axle, the Toyota power box conversion is highly popular and works great for a fraction of the cost of an IFS swap. I am not a fan of having the steering mechanism moving in ways it's not designed to do, and having the coupling in constant motion. That's my 2c.

PS, be safe and welcome to the forum!

 

Since Chevy engines are almost all rear sump already, I don't see trying to butcher the pan to gain more clearance. I have to agree with 52 Merc, that whole setup you have scares me. It's a poor choice.

 

Here is how to post pic's on FTE

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ure-guide.html

 

Welcome! I too am not fond of the R&P on the axle setup and suggest the Toyota steering box conversion or the new CPP box that CPP and Mid Fifty sells (Mid Fifty also sells the toyota conversion parts as well) The used Toyota boxes are very durable and available for free to 150.00, for the lowest price, try contacting your local off road/ mud bogger/rock climber truck enthusiast groups or put a parts wanted ad on Craigslist. The truckers swap boxes when they put in high lift kits and often stick the old box in a corner of their garage. Here's an article I co-wrote a few years back on steering choices that concentrates on the Toyota box install: Toyota Steering Box Swap For 1948-1960 Trucks - Ford Trucks
As Ross said most all CSB carbed engines already have a rear sump pan. You could modify the sump (will reduce the oil capacity), or raise the engine but those will involve a lot of other work.

PS: You owe it to yourself to call www.midfifty.com and request a print copy of the free Mid Fifty catalog. There is such a wealth of useful information and illustrations in it that you'll want a copy next to you whenever you are working on your new truck.

 

 

 

Chevy did make a front sump oil pan for the 65-67 Nova with the v-8 engine. Wether it will clear your crossmember I don't know.


Here is a v-8 nova conversion kit.


But I think you would be better off to do the Toyota box as others have said.


1965 Chevrolet Nova oil-pan-kit-62-67-chevy-ii-sb-v8-inc-gaskets-oil-pump-dipstick-tube-and-pickup-4010-264-622s

 

Here were a cople of pics I made over the weekend. I will look into the Toyota steering. Does it handle ok? The complete steering system was removed by the previous owner to install this system so I will have to get a complete system.
Here is something that is very dangerous/scary over this weekend. I started taking the front fenders off the truck so I can paint it over the winter. I wanted to takle this steering problem whilte the complete front is off the truck. That's why I started this post. Well, While I was moving it around in the shop, the steering slide for it broke. I'm not sure how long it has been on the truck. I am restoring for my daughter to drive and to think of it breaking with her driving it ...... I don't want to think about it.

 

"Handle OK" is a relative term. Yes, with the power steering conversion on an original suspension, assuming all the other components of the suspension are in good or rebuilt condition, the truck will handle just fine. But, in the context that it will drive like an old truck. It's not going to be a Honda like all your daughter's friends will have and it won't be zippy around the corners, and nothing you can do to it will change that. Even with 3K worth of IFS conversion, the truck will still have a high center of gravity with a heavy front weight bias. Before sticking a young girl in it, be sure it's going to be what she wants and is comfortable in.

 

Have you got a picture of the "steering slide"? Are you talking about the slip-joint that is in the steering shaft? I don't see where there is a slip joint. The whole setup looks poorly done, to be honest.

 

That's all you need to know about this particular system. Rack and pinion units were designed to be bolted to a cross member, not clamped to an active axle. It exposes it to a lot of impact it wasn't designed for, and requires a high maintenance telescoping steering shaft. (In my opinion)

The only reason I can think of to clamp a rack onto the beam axle is that it's cheap and easy. In my opinion, when it comes to steering and braking, NEVER go with cheap and easy. (I'm not busting your chops, I realize it was the PO that installed it.) Vintage vehicle owners owe it to their families, and the other families on the road, to install the best available technology.

The Toyo box is a road proven improvement. They are basically an improved, modern version of the original design. If you buy an installation kit, they are a pretty straight forward install, with or without power. Looking at the pictures, it should also solve your clearance problems while giving you peace of mind.

You said in your original post you weren't ready to drop three grand into the front suspension. If you have solid components, you will be happy with the beam axle and leaf springs. Get good tires and great shocks (not cheap ones) and you will be satisfied.

Edit: 52 Merc posted while I was AFK, before I posted what I had typed. He is spot on. When I say "happy" and "satisfied" it is all relative to it being an old truck, not a sports car.