Good morning! I'm in the middle of refreshing most everything on the front of my truck, toyota PS, Leaf Spring Recondition, new drag link, tie rod, tie rod ends, disk brake conversion (this one I did last year), and kingpins.

I have the spindles off the axle and just waiting for the kingpin kit from mid-fifty to arrive, before taking all to an axle/spring shop. Looking at the steering arm on drvr side and tie rod arm (if called that) on psnger side, and I'm not sure about a couple of things. All questions refer to pic below. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Question 1: See red square in pic. There seems to be a bend in the steering arm right here. I didn't notice any issues when on the truck, and (allowing for the likely bad steering box, shot tierod ends, etc) I think it was steering just fine. Is the bend supposed to be there? I assumed so, but want to make sure before putting it back together. (BTW.. this truck has never been lowered and I believe all of these components are still from factory install.

Question 2: See Green square. What is this. Is there anything I should take apart and check for wear here? I'm thinking maybe it is something for alignment... but can't figure out how/what.

Question 3: See blue square. Seems obvious this is what I need to remove to separate spindle from steering arm, but is there any reason to do this? Bearing/bushing that might need replacing?

Final Question 4: Is there a good source for nut/bolt torque requirements for when I start putting all of this stuff back together?

 

Green box are steering stop adjustments. Don't screw with them unless to aren't getting full turning radius with out your drag link attached.
Blue box has nothing inside. If your spindle arm is not damaged there's nothing gained by removing it. Be sure it has a cotter key (there's one in there now).
Red box Need a better picture. It looks almost like you're pointing out corrosion.
If you haven't got one, get a 53-55 repair manual. I'm pretty sure it has torque specs plus it'll have repair instructions. Repair Service Manuals - Shop, Owner, Maintenance and Repair | Faxon

 

Everything bjmayberry 2 said.

 

Also take a close look at the ball on the end of the arm. If it is worn, now is the time to fix it.

 

Thanks, guys. Better picture of the steering arm. I'm thinking this is just the factory shape, and less worried now about it being bent. Agree?



Tinman52....
You can't likely tell in the pic, but I can feel some some wear on the ball. I'm assuming even a little wear means I should replace? See second picture below. Do I drill this out? More importantly, when I get another one, do I take this to a machine shop to attach?

 

Sorry Jeff I've never replaced one so I can't help you.

 

[/QUOTE]

I just (I mean just-did it this afternoon) changed that same ball stud on my 51 F1. I bought the replacement from Obsolete Ford Truck.

Drilled the old one out from the bottom side; starting with 1/4" and worked my up to 1/2". I was able to knock it out easily with a punch.

To install the new ball stud, I heated the receiving hole with a propane torch-not red hot, just hot enough to expand it a little. Got the ball stud started on the arbor press but it wouldn't press it all the way in-I gues you need a really big press. So I turned it over, put the slight flat of the ball on a hard surface, and beat it in the rest of the way with a 20 oz. ball pein hammer. The ball stud is hardened, so it didn't flatten or deform at all from the hammering. Just to be sure I shoeshine sanded the ball; there were no high spots or deformities.

Took me about 25 minutes start to finish. The ball stud was $20.00 plus shipping.

 

Thanks, Hulley....!

 

On mine, even though it was a tight fit, I welded the back side to the arm after installing. Just a peace of mind thing. They are peened in a press from factory to lock them in.

 

The steering arm ball leads to a whole nuther bunch of things to consider. Not much point in doing the ball unless you also rebuild the drag link, and no point doing the drag link unless you verify the pitman arm is good (or replace it).

Usually wear on the ball is pretty obvious, on both the pitman and steering arm.

 

THanks, Scott and Ross. My steering arm ball certainly isn't warn that badly, but I think I am going to replace it anyway (it definitely has some slightly flattened spots. Will consider weld or machine shop to get it set solidly.

Ross, you are right.... my drag link was bent, and I couldn't manage to get it apart without damaging it further... so all new drag link and internals on order. New pitman arm is part of the 400 series PS conversion that just arrived today.

 

I can't say for a fact on the F1, but on the F100's the drag link has a slight bend in it from the factory, it is not straight. I think it is the same with the F1.

 

Well, that's unfortunate. I remember reading (among the hundreds in the last week or so) a thread indicating the drag link was straight (no bend), with a picture of a bent one that looked like mine. So.... when I could't get the end to come out of mine, I just chopped the end off with a grinder. If I'd known it wasn't really bent, I might have tried a little harder. Oh well, what's another $65? the truck seems to think my pockets are bottomless anyway . Thanks, Ax... Maybe someone else will read this, before they make the mistake I did.

 

dido on the pre-bent arm. I also called mid-fifty and she explained what was what. So anyway thats it. While we are on the front end parts does anyone know where to get just the bushings for the spindles for the F-100's ?

 

I'm reading the comments on this thread and started to think about my own rebuild. It's not a stock rebuild and I put a Moore Drop axle with airRide suspension on it over the last ten years or so. I'm now putting 4 bar on the rear and front to remove the springs and I'm looking at the ball at the end of the Steering Arm and was wondering if it (ball) has a special location in relation to the axle or spindle. That is fore and aft as well as inches from the King pin?
Any Guru's out there?
Thanks for any input,


Jim