Well, I had some free time, and got a crazy idea in my mind, trying to come up with some type of steering setup to clear the rear sump oil pan on my '47 1/2 ton. What I did, simply because I wanted to know if it COULD be done, was pulled the spindles off the beam, and swapped sides with them, which moves the steering arms, tie rod, and drag link attachment point to the front of the axle beam, instead of behind it. Everything bolted right up, king pins went in fine, and everything looked good. The only thing I saw that I wasn't sure about, is the disc brake bracket setup on my truck was now in front of the rotor, instead of behind it, but I got to checking around, and there's actually a few factory vehicles with the calipers set up like this, so I figured, no problem. I put everything back like it was, for the time being, but the reason I wanted to do it, was that I actually have a 97 Jeep TJ steering box laying in the shop, which on a Jeep, mounts forward of the axle, on the frame rail, and has a rearward facing pitman arm, so unlike the factory 47 box, on the Jeep box, when you turn the wheel right, the pitman arm swings right, hence the need to have the steering arms & drag link on the front side of the axle. it looks like I would have plenty of room to mount the box, after boxing the frame and fabbing up a bracket, of course, so my question is...does anyone have any ideas in why this won't work, or any reason I shouldnt do it, etc...?

 

I'm no expert, but with the steering parts in the front, if you hit some junk or animal going down the road, you may have some major issues..... With the standard set-up, the axle would deflect anything you would hit.....JMO

 

Yeah, I understand what you're saying, but in all honesty, every Jeep on the road faces that every day, their steering components are on the front of the axle, same with my F350 Superduty. I just figure if it works, which I don't see why it wouldn't, then I'd gain power steering and the clearance I need for only the cost to find a power steering pump & bracket from a junkyard. I looked at the Canton low profile oil pan and pickup that'd clear my application, and saw it from $350 to $400. That's a bit steep for a pan, IMO. I guess I could modify my pan and pickup, to look like the Canton, but I hated to chance it start leaking, as I know mig welds can be porous.

 

my 64' f250 4wd has steering in front with a BIG bow in the tie rod! hit big rock.
oil pan get a spair and weld away!!