Hey all! Just a quick background on the 52 F1 I have. I bought this truck from an older gentleman that in my opinion had no clue as to how to bulid this truck. I'm amazed that he took it to all the shows he did. There is alot of rigged up parts that I have fixed on this truck. This is the one issue I have been avoiding but I want to lower the truck in the front.

What is happening is that I have a steering arm that is sitting right above the front axle and if I try and lower the front it will hit this arm. I dont have the truck at my place for pics but, the arm that is going to hit is shapped like a "J" and it connects to what might be called the rack. I have never seen a set up like this and it does not look aftermarket.

Basically I have the steering column that goes through the firewall to the steering box. This box is mounted to the DS frame and runs through it to what I believe is the pitman arm. Then this arm is connected to a shaft that is connected to the arm above the suspension then to the steering rack. This seems like so much crap to do this and it does not seem right to have a steering arm so close the front axle. Side note: The steering does bind on the axle when I turn some corners. That is the big clue that this is not right.

I anyone has steering diagrams or pics to give me some idea as what it should look like I would appreciate it! Even a link to post would work. I have looked though 30 pages of threads and not found anything!

Thanks!

 

It sounds like, from your somewhat disjiointed description, that you have the original, stock steering. You have the stock steering column going through the firewall which is part of the stock steering box, bolted to the frame rail. The sector shaft coming out of the steering box passes through the frame rail which has the pitman arm bolted to it. From the pitman arm is the drag link connecting to the spindle arm. That's the J shaped part you described. Connecting also to the spindle arm is the tie rod, which connects the left and right wheels together.

That's how it's all supposed to work. Unless someone has drastically changed things, you have no "rack".

Does this sound like what you have?

 

One (ok four) pictures is worth 1000 words!

Here is the stock arrangement as Wayne described it (the drag link connecting the two assemblies is missing. It connects to the two "Ball Ends" on the arms)




The drivers side spindle arm sits about 3/16 to 1/4 inch above the axel - which is correct. If yours hits it may be slightly bent (in or down).

Or (more probably), your Kingpin Bushings/Shims are so bad the spindle is tilted up - lowering the arm. Jack up the truck, place your hands on top (12 O'clock) and bottom and rock the tire in and out. If it moves, it's time for kingpins.



Lowering the front should have no bearing on the relative position between the spindle arm and the axel if it's done in the springs. The Spindle Arm is bolted through the Spindle and that assembly is fixed in height on the Axel by the the Kingpins. Thus their relative positions can not change (unless the Kingpins/bushings are bad-as mentioned).

If the drop axel is installed, it is deeper under the spindle arm and has more angle than the stock axel. So, with a drop axel - the distance to between the axel and spindle arm will increase slightly. So lowering should have no effect!

 

Yes! Thank god this is the correct set up I have! I really thought the previous owner really screwed something up! So just so I understand. Lowering the truck with replacing the leafs in front should not effect the steering. Also from what i'm seeing and reading is that I mave have some king pins that may need to be replaced due to possible sagging. This is great information again.

Thank you!

 

julie,
do you or anyone know of someone who offers a drop spindle for the your trucks?
i thought the only way to drop the front was remove some springs or an aftermarket drop axle.
this would be great,i need to drop my front about 3" to match the back end.

 

i thought the only way to drop the front was remove some springs or an aftermarket drop axle.

I got my drop axle from Sid, no aftermarket crap, the real deal just re-formed.

Dropped axle Axles Axel

 

Well I won't go as far as to say that lowering won't effect the steering. But the relative positions of the parts you are concerned with will not change for the worse. Any changes you make by lowering, spring changes, or installing new parts will effect ride and driveability.

You guys are right. I knew what I was thinking but said it wrong. I fixed it for future reference. (what an idiot!).

 

If the steering arm is hitting the axle, another possibility is that he has a dropped axle already on his truck. Dropped axles will contact the steering arm unless adjusted. I'd suggest you buy yourself a repro shop manual to learn the name of the parts and what they are supposed to look like. If your kingpins are worn enough for the arm to contact the axle, you are in serious dangerous trouble, and should stop driving the truck immediately. To check the kingpins, jack up a wheel from under the axle, put a long heavy bar under the tire and pry up and down while trying to push and pull the top of the wheel in and out. Any noticable movement or freeplay up and down or in and out needs to be checked out by someone familiar with beam axles. Front end and steering parts are nothing to be messing with if you don't know what you are doing. I'd suggest you put your location in your profile, there my be a knowlegable member nearby willing to give you a hand/advice.
I have never seen or heard of a dropped spindle for a Ford beam axle.

 

Just out of curiosity, what part of it hits? The top would have more clearance because the axel dips farther down at more of an angle. Would it possibly hit on the bottom in a right hand turn?

 

Here's a picture of my drop axle and steering arm. I'm not having any problem getting around.

 

Interesting photo as it appears the extra angle and drop didn't open up the space with the Spindle Arm as much as I though it would. It looks like the angle is the same, just that the angled section is longer/goes deeper (and thus the lower horizontal part of the axel not quite as long across as the OEM)

 

That's correct 3/4 of a inch narrower or 3/8 per side.

 

thats a good diagram on the steering box, but do you adjust it? Ive heard you can take out some slack by tighting a certin bolt. Does any one know? thanks all

 

You can adjust the lash, but I hesitate to tell how without you having the shop manual to follow the proper procedure. Over tightening to try to compensate for a worn out gear set and/or lack of lubricant can quickly kill what's left of the box, and possibly even be dangerous if the box jams or steering won't self return.

 

on the diagram on the top of the fourm... is #3538 how you adjust lash and #3539 where you put some kinda lube for the gears? Im a rookie so thanks for all the help.