In order to answer a few questions about the steering set up for this ride I thought I’d add a supplemental installment.
The Flaming River steering column is a brushed stainless steel column with tilt. This column does not have the integrated ignition switch. My ignition switch will be located on the dash. The column itself is twenty four inches long. That’s short for most applications, but it allowed me to reduce down to the ¾-inch DD shaft before the DD shaft exited the firewall.
Notice in the next pic that I added a chrome plate and a ball type firewall mount where the DD shaft exits the firewall. This did two things for me. First it allowed me to start bending the steering column down as it exited the firewall and second it provided me an excellent way to seal the exit point to stop the wind.
Moving down the steering shaft take note of the bend where the first u-joint is located. This bend is exactly 30 degrees. A steeper bend might be okay, but it has been my experience that 30 degrees is a good target bend to insure the u-joint doesn’t bind when the steering wheel is turned.
Which brings me to the subject of steering shaft flop. Adding one u-joint to get a steering shaft to bend is fine. Adding two u-joints usually equates to the need for adding a pillow block type bearing between the two u-joints to be sure the shaft doesn’t wobble when turned. If you are not sure what a pillow block bearing looks like it is the same bearing mount found on the end of the squirrel cage in a swamp cooler air conditioner.
Finally, you have to think about spindle stops. Detroit put them on just about every ride they ever produced and the stop’s purpose is to stop the turn of the wheel, either right or left, before a strain is placed on the steering components, things like the steering pump.
Some after market front ends come without these stops so it is well work checking your front end to be sure it is equipped with stops. To make that determination turn the wheel full right, remove the left tire and look to see if the spindle is bumping the lower control arm as some point. That point may be a bolt added to the control arm or even a welded on bump. If you don’t see a stop or if the spindle is not touching the lower control arm anywhere the stoppage to the right (and left) is due to the steering gear, or rack and pinion, being maxed out. That’s not good as it puts a strain on the unit.
How do you add a stop if your ride doesn’t have one? I hesitate to tell you to just start welding and add a bump stop to the lower control arm because some arms are chrome, some are exotic metals and others just shouldn’t be welded on period. What’s the solution? If you know who manufactured your front end give them a call. They may even have a retro-fit bump stop package you can purchase. Beyond that I would remove the lower control arms and deliver them to a professional welder and explain what you need, a bump stop added to the front of both control arms.
Project provided by:
Larry Lyles, owner
LPL Body Works
Amarillo , TX 79109