Pittman arm pointing up.

[Init1]

I am currently using a F-1 steering box in my A V8 coupe with a 40 ford Pittman arm pointing down. How do you convert so the arm is pointing up to level the steering arm?
Is there a Ford box that works that's not front steer? Really don't want to go to cowl steer.
I'm using a dropped 40 axle which is narrower than Model A axle. That forces the tie rod end to attach at the top of the steering loop instead of up from the bottom.
Just trying to noodle this out. There is very little room now with the flathead V8 and the F1 box. The box has been modified per the Tardell booklet. Maybe this can't be done?

[Andy]

Use a 37-48 steering box.

[32phil]

We have had some success with 35/36 guts in a 32 box. Puts the Pitman arm straight up. Gotta file the 4 index marks away (in the Pitman arm ) to match the rest of the splines (takes about 20 min with a good triangular file. That allows you to "clock" the arm exactly where you want it.
Our next project is to modify a 37-48 box for side steer with the arm straight up.
Stay tuned for that one.

[Andy]

It is a problem to use a 35-36 sector in a 32 box. The later shaft is much shorter.

[Mart]

Having the steering arm pointing up is a bad idea. It's a recipe for bumpsteer. Try and see if you can lower the steering arm ball as much as possible, and fit it from below. In other words lower the front rather than raise the rear.

My A roadster on 32 rails runs a Hudson box with the pitman arm hanging down, a dropped axle, reversed eye spring etc. The drag link does shoot uphill towards the front, but not at an extreme angle. There is no discernable bumpsteer.

Actually the axle was originally on my 33, and did have bumpsteer. Dropping the steering arm and fitting the ball from below did the trick.

The 33 has an oddball steering box. I couldn't find another Hudson box, and ended up using a lhd 37 box, turned on it's side with the shaft poking through the rail. It has a flange welded on. I then used RHD guts inside the box to make it steer the right way.

There's no reason why your setup shouldn't work as well as mine did.

Here's a before shot on the 33 this setup did have bumpsteer.


And here's the lowered ball at the front end. This fixed the bumpsteer problem

Mart.

[Tim Ayers]

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You could do it with a F-1 box, you just have to remember to steer the opposite way in the direction you want to go.

Once you get good at that, it's a piece of cake.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I have an F100 box in my avatar and my arm points straight down. The link between the and the arm and the loop on the left front backing plate is about a 20-25 degree angle. I do run a panhard bar and never had any bump steer ....

[Randy in ca]

Some diagrams:
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[Init1]

Thanks for the responses. I've got some ideas.
Ill try reducing the steering rod angle by bending the steering loop to allow the tie rod end to mount from underneath and see if that helps the steering overall. Could go to a shorter Pittman arm. Which Ford arms are shorter than a 40 arm?

[32phil]

Check out Street Rodder December 2007 Page 170 for an article on my Son's Model A.
The only modification was the steering shaft was shortened to fit the Model A body on 32 rails.
The car now has 3000+ miles with no steering issues.
It actually steers better than my 32 roadster with 15-1 ratio 1934 guts in a stock 32 box.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Randy in ca

Some diagrams:
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Thank you. This is very useful.

[alchemy]

I have a steering box out of an old Chris Craft boat that is the same architecture as the F-1 box, except the mounting flange is adjustable, and the thing steers backwards. If you can find one the internals should fit your current box and the pitman will point up.

[Init1]

Hello Mart...
I can't open you attach.
Could you try again?
Thanks

[Tim Ayers]

In trying to think of this in my head, but in theory, if you took the guys out of the RHD steering box and put them into LHD steering box, would it allow you put a pitman arm facing up and steering correctly in the LHD car?

I'm really curious if this would work.

[Mart]

Originally Posted by Init1

Hello Mart...
I can't open you attach.
Could you try again?
Thanks

I have directly linked to the photobucket account - should work now.

Tim, if all else is the same (and the parts are compatible), rhd parts in a lhd case reverses the steering.

In my case I fitted the 37 box sideways with it poking out of the frame. That reverses it. I had to reverse it a second time with the lhd parts to get it to steer correctly with a hanging pitman.

Mart.

[Avgas]

I see that the right hand drive option has been suggested! I use the LHD worm & sector in my thx box with good results! Clocks the pitman arm at 12 o'clock which I assume is where your starting point ! Cheers Wayne