Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train 4" Drop Axle Installation - 51 Chevy Pickup

I just finished installing a 4" drop axle on my 51 Chevy truck. I got the axle from Nostalgia Sids and am pleased in every way. Sid was helpful and the replacement axle bolted right up (after I got the proper sized king pins)

Sid referred me to Jim Carter for tie-rod, drag link and pitman arm ball replacment parts. (had to buy an extra tie-rod end replacement ball, another learning experience)

With a 4" drop, as I was keeping the stock front suspension, the tie rod will won't go back onto the lower end of the control arms because the leaf spring's location in relation to the spindle has changed, the springs are now lower. Sid explained how to correct that and with parts from Jim Carter it went fine.

My concern is with the drag link location as it connects from the pitman arm to the driver's side control arm.

Stock installation has that control arm pivot ball (the connection point for the drag link)located on the top of the control arm.

Installing the drop axle changes the relationship,through the drag link, of the pitman arm connecting point and the control arm connecting point(which was essentially parallel to the ground). I left the new control arm ball in it's original position; would installing it at the bottom of the control arm cause steering problems? Is it even possible or necessary to relocate the ball to compensate for possible bump steer?

Thanks for the help,

Ted

Do you have any before and after pictures?

The drag link should be as close to paralell to an imaginary line drawn form the lower spring shackle bolt to the spring pad on the axle to prevent bump steer, this can usually be accomplished by heating the steering arm to cherry red and bending it,

I understand the location of the lower spring shackle bolt. "to the spring pad on the axle" is less clear. The axle has four shackle bolt holes on each end of the axle, the bottom of the spring surface sits on the top of the axle at those points. Is this location the point you are referring to?

I also have pictuers but don't understand how to include them with this post. Any help is appreciated. I'll try an email as well to include the pictures.

Thanks,

Ted

Copied this from CPP, it explains what to do but not really why fairly well. If you look at some pre 48 Fords you can see how the drag link runs parallel with the radius rods, just substitute an image of your spring for a radius rod, http://www.classicperform.com/tech_artic...raight_Axle.htm