Builds A New 55 Owner Intro (cgn1976 thread) (3 Viewers)

[65swb45]

Jack the front end off the ground and try turning the wheel back and forth to see if you feel any resistance. Do this once with the engine off, and again with it on.

And if possible, for the on-the-ground check, have someone else turn the wheel while you’re looking under the front end.

Chances are, the piece in your glovebox is a center arm kit. Generally not used with Saginaw conversions.

 

[Cgn1976]

Jack the front end off the ground and try turning the wheel back and forth to see if you feel any resistance. Do this once with the engine off, and again with it on.

And if possible, for the on-the-ground check, have someone else turn the wheel while you’re looking under the front end.

Chances are, the piece in your glovebox is a center arm kit. Generally not used with Saginaw conversions.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give that a go. Probably not for a few weeks. Heading out of town. Looked up center arm kit. That the one. Thought I saw I had one on there at one point but I'm probably remembering seeing it in the manuals.

 

[Cgn1976]

Jack the front end off the ground and try turning the wheel back and forth to see if you feel any resistance. Do this once with the engine off, and again with it on.

And if possible, for the on-the-ground check, have someone else turn the wheel while you’re looking under the front end.

Chances are, the piece in your glovebox is a center arm kit. Generally not used with Saginaw conversions.

Hey everyone,

I finally go back and around to trying out what Mark suggested above (I'm having a stifffer steering wheel turning only one direction). Jacked it up, turned both directions easily and smooth as silk with the engine off and on. Had my daughter turn the wheel while I watched it. Also smooth as silk. No binding or creaking. Everything looked great.

All I can think of is maybe the power steering box is going? Just replaced the pump and it imrpoved things a tiny bit but not much. What about a bad stablizer shock...probably not becasue it was so easy both directions while jacked up. I guess I could test that by taking it off and driving it aournd the block. Might try that just to rule it out.

Any other thoughts anyone?

 

[RUSH55]

I gathered that you have/had a Saginaw PS pump. What steering box do you have?
A blown stabilizer or worn out TRE’s won’t make the steering “stiff”. A problem with the box, pump, or delivery of fluid will.

 

[Cgn1976]

I gathered that you have/had a Saginaw PS pump. What steering box do you have?
A blown stabilizer or worn out TRE’s won’t make the steering “stiff”. A problem with the box, pump, or delivery of fluid will.

I'm not sure what the box is. The conversion was done by the PO. I'll go take a pic and look for number on it

 

[Cgn1976]

I'm not sure what the box is. The conversion was done by the PO. I'll go take a pic and look for number on it

 

[Cgn1976]

 

[65swb45]

I be wanting to see (and yet kind of not wanting to see) what kind of gusseting they put into that homemade mount. Those plates hardly look beefy enough for the job they have to do.

and where did they move your left shock to?

 

[Cgn1976]

I be wanting to see (and yet kind of not wanting to see) what kind of gusseting they put into that homemade mount. Those plates hardly look beefy enough for the job they have to do.

and where did they move your left shock to?

I thought the bracket looked pretty beefy. Maybe not . No shock move. Bad angle on pics maybe? Ill shoot more pics in a min

 

[Megadoomer]

ahh, it's retained the original steering links. I couldn't wait to eliminate part of that system when I did my power steering.

Maybe a mini truck or late 55 PS box. I am not sure. It seems like your issue would be the box.

 

[Cgn1976]

The bracket looks pretty beefy. No shock move. Bad angle on pics maybe? Ill shoot more pics in a min

 

[Cgn1976]

Here's the set up. Looks like you're right on the shock move. It's all 1/4" or bigger and seems pretty stout, but you tell me.

 

[Cgn1976]

More pics to come

 

[Cgn1976]

 

[Cgn1976]

 

[Cgn1976]

ahh, it's retained the original steering links. I couldn't wait to eliminate part of that system when I did my power steering.

Maybe a mini truck or late 55 PS box. I am not sure. It seems like your issue would be the box.

I think youre right on the mini truck box. Here's a screen grab from a mini truck box install. It looks like the same shape to me. Big line on top and the curves toward the back, and the rear line connections. Likely an easy to find replacement.

I guess the question becomes is this a $hit show set up that needs rectifying or not and if so, is it even possible to easily correct with the chop job the PO did?

 

[Lifelong40Fan]

To my eyes, both the shock and PS box brackets look good. I’m with @Megadoomer that your issue is probably the box and getting rid of that box and linkages would result in a better system. But, no need to do all that now.

 

[SipLife]

That’s a solid axle mini truck box, bought one to do a conversion on my 40 and ended going with 60 instead to eliminate the original links. I’d sell you mine but it’s currently disassembled for a rebuild. Try @kevos37 that’s who I bought mine from.

 

[samc2447]

Sorry, but I agree with Mark on this one. That bracket needs to go. It isn't fully welded and the the steel is not nearly as heavy as the cast OEM pedestal. It also isn't gusseted properly and your photos only show 2 bolts through the frame. While the shock tower portion is probably ok, I wouldn't run the steering box mount. Since it's a mini truck box it will bolt to a stock 40 pedestal that are readily available used. A lot of people remove them when they eliminate the extra linkage and put a 60 or Saginaw box on. I know I have a couple kicking around and would gladly send you one if you want it.

 

[65swb45]

Another thought that just occurred to me is to ask if the steering moves exactly the same amount to the left and to the right? If the steering box is not centered, and the sector shaft is overly tightened, it will be noticeably stiffer as it tries to make its way across the apex.

When I rebuild boxes in my shop, I always mark them externally on the apex for correct reinstallation.