Who's running cowl steering?

[rnvilla]

I want to run cowl steering. What reasonably priced and available steering box or boxes are used? Tim.

 

[Youngster]

i'll be running a '51 F-1 box in my '27.

Ron

 

[Track-T]

I'm using a reversed corvair.

 

[Youngster]

you can runn most any box. the problem comes from having the pitman arm out far enough to alow the box to be located in board or centered on the driver.

i think meangreen has a thread on another site about how he solved this problem.

as soon as i get caught up in the shop, i'll be working on mine. i'll post a thread on it.

Ron

 

[TRoadster]

I wanted to but there wasn't room up front do the the tube shocks. There are several techs on hamb which show how to use a Ford truck or early mustang steering box. Just do the same as a corvair box and reverse the steering. Both the truck and mustang boxes are long which may allow you to mount the steering wheel centered. The 67 to 70 mustang power steering box has the 16 to 1 ratio. They can be run manually. The manual boxes are closer to that of the corvair. Manual corvette boxes in the 70's also have 16 to 1. The other choice is to use a long tube that the pitman arm nut and a socket will fit down. Weld the splined in of a pitman arm to the bottom of the tube. Weld a plate around the top of the tube with holes to bolt a pitman arm. Cut out a pitman and drill to match the plate. I think it's on hamb also...maynot. Slide the tube over the shaft coming out of the reversed box (corvair, vega, etc..), torque the nut, bolt the new pitman arm over the other end of the tube and go. You can make the tube any length needed. If its long, you may need a bearing support. The whole box will need to be mounted on a solid frame and mount. Hope that helps.

 

[rnvilla]

I had already figured something like that out in my head. Don't have it on paper yet- certainly don't have it on the workbench. I'll look at HAMB and see what I can find. Thank you! Tim.

 

[GAB]

Something like this? It gets kind of bulky for putting a bearing on the outer end. The tube would need to be 1-5/8" x .120 wall to be able to get a 15/16" socket on the 5/8"-18 nut on the end of the pitman shaft.

 

[Youngster]

George...just a thought... would something like an oilite bushing work on the extention?

Ron

 

[rooster57]

Hey boys their is a cowl steering box on ebay search T bucket and you will see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Todd]

I picked up a BMW 2002 box to follow the HAMB RPU style. Although I am along way from doing anything with it. Harrison posted some very clear photos on his build.

 

[GAB]

An oilite bushing should work fine, maybe even a needle bearing although those should run on a hardened surface.

I think that I would add a hole in the upper end of the arm for easier access to that nut on the end of the pitman shaft

 

[Youngster]

i was thinking of welding a 1/2"drive socket to the nut for the pitman arm then puttin it and the lock washer inside the extension tube. the tube would have the spinded end of a arm welded to one end and another arm welded to the other end with a 3/4" nut welded to the inside of the outer arm. you could access the socket with an extension and plug the hole with a length of 3/4" thread and nut. confused yet? wish i had the skill to use a program like george dose.

Ron

 

[Rick]

i was thinking of welding a 1/2"drive socket to the nut for the pitman arm then puttin it and the lock washer inside the extension tube. the tube would have the spinded end of a arm welded to one end and another arm welded to the other end with a 3/4" nut welded to the inside of the outer arm. you could access the socket with an extension and plug the hole with a length of 3/4" thread and nut. confused yet? wish i had the skill to use a program like george dose.

Ron

Someone posted a free program Home Online Machine Shop Fabricate Custom Parts Instant Pricing

 

[Youngster]

thanks rick ... looks interesting ... have you used it?

Ron

 

[Rick]

I started to but the road came a calling then i just forgot about it.

 

[Rick]

Check with GAB i bet he would know about that program and how it works.

 

[rnvilla]

GAB, that's what I had figured out. Well, everything under the dash, anyway. Outside the car was still a question. You answered the question. Thanks a heap. Now to get my hands dirty. Tim.

 

[Brucer]

i have a lil different thought about using the corvair box...


make a short coupler that connects to the splined shaft on the steeringbox.. then make an extension tube, i wouldnt call it a tube though, i would use a solid piece of 4140 , i guess dom would work, but i like the idea of a solid extension.. counterbore the end of the extension that goes to the steering box, have a flange on that end that bolts to the flange on the steeringbox... then bolt the pitman arm onto the extension..

I added a drawing but my software isnt as good as gabs though

also to add, if i'm thinking right, any steering box can work, if the box is mounted in the original vehicle behind the front spindle you dont have to reverse it.. if the steering box come out of a vehicle with it mounted in front of the spindle you have to reverse it..

 

[LumenAl]

... I added a drawing but my software isnt as good as gabs though :dance:

Time to dust off the old drawing board, drafting machine and angles!

 

[Track-T]

sorta like this?
corvair reversed box,7/8"dom tube treaded 5/8-18 screwed to the
output shaft, 1/4" pin plus jam nut.
1/2" aluminum arm bolted to a flange.