Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

I dropped the axle 4 inches on my stock A . Still using mechanical Brakes.
Now I need dropped steering arms. The only dropped dropped steering arms I can find are 35-48. That means I have to change my spindles to use these. When I do that my backing plates will not fit. Even if I can re-drill them, the tie rod and drag link has regular ball joints so I will have to have a new tie rod and drag link. I am not sure if I can get a drag link with a Model A fitting to go over the steering rod (Draglink) and regular tie rod ball joint on the other.

It seems to me there is a better and less expensive way to hook up my steering than to do all of this. Can anyone tell me where I am going wrong besides saying I should not drop my axle?

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

It may be more work than you intended but, it is time to surrender and just convert to hydraulic brakes. In the end, this will be well worth the effort
As an aside: with this great of a drop, is the alignment of your engine, tranny, drive shaft and rear end still viable?

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

Heat and bend your A arms up or down to wherever you need them to fit

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

I heat and bent them all that that they would allow and it was still not enough with the 4" drop

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

I've used 32-34 spindles when switching to 32-36 axles. This is probably still not enough for 4" drop.

37-41 spindles will bring the steering balls still lower as they are mounted under the steering arms instead of over them, but the brake backing plate holes will probably not mate to Model A backing plates and, I believe the drag link might mount across side to side rather than front to back (not 100% sure about last part).

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

Or one could leave the original iron "original" - and buy a new setup from Sacramento.

No question to metallurgy, stress cracks in re-forming, or even "functionability" of the modified component.

A friend started with the front axle at Sacramento. He's now done the Sacramento boxed frame. And thinking of the posi-trac rear ($$)

It still sort of looks like a "rat-rod." It looks "fun." Good car to go get ice cream on a warm Saturday night.


Joe K

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

I'll heat and bend Henery's steel over the who knows what imported cast parts that might fit. The hot rod guys have been doing it for years with way fewer problems than we have with the aftremakket parts.
Get them red hot, bend them to where you need and then let them cool slow, done.
50Trucking post some pics of what is giving you the problems, might help

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

It isn't complicated. Simply use dropped tie rod ends. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...nds,50152.html

Re: Spindles, balls and steering arms for dropped axle
 

Good idea.