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Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! UPDATE-FIXED

C

ColAdo82K5

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UPDATE AND SOLUTION AT BOTTOM

Hey,
I'm putting together a dana 44 mutt..with parts coming from multiple axles. And imagine this....I ran into a problem. My ORD steering arm is hitting my backing plate on the passenger side. Pictures regarding this can be seen on the link below. MY flattops were just tapped and I didn't realize, but it seems the arm is spaced off the ball joint pretty far compared to some. (I've heard some had to grind on their steering arm to clear the ball joint..hum...)
My thought is just cut/or grind the backing plate to clear the arm, but i'd hate to weaken the plate...so...has anyone else run into this ??? Maybe grind on the arm as well ?
http://community.webshots.com/photo/61561424/127394761BHCMFd

Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

bueller ? bueller ?
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

That is why I went wit Sky's arm
5586D44.jpg

But if I were you and had too, I'd grind the arm versus grinding the backing plate.
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Well,
I don't think it has to do with anything about the arm itself, I think my fab guy drilled and tapped the holes too far away from the balljoint.
Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Sounds like the holes are in the wrong place, the only other reason for a problem would be using a drum brake knuckle instead of a disk knuckle.
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

The number from the driver side knuckle is: C36520
Is there anyway to see if this was a drum knuckle ?

There is a picture of the drilled holes on the passenger side knuckle in the webshots album, I don't know how fast it will load, because I just put it up. Now, that i look back on it... THose holes seem fairly far off from the pictures of the drilled and tapped ones I've seen before.

Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Well,
IF i compare my overhead picture of my drilled knuckle (whenever webshots gets it up) to the picture found at :
http://www.coloradok5.com/crossoversteering.shtml
My holes are just way off...
So i'm off to cut and modify the backing plate. I can reinforce it too I guess.
These are the full solid plates so they should still be sturdy after some clearancing.

Any final thoughts ?
Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Update and solved:
Because my machinist drilled and tapped my knuckle in the far out position, the steering arm hit the brake backing plate, So (just like my signature says...) I trimmed the plate with my sawsall and angle grinder.
Pic of the final product can be seen at the webshots album below.

Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

/forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Blake,
Looks like your "machinist" goofed.
Has this guy done knuckles before and if not, how did he decide where to put the holes? Did you give him dimensions or the arm or what?
I'd like to avoid this problem if I do crossover and use a machinist who is unfamiliar with this sort of thing.

I can't see why your fabwork /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif on the backing plate would affect anything. It probably isn't ideal but I'd bet everything will be fine.
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

If you're taking a passenger side knuckle to a machinist who has never done this work before, be sure to take him the driver's side knuckle as well. Tell him to make the pass side knuckle a mirror image of the driver's.

Popz did mine WAY back in the day and he said he just made a jig to align the two knuckles together (top to top) to transfer the bolt pattern and spacing. He said it was no sweat!
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Not so solved!

The spindle bolts on Blake's knuckle are offset forward by about 15 degrees - the backing plate isn't the problem - it's the angle of the backing plate clocked forward makes BOTH the passenger and driver side calipers hit either the knuckle or the steering arm when installed. We tried rotating the backing plate by one set of holes on the spindle bolts, but then the caliper hit the knuckle itself.

Tomorrow A.M. we're going to re-drill the spindle bolt holes in the backing plate to line everything up correctly - any reason we shouldn't?


Stephen - is the spindle bolt pattern different on drum brake knuckles? This may be what we have then. Anybody know of an application where the top spindle bolt is not at 12 o'clock?

A very tired and greasy Chris and Blake .....
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Yeah, IT was a bit frustrating to say the least.
We drilled a new set of bolt holes in the backing plates to set the caliper back into the commom position.
We think that i got a set of drum brake knuckles.
I'll upload pics of what we did soon.
Blake
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Well, at least as long as everything works out for you, we all gain the knowledge. It would be nice to know what mods are needed when using the drum brake knuckles.
 
Re: Steering Arm VS backing plate clearance !! ideas?

Having done it once now I think we could pull it off again in about half the time. Luckily I had a couple old spindles lying around that we used as a template to drill the new holes. We just eyed it up and it came out right the first time thankfully.
 
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