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Posted by Chriscase on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 09:45:02 :
In Reply to: Re: Make your O.E. one work with a file? posted by jimmymac392 on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 20:46:33 :
Some have mounted the new steering box on top of the frame, forward, leaving the idler arm off.
But you are right about the pitman hitting the bolt head. As I recall from ten years ago, mine only hit one bolt, so I left that bolt out temporarily. I never did finish it up before health probs forced the sale.
But I'm using the stock Dodge stamped base, modifying to build my own bracket. I was thinking of mounting the box a bit cadywampus, to clear that bolt head. Plus. less hacking to the frame? And maybe ream the hole in the frame a bit, to allow the box to penetrate that extra 1/8". Ream it to the low side, And now I'm wondering how big of a button-head bolt I can find? That's those with a small round head and a hex socket.
I did have to swap guts to get a left handed guts in the proper mount box. The combination is rare, the two individual are common as dirt. Dodge vans use the right box, Ford pickup guts. Not hard to rebuild, just change O-rings, and keep track of those loose balls, all 22 of them. So while it was dissassembled, I cut off the extra ears on the box. Now, when I mount it, I won't notch the frame at all, I'll heat up and curl the top flange upwards 90°, enough to make room. Not so much stress riser as a sawn notch, and all the metal will still be there.
My multi-ribbed belt system will be finished to day. Boy, I sure did that the hard way- a surface mount remote reservoir pump, low, under the Delco alt. Maximum wrap around the little alt pully, minimal around the PS pully. I may have to add an idler, if it slips. Then I will have a true serpentine system. Just because I don't like messing with head bolts to mount accessories, and I always thought that four pullys was a bit many for a fat vee belt. And, I'm thinking AC, to be added later. That will need to use head bolts, or studs? Nuts, I forgot pics. I'll have to lift that darn heavy nose off again. And jostel it back on again. Ohhh, my aching back...