The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Steering on these old trucks?

Hi Everybody

Been cuttin and grinding most of the winter on my 1952/53 Howard Knapp truck...still waiting for the disc brake kit to show up so I can get it rolling again (dislike jack stand trucks a lot). My past experience driving a vintage vehicle was a 1947 Willys Jeep trying to keep up with traffic flow and once I got it up to 45 ish it would wonder around like a drunkin sailor....how do these vintage trucks handle speeds above 45 mph? Will it be wandering all over the road too??....(I dont want a white knuckle driver again)...where I live speed is king...

Any insight would be great...

MikeC

With all worn steering components replaced and the steering box adjusted per the manual it should steer nicely at any speed.

With stock differential you won't be driving much over 45 in a 1-ton.

I can drive 70 mph one handed all day long with out worry, but then mine has all new steering parts and a well adjusted steering box.

As Charlie and Joe say, replace all the worn out components,
adjusted properly and some decent radial tires, they drive one
handed without any wonder. They do vibrate and shake all over
at those speeds though and you can forget listening to the radio
unless you've got it turned up all the way or have it wrapped
in a cocoon of sound deadener.

dg

Hi Cletis

First thing I did on Howard Knapp was lose the vintage rear end and swap in a 1985 Chevy Blazer rear end...not sure what the rear end gearing is but I kinda think it will be better than the stump puller gears that were in that rear-end in stock form...I need at least to be able maintain 55 to 60 mph or I will get run over...

I am glad these things wont wander around...I am rebuilding everything under the front fenders...I will have to read the manual on how to adjust the steering box...I think I am spoiled with being able to daily drive a 1999 S10 and it drives and rides like a car...

Denny I don't listen to the radio in my daily driver now so I wont have to worry about that end of things....I am hoping this will be a fun truck to drive on the road...

MikeC

The rear ends were standard 5.38 ratio. How much wider is the Blazer rear end? So, now do you carry two spares?

I exchanged the steering gear in my Jeep with a Hudson steering gear, worked great, they are hard to find now. Today, a Saginaw non-power steering works well. Check out a modern Jeep.

There were/are 11" drum brake kits which are much better than the original 9" brakes.

You could get a Dana 44 front axle(others will work too) and put Blazer front spindles on the 44 to match your rear bolt pattern.

Good luck.

What's this fear I keep reading about getting ran over or needing to get out of everyones way?? Its a 1ton truck, I always have people slowing down for me giving me the thumbs up. For tires I went with the 235/85r16 which was close to the original bias ply size and that helped significantly with the comfort aspect. As stated earlier keeping everything tight depending on needed replacement parts is the best starting point

Hey EdPruss

I swapped out the front axle to a 1/2 ton with 6 lugs on it...I got a set of 1966 Chevy truck steel wheels that all matched...the front end will have CPP disc brake kit on it...based on a full size Chevy car rotors. Shoot the Blazer rear end WMS to WMS is about 65" I think the rear end on the original was about 64" wide..

Diseasel

I live on a state road....speed limit is posted at 45...most folks run over me at that speed...I have to run 55 just to keep up....on the 4 lane road I drive to work it is also a state road posted at 55 mph so you need to run 65 to keep up...this area is not very user friendly for older cars...that is why I am trying to make it this old truck more traffic friendly...I hate holding up traffic when I drive to work...

Hoping and praying this Howard Knapp truck will keep me out of harms way as far as other motorists...and I can smile when I get to where I am going...

Thanks everyone for the helpful insight...

MikeC