The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline SOLVED......Driver's side tire rubs on 1959

https://classicparts.com/1955-59-drag-link-1-2-3-4-1-ton

I purchased a drag link above a couple years ago and noticed the other day. My tires rubbing only on the driver's side during full left hand turns.

It's nothing I could hear.It's just something I noticed.
Is it perhaps that the radial tires bulge out further than the original bias ply tires?

Possibly that's the case, but hard to say. The 205 you have will have a width of around 8 inches and a bit. The original 6.70 x 15 tire you would have had from the factory would have been about 7.5 inches so there's only about an extra 1/4 inch on each side. The only thing is maybe your tires (like all radials) bulge out more at the bottom and that's causing it. If we could see a view of the hard left hand turn it would help.

Good pics BTW. Everything from what I see looks OK.
Make sure the tire is at proper pressure.

Yes, my tires are a little low 23 psi.
I thought the 205 width was close to the original size, maybe next time I'll get a bias ply 🤔 I rarely drive above 55mph

Thanks for the extra images. It looks (as you said) like a light rub. Could be the tire or low pressure. Maybe the replacement drag link is slightly thicker than the original one? On the half ton the steering stops are really just a piece of bent steel with a hole/bolt holding them in place. Sometimes those get removed and forgotten when kingpins are replaced. You might check to be sure yours are still there and if not, ask if anyone here has a set. If the driver's side is missing it would explain why you have some extra travel.

Does the 59 have a L shaped stop on the kingpin wedge bolt like the earlier trucks, I mod’s my 46 stop when I had wider than stock tires

Chuck

Maybe rim offset .Are the rims origional.

Can you make the same diameter turn both left and right?
Test that in a small cul-de-sac by reversing the direction of the turn around.
I had that problem with an AD with aftermarket power steering. It had an adjustable drag link so I could even it out by adjusting the length of the drag link.
Is your steering box adjusted so that there is a tight spot in the steering wheel while the tires are in the straight ahead position with the drag link disconnected? I do not know if this tight spot not being in the straight ahead position will cause your issue, but it is something which is important to have right regardless.

My steering box is adjusted, but I've never had an alignment. Nor looked at those "steering stops". Honestly, I didn't know they were there with all the grease😂

I've never tested the turning radius each way ,I'll have to do that. Thank you for the suggestion

Here's a couple close up pictures. I only see the passenger side has a witness Mark..... driver's side does not

Those spider webs, mud dauber nests, and dirt impregnated grease look structural. Be careful removing that or your steering might get really loose.

The AD trucks originally came with steering stops that are held on with the wedge bolts for the king pins. I doubt that many got reinstalled when king pins were changed out. Here's a pic from the parts manual. It was a bent piece of steel with a nub that fits into a hole in the axle and keeps it from rotating. I got the attached pics with dimensions from another 'bolter. I never fabbed any for my truck, so don't know if they're needed to keep the tires from rubbing on the steering components but do limit the range of the steering.

Kevinski ..... Yes the rims are stock

Otto......I might have to loose the spider webs, mud dauber nests & dirt impregnated grease even though it might be structural😂🤣 (too funny)

Kevin...... Awesome pics!! I've got some homework to do. Thank you.

Unfortunately, I've forgotten who sent those to me. I can't give the proper credit where it's due.

OK, I tracked it down. Dave (Flatblu4748) posted these photos back in 2023. Send your thanks there.

Something about festers pics kept bugging me, so I did a little diving through my resource books.

First, the '55-'59 Chevy Truck FAM was no help. The copy I have (PDF) doesn't show any details about the front axle, spindle or steering arms, stops, etc. in Section 3 (Front Suspension).

Ditto of the pictures in the Chevy Master Parts Catalogs from '54 up through '62. The pictures in there either show the AD series style steering stops like in Kevins pic above, or the Big Bolt heavy duty axle and spindle/steering set up which also uses the bolted on angle bracket stop. Neither of which seems to look the same as festers pictures.

I dug into a recently acquired original 1957 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual and the below diagram and description is what I found in there. If I'm reading this correctly, the stops on fester's '59 are actual adjustable stop "bolts" that thread into an extra threaded hole in each of the steering arms which bump into the back side of the I-beam axle where we can see existing contact points in his pictures. Granted, the caption on the diagram says "(3/4, 1 and 1-1/2 Ton Models)", but I suspect the same was used for the Task Force 1/2 tons as well.

Looking at the 1962 Chevy Master Parts Books, the part identified as Parts Group 6.009 for BOLT, stop (3/8 - 24 x 1-1/16") for the Task Force trucks appears to match up with the unspecified "circled" bolt in the '57 Shop Manual diagram I've attached below.

I think once fester cleans off that protective stuff on his front suspension, we will see what's there and he can confirm if this is what he has. Then he can figure out if he can either replace it if it's worn/damaged, or just adjust it to prevent the steering travel to resolve the tire contact issue.

Looking forward to seeing what you got fester!

I think this. I had the same problem till I put a better steering column in that was centered.
If you counted on the steering stops?? IDK. The box has L/R stops. I guess having the 2 synched up would be the ticket.
Thats probably why they are nut and bolt stops on the wheel.

From the edge of the frame you should be just under 4 inches to the edge/end of the drag link.
Here is a pic w/o all the possum hair. 59

Radial tires also "roll" sideways in turns a lot more than a bias ply. That's one reason they improve handling- - - - -the tread stays planted more solidly to the pavement, but that sidewall flexing can also result in rubbing on occasion. How about adding a thin spacer between the wheel and the hub, maybe 1/4" of so, to add a bit more clearance?
Jerry

Thanks for the pics BD, I'll clean up my chassis on Sunday & see if i can adjust that stop a bit.

Thanks Jerry for the info on the radial tire flex. A spacer is a good suggestion if i can't adjust that steering stop. I'm not retired so I'll reply in a few days with my findings. Thanks to everyone!

I'd adjust that stop out a little bit, it looks now like it never contacts the axle so the tire can swing a little further than it was meant to. The passenger side hits, so should the drivers side. My bus has had a bit of a rub on the drivers side since I've owned it. If I hear it rubbing, I just back the wheel off a little bit and it stops. Now I have taller 22.5" radials on it, but haven't driven it with them as yet because I'm redoing the brakes, exhaust, and fuel system. Will have to see if they rub and how much.

Adjusted the stop pin a little and aired my tires back up to 28psi. After I power washed the chassis.

Don't wanna over inflate My mexican made tires🙈

No more rub. Thanks for everyone's 2 cents!!!

Great to hear and thanks for coming back and letting everyone know. Someone in the future will probably be glad to see this thread!

yes, proper tire inflation is crucial.....