The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline steering/drag(??) link modern conversion-Help Needed

I am wanting to do this steering/drag(??) link modern conversion on my one ton. And was hoping someone has found a less expensive way of doing it, because when looking up prices that were used in tech tip it wasn’t cheap at all….thanks, joe…

https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/draglink_adjustable.html

CPP has a kit for $89.00.

Update Adjustable Drag Link, 1947-54 Chevy Truck 3100 & 3200

I changed my draglink on my 1/2 to the modern type sealed ends. My uncle made me a threaded rod the correct length with left and right hand threads for easy adjustment. I just looked and the1/2 ton ends are now $83 a set so not cheap. If you had a spare long tie-rad bar, you could cut off the right hand thread end and cut new threads where needed for the correct length then screw on the tie-rod ends, but being a one ton your options may be pretty limited. I know over on the H.A.M.B. site there are a lot guys using tapered reamers to make the newer ends fit where needed, now you have the cost of the reamer plus all the parts.

I don't know that it is any cheaper but I made a custom drag link for my 3600 because I had moved the steering gear outward and wanted to put the drag link inside rather than outside the pitman arm for steering geometry.

I used steel tubing and a kit that included inserts and modern rod ends from Sky Manufacturing part number SKY-BYOSK-001.

There's also a drag link from Barnes 1 Ton Drag Link Kit B4W0071K that claims to be for a 1 ton but I don't have any experience with them.

A piece of heavy wall steel tubing and a couple of threading taps would allow for the use of short tie rod ends instead of the expensive long ones. Jam nuts on both ends would allow for adjustments, and still be able to be locked safely.
Jerry

As Jerry says about a piece of tubing..,,
Try speedway motors, they sell different length tubes and a rh tap, have L&R rod ends and jam nuts as well, I used F...d.
Buy a length that's close, they come prethreaded one side left hand 1 side right hand.
Trim to length and retap the right side, start 3/8" longer and tap that, don't run your tap deep and check your threads (mine felt slightly loose) then trim to proper length, tap only as deep as needed.

Chuck

The same tubing, right and left hand taps, jam nuts, etc. are available on Ebay, without the outrageous markup Speedway adds. Another source with reasonable prices for specialty machining bits and pieces like left hand taps is Victor Machinery Co. (www.victornet.com).
Jerry

Thanks for the information folks….joe

I have tinkered with the idea of using a General Motors Saginaw power steering box grafted onto a stovebolt steering column to replace the original steering gear. There's a couple of problems with that, however- - - - -the box would have to be turned 90 degrees so the Pitman arm would hang down beside the frame rail, and once that's done, the box would work backwards- - - -turn the steering wheel to the right, and the vehicle would turn left! A reversing gearbox would have to be fabricated, and installed between the steering box and the steering wheel. Not impossible to do, as spur gears are available on Ebay, but a little creative machining would have to be done to make a box to house the gears!
Jerry

I used the CPP kit for the 55-59 trucks, fit like a glove and have had no problems with it.

I had done the research to sort out how I would make one up using common Ford tie rod ends, but by the time you sourced a part and a reamer….no way it could be done for less than that CPP part. Good find, I didn’t know it existed.

I had already modified my system to use the 53 style drag link that has modern ends but is NOT adjustable.

The reamer really isn't necessary. A big tapered punch, a rosebud torch tip, and a 3 pound hammer turns a straight hole into a taper with about 2 minutes' work.
Jerry

What is different between 1/2 3/4 and 1 tons?

According to a check of the 1954, 1957 and later Chevy Master Parts Books, all Commercial trucks (1/2 thru 1 ton) shared the same part numbers for the steering connecting rod assembly as well as the pitman arm from 1947-52. This would cover Joe's 1952 3800.

There was a change in design and part number for 1953-55.1 Commercial trucks and then again with the 1955.2-59 Commercial trucks.