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I have a 53 chevy car and I was wondering if take the complete steering assembly out...will this work in my 53 chevy truck? the car is an automatic. My truck has the stock front axle. any suggestions?

Why?? You want independant? There are better kits out there for your truck. Some truck units unbolt same as that car and can be adapted to your old truck, usually too wide to look right. The steering on cars is center linked and it may be in way of pan on truck. Frames may be similar width and track too. You would need diff box and column as the truck steers off the one wheel on side of frame with front/back movement, car I think uses a side/side movement. Keep in mind that this suspension is nearly the same in Vettes up to 62 if you need pins/bearings to rebuild it. I've always felt a disc brake change and mono-springs on stock axle was best way to go.

Marlo,

The car steering gear is way different; the steering wheel might swap, but that's about it.

GL is right- the car IFS uses a bell crank & center-link deal, bolted to the center of the car cross-member.
You'd be looking at a complete "front end transplant" , which may not be worth the grief, even if it is possible, using the '53 car stuff.

If you were really bent on installing IFS, I'd suggest checking out the kits offered or using donor stuff that other guys who've gone before us (Phat, for instance) have found to be reliable swaps.
I'd also suggest having your stock truck column "adapted" for use with the new front-end: the cut the tube just below the toe-board, install a bearing and bracket, and set it up the attach to the "rag-joint" of a modern steering gear. Keeps stock look up in the cab!

Just my thoughts... (Had a '50 Chevy car; the car front end is the same '49-'54 & 'Vette '53-'62.)

It might be just as cost-effective to completely overhaul your stock steering.

thanks guys...I don't want IFS just the steering box and column. But I think I'll just overhall my original and change the steering wheel. I have disc brakes all around and I might get mono leaf springs, but I want to go as low as possible with out an IFS setup? any suggestions?

I had a 49 truck that I was in process of rodding and used a tilt-colum from later mid-size GM like Monte Carlo/Chevelle and the link too I think. I removed the solid tube from my orig box, cut off the long steering shaft. Found a seal to fit the 3/4" shaft and had the box machined out to fit the outside of seal so I could drive it in to box and then fastened a U-joint onto the box with pin and it clamped on rod too. Have to remove entire box/column to dismantle and take to machine shop. Oh, had to cut off the outer tube, does not come out no matter what the manual says and then I drove the end left in box out w/chisel!

[img]http://www.cartogra.com/rs/830AFFB1-0A1A-11D6-B42A-0090277A760E/jpeg[/img]

Modified stock tube with sealed bearing stuffed into the end and homemade bracket to hold end up, 2 u-joints and a shaft. Cut worm gear off end of original shaft and spliced in a splined shaft. Muskrat II, but could be done with any frontend type.

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: gearhead ]

THANK YOU FOR THE PICTURE! NOW IT MAKES MORE SENSE WHEN YOU SEE THE PICTURE . I'm going to try and do this work myself along with a few seasoned veterans from my club who have fat fendered heavy chevy's. I'll let you guy's know how it turns out. Again thanks for the help and remember...BUY AMERICAN!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

rebuild a classic chevy! rebuild a piece of american history so that others can marvel at the simplicity of it all...only to be trapped by it's undying beauty.