The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Steering arms for 1/2 ton axle?

Are the steering arms for the 1/2 ton axle the same from a 47AD to the 59 Taske Force? I have an axle with new king pins but no steering arms. The axle is believed to be out of a 51.

If there is a difference in the steering arms how can the correct arms for a 51 be identified.

Boy I hope this makes sense.

Jim

Hy farmer51, the short answer to your question is no they are not the same, they have different part numbers for a start, hope that answers your question

What about visual differences. Kinda like a spotters guide to front axle parts.

You'd have to be pretty good to recognize them by looking.
I would either hit the wrecking yards for a set since anything from 47 to 54 would work, but I might be inclined to check with Obsolete Chevrolet Parts Company. He caries original parts and might have a set that would wrok. He is not cheap, so if he has a set of any of the years you need, be prepaid to pay. The upside is that they will be new and and unused. The phone number is: 229.686.5812

I'm not doing a restoration so matching to the axle is not required, just something that will work.

What changed after 1954?

I can send you pictures tonight of TF arms. I'd try and find the right ones, given the other parts that interface and must fit. Might try posting in parts wanted or contact Jimbo.

Eric, I called Jimbo and he didn't want to send the wrong ones so we are researching. He has plenty of them, but they have been removed from the axle.

The more I dig around the more it looks like the pitman arm/drag link change in 53 is the difference.

Jim

farmer, i am pretty sure they are different, as others have stated, but here are a few pics of my 57 front..

hope this helps.

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01377.jpg

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01376.jpg

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01357.jpg

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01436.jpg

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01356.jpg

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/...00/?action=view&current=DSC01550.jpg


leonard

57's are different, but 46-54 are basically the same.
I know you are not doing a restoration, but my point is that the arms must match. You'll have a problem if they don't. So you need to get a matched set. Choices: buy some from someone who knows that the two they have match (a parts place) or find a 46-54 axle with the arms on it. A pile of arms like Jimbo has ain't gonna do you any good unless you can match them. It can't be done by looking. The draglink is not the same on all years, either. The best thing would be to get a parts book and look up the part numbersvof the arms you want. Then call Jimbo and tell him the numbers you need. The numbers are cast into the parts. This is, however not true with the draglink. Unless you know the exact year of the axle and arms you have, it's going to be tuff to find the right one, because they vary in length do to the configuration of the steering arm. If you buy from Jimbo, get the whole axle with the arms and the drag link ATTACHED, then you'll know what you have.

Farmer,

Speaking of looking up the p/n's you can use Keith Hardy's on-line Parts catalog to do exactly that. Here You should also be able to look up drag links and see what years are common or different per above. If you look closely at some of my pics you can read the part number. here May need to download it and zoom in. Looks like 3720317. Maybe Jimbo can wirebrush some enough to read part numbers. These are off a spare axle (TF 1/2 ton) I picked up and the left seems sort of wallowed out at the drag link end compared to the one on my truck. There are also photos of them on the axle too. Here

Let us know how it works out for you.

Joe, Thank you I need all the help and guidance I can get.

Eric, you've gone above and beyond with the photos and links. The TF is different because of the drag link and possibly the geometry.

I've found the parts numbers for the "arm, steeering knuckle" and "arm steering and 3rd". hopefully these are the correct descriptions for the parts needed. A little more digging and we'll see which are common for what years.

Jim