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1955 Tri Five, Control Arms, To be or not to be?

3K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  advanced design 
#1 ·
I am adding the New 500 steering box from Cpp, is it necessary to add New style control arms and if so do I need both upper and lower and should I install coilovers and should they be double adjustable or single. I have a really nice car but is steers like S--t.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply, I think I am going to install the box with the stock control arms for now and see how it works, I can always change it later, I may have other issues like headers, I have a set of Hooker Competitions on it now and suspect I will have to change to something else.
 
#4 ·
As alluded to above; if you are using a modern radial tire and or changing the steering box, you may need to deviate from the factory caster/camber/toe in and out from 60 years ago. Also, some of these power steering boxes can take some getting used to with the factory (large diameter) steering wheel.

With my dads 55; we rebuilt the OEM box, added the radial tires (Firestone Potenza G009's on 15x8 ansens all around) with the thought of using a power steering system at a later date. However, with the radial tires and playing with the tire pressure, it steers quite well except when trying to parallel park.
 
#5 ·
Can you just change the upper control arm shaft and get enough caster to do any good, I dont have a problem changing the control arms if I need to, I just dont particularly care for how they look. I am useing a 500 box from CPP and a Tilt wheel from them as well. I have everything new to re-do entire front end, but I dont want to rebuild the Stock Upper and lower control arms with bushings and ball joints and then end up putting New Style control arms on anyway. So any input will be appreciated. PS: I am running radial tires on 15X7 rims. It drives fair on a smooth road but if not its hunting a place to go so this is why I am changing everything to power steering and useing the 500 box.
 
#6 ·
I rebuilt my upper arms with the offset cross shaft and was able to get just above 1 degree of caster before camber started going negative. Decided to drive the car for awhile before changing control arms and after 1,500 miles in one week this fall I decided I really like it.

It doesn't have the on center feel of a new car, but is nice enough I am not changing control arms. And I changed pretty much everything else on the car, 5.3 LS, 4L65E, fxxd 9 in, aluminum cross flow, Vintage Air etc.

So my decision is based on how car feels, not on not wanting to do more work.

Try yours first, like you said you can change later.

Have fun
 
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