Replacement Bellcranks With Tapered Bearings

Good find... those are nice

 

I'd be very interested in someone's feedback who's driven both a saginaw equipped Willys and one with this and how close they are. In theory I like this mod much better if it gets close to the same firmness feel.

 

Wow, that looks like the answer, Howard, I put a kit in mine, didn't do something right, had to do it again more carefully, second time is a charm, for how long I don't know yet.

 

I kinda wish that my bellcrank had some slop in it, haha.... unfortunately all my issue are in the ross box itself.

 

I was thinking this combined with Walcks tight-steer thing on a fresh steering setup might actually yield decent results.

My '61 has much tighter steering than my '57 did, though the '57 has had a much harder life. I may go this route. Time will tell. Thanks again for the link.

 

FJ 40's have that same arrangement and I believe the very last of the Willys Wagons and pickups also had tapered bearings. While that eliminates the slop in the bellcrank, as noted, you still have Ross to deal with and several more rod ends than the Saginaw. Not to mention the variable toe-in.

With a Tight Steer in the box and that bellcrank, it would certainly be much better. But still a good deal short of Saginaw.

 

Yeah NOT a fan of the dual drag link setup. Crossover steering more or less removes that and the associated wobble. I actually ran the stock bellcrank to the passenger knuckle on my 30 for a while, and just removed the driver's side drag link.

The Ross on my '57 was shot, though, so the stock setup was brutal. Worked for plowing but not much else. The play was VERY exaggerated, like a really poorly acted 50s movie driving scene LOL. Almost comical, bad.

 

225 bucks!!!

 

Sag swap is plenty more than that. I have a few times that in mine, not counting the derivative project/damage the sag conversion "caused" (I was open to some of it already).

 

I have this bell crank in a 1967 cj6 with Hudson steering .
It was installed by the original owner in 1967 and has worked great.

Mel.

 

Hudson box being very similar to the Ross?

 

Here's the Hudson and Jeep boxes side by side. FWIW the Hudson box won't fit with a V6, it's too wide.

 

Very cool. Thanks for the feedback.

 

What does the box interfear with?

 

Here's one with tapered roller bearings that's made from a stock CJ bellcrank:

Steering Bellcrank Mod with Paired Tapered Roller Bearings

 

Runs right into the side of the engine block. I got that Hudson box from a CJ that I parted out...it had a V6 in it but had homemade motor mounts that moved the whole engine over a couple inches to the right.

 

I ordered and received one of these from Mr. Elliott. I have yet to install it, but it looks well made. He's a nice man and we spoke on the phone quite a few times. He has tons of knowledge. I think it's well worth it, as you can write off bellcrank issues for the remaining life of the Jeep.