Steering upgrades on an F head 5??

Finally got the 57 cj5 home today. My last cj5 was a long nose and I had forgotten how little and light these old jeeps are, I like it and was surprised to find out that I can actually fit inside it (6' 3" 250lbs)

I am contemplating keeping the F head because it is simple, light and "may" do what I would like to do in the jeep. If I can get it to cruise along at 60 mph with 4.10 gears I could live with it for a while (may even like it).

So, one of the questions I have is about the steering. I am planning on installing a pair of cut down D44 axles and wondering about the steering? The single tie rod is best set up, but what to do about the steering?

Has anyone added PS to an F head set up? Is there a better manual steering system that would work with the single tie rod and not rob power from the tiny little engine?

Thanks in advance for your ideas and inputs...

 

manual saginaw upgrade.


search function is your friend. many threads and a sticky

 

A standard manual saginaw will work and be a much better steering box than the ross unit. 4.10:1 gears are gonna push the little Fhead motor, the lowest standard gear set for an F head was 4.27:1.
Final question why are you gonna cut down 44's and put them in the front and rear? The factory rear 44 is fine for most uses as is the dana 25/27. I have a dana 30 in the front of mine but mainly due to it being real cheap, disk brakes and a better turning radius plus the constant drip on the drive way that the old 27 had.

 

I did a search on the manual Saginaw but didn't find much detail? I was thinking the manual Sag conversion, is the ratio better? (easier to turn)

I already have the D44's, and a 4 wheel disc set up for them, as well as the gears and a rear spool. I like the open knuckle and would really like an tighter turning radius.

I plan on hanging a set of pedals as well. I just don't care for the OEM brake and clutch set up under the floor.

 

hmm, I always thought it was 5:38's...

I'd go manual saginaw if it were me.
Put a double hole knuckle on the pass side as well and call it a day.

 

had the same problem when i did the search... my fault... punch in SAGINAW STEERING CONVERSION. it will take ya there. i agree with the 4.10's not being enough. might want to go with a 225 or 4.3 if using 4.10's

4.27's came on the later years iirc, not sure of the yrs but maybe 72 and up as an option??

 

I understand it is a chunck of metal, but should be lighter than a 4.3, etc? How does it compare in weight to the Buick 225?

When you guys say that the F head is "not enough with 4.10 gears"...is this about hwy or off road? I thought the final drive ratio with 5.38s and a Warn OD worked out to around 4.10?

The charts have 4.10 gears with 32" tires at 2500 + rpm at 60 mph. Would 2500-2600 rpm be in the engines power band?

I would like to be able to use the F head for a couple of years before I think about another engine in the jeep. SO>>>Put enough gear in for the F head...and it's too much gear for other engines....what's a fellow to do? I know I would not like 5.38s and a 4.3!

Going to pull the tub off and do some frame work and planned on putting in the D44s. Didn't really want to go through a set of axles that I am not keeping (and the current running gear is rough, needs a complete renewal).

Peers I'm stuck!

 

Mine weighed in at 700lbs at the scrap metal place and it would have made 72hp from the factory.

 

I'm running 5:38s with a 4.3 with 33s I can run 60

 

I already have a boat (Break Out Another Thousand) ...lol. Money typically solves all technical issues. I have a bunch of work to do to this one, so I need to pick my battles carefully... paid $350 for it, you can imagine the condition.

Where I live and hunt is flat, muddy logging roads, etc. Not hills or rocks. So besides being under powered and struggling, would the F head pull it down the hwy with 4.10s?

I would thing with 4.88s and a V6 you keep the OD engaged at all times when you are on the road?

 

Sounds like somebody had a toe or two on the scale. About 400-450 is about right.

 

OMG...that's small block Chevy weight?

 

The F head is heavier than the V6 and it weighs around 425lbs, the jeep Bible has the F head at 470lbs

There is a website that gives the weight of engines and has the small block chevy at around 550-575lbs.

http://www.team.net/sol/tech/engine.html

 

Hey thats what he paid me for. I always thought it was a little heavy, especially since the head was sitting on another Jeep at the time. I need to weigh the trailer, I wonder if he accidentally forgot to remove the trailer weight when I went across the scales.

 

I would say 150 mile round trip would be about average, both hunting and day trips to the beach. I "wanted" to run a very narrow profile 35" tire. (34x 9.5 or 9.00 x 16)
Doesn't sound like the F head could pull that height tire, with 4.10 gears?

My 78 cj5 did great with 9.00 x 16s on it...but it had the 258 6 cyl. I do not want to drop $400-$600 bucks in the F head if it cannot work under my conditions. Thats why I am after owner's advice.

I do have to vet some of the owner's advice based on terrain. Our flat, muddy terrain is VERY different conditions than hills, mountains and rocks. I have owned 12 4wd vehicles and only one had 4.10 gears, all were 3.07-3.73. They all did great down here with up to 36" grand prix mudders! this soupy, sandy, gumbo mud requires very little gear, it's really easy to spin tires in this terrain...the roads and highways are flat!

To give you an idea of how forgiving the terrain is; a neighbor of mine ran 44s on stock jeep dana 25 axles with a sbc, without breaking anything. No one with hills or rocks would have believed that could work!