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Can we please be more specific. I'll try from my "opinion" ...A 444 front cross member and a 544 cross member "look" the same except for the steering idler arm mounting that is mounted directly to the 444 cross member while on the 544 the idler arm mounts to the frame rail of the car. Sooo, tell me from experience please, but when you cut off the welded bracket on the 444 cross member ...you will have a proper 544 B18. The arms will be different length because of the location of the idler arm (of course) but the earlier cross member is a good replacement for a newer B18 that is worn out. Bolt holes on the body (8) are in the same location on either cross member. Once bolted up, and welded bracket removed, then the decision to use the B18 steering rods is the only proper decision. My contention is the cross members are the same except for this welded bracket. This above information is for an older (B16) crossmember placed into a newer (B18)car. Now, to go the other way, or to place a 544 (B-18) crossmember into an earlier (B-16) the only way to accomplish this is to weld on the idler arm to the cross member and change all the steering rods and arms including the big arm on the steering box. When doing so (welding) be careful to pay attention to all the angles so that you don't have "fighting" steeing when the rods are not perfectly lined up.
The problem is that some "say" they want to change the cross member but is it the crossmember or is it the "chunk" including the steering rods and arms and kingpins and brakes from a different one when the old one has "worn" out. Unbolt and replace. Nope! The crossmember as a single part, without any other attachments, I believe is the same with the exception of the above mentioned welded bracket (welded on the B-16 and missing on the B-18). BUT, you cannot just take a whole "chunk" from a B-16 and put the "chunk" into the B18.Or the other way around.
Perhaps I have it all wrong. I have not installed either into each. See below what I have done. But I have had both and they "looked" remarkably the same with only one exception ( welded bracket).
Whew, Now I have opened the door. If I'm wrong lets get the experience and tell us where I'm wrong.
Plese advise
Christopher Virgilthevolvo V2
http://www.georger.com/stage_1_v2.htm
As an aside, I am presently working on a 1956-7 444KS and placing a 142 front end into the frame. I want disc brakes and will be driving it as my only car for the next 20 years. Below is a picture of what I have gone through.
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