Steering SENSITIVITY issue

[Wollfen]

Hey 330dTA, that brake hose looks a little scary being taut like that, you might want to put a slightly longer one in so this doesn't happen. Is the steering at full lock? The hose shouldn't look like that, just a word of advice.

 

[440Sled]

That torsion bar adjuster bolt is hanging crazy low too.

 

[SF-66TC]

Well, I had read Rick Ahrenberg articles on Mopar Muscle about making a C-body handle like a modern car. Just wanted to know if it was true. That's the basic reason for going almost "all the way". The only things I didn't have done were a bigger sway up front, and a sway bar to the back.

I wanted to have the TB's replaced because all spring metal fatigues sooner or later, and I figured it would be a waste of time and money to stop half way. - I liked the improved springs very much. They carried the weight (it weighed in at 1200 kg, i.e 2455 lbs) of the front end much bettor, but did not feel too stiff. Just made the front end a lot more focused. The car went were you steered it. Some Mopar guys here who got to drive it praised it to be the best steering Mopar they had ever driven.

The boxing plates were just one component in making the whole front end stronger and more able. Can't tell how much they effected. The overall change was remarkable, however. I must point out, that the supple "New Yorker ride" didn't suffer the least bit. The car just felt much more focused, and the steering very precise.

Mind you, that I didn't change the steering box. Found no reason to. One quarter of tightening up the steering gear mesh took off all the slack.

Otherwise, every component in the front end, that might possibly wear or fatigue, was renewed. The PS pump (Firm Feel) & hoses, lower ball joints (Rare Parts), tie rod ends (Firm Feel, the reinforced tube type), etc.

Thanks for the pics.

I had contacted Rick Ehrenberg and he too said Firm Feel's Tubular Upper Control Arms (UCA) are a great upgrade because they allow more positive caster especially with modern tires.

I called Firm Feel for more info and they said their tubular UCA's allow for +4 degrees of caster whereas the stock CA's give about +2 - +2-1/2 and that will be the biggest improvement for tracking and steering return when going around turns. Combine that with their PSB1 steering box which has a slightly firmer feel than the OE police box, the car will handle and feel much like those modern ones of today.

I'll tighten up the steering box and get the car aligned this week and see how she drives. I've already ordered the strut rod bushings and UCA and depending how the steering box feels I may need to order one of those as well.

BTW, 440sled is right - what's up with the Torsion Bar adjusting bolt? You should barely even see it when it's adjusted properly. How it looks in your pic is how the bolt would look when removing all the tension off the bar for removal. Could the shop have changed it to a longer one? I'd get that checked out for your own safety.

 

[440Sled]

Your issue may be that your torsion bars may be keyed up wrong or the mechanism that holds the adjuster bolt is in backwards. I'd look in to this issue before dropping tons of cash.

 

[goldfish65]

I can't tell from reading this whether the steering issue was going on before you changed the parts. But, you can adjust the steering gearbox using a wrench and a big screwdriver, if I remember correctly. The scary sensitivity you described happened to me once when I adjusted it too tight. Anyway, just to see, I would adjust it little by little, and see if it makes any difference, either "tighter" or "looser," you have nothing to lose.

 

[SF-66TC]

I can't tell from reading this whether the steering issue was going on before you changed the parts. But, you can adjust the steering gearbox using a wrench and a big screwdriver, if I remember correctly. The scary sensitivity you described happened to me once when I adjusted it too tight. Anyway, just to see, I would adjust it little by little, and see if it makes any difference, either "tighter" or "looser," you have nothing to lose.

goldfish65 - prior to the disc conversion the steering was sensitive, but manageable. After the change the steering sensitivity has been magnified and it's scary as heck. I mentioned I hadn't gotten the alignment done. The toe was off a bit off even before I did the conversion and changing the parts I did enevitably may have changed it even more. The out of toe alone could very well be the main issue, but it's a process of elimination at this point. This week I plan on tightening up the steering box a tweek at a time to see if there's any improvement then get it aligned for -.5 camber, +2.5 caster or as much + as can be gotten & 1/16 - 1/8" toe-in.

These cars were designed with 50 year old technology and with bias-ply tires so some of what I'm experiencing is to be expected. However, with todays technology and I believe and some have ecen said, it is possible to get these boats to drive, track & handle pretty much like todays modern day cars. . I want to have fun and enjoy driving this car and that's my goal. The way it drives now is a disaster waiting to happen and that's no fun and there's no joy in that...

Thanks for chiming in and your advice!

 

[330dTA]

SF66-TC, I think you are on the right track towards solving it. It is certainly possible to make it go straight ahead even with the FSM alignment specs. All you need to make sure is that all the components up front are good.

I did take my old man's car up to 120mph on many occasions back in the day. It had Michelin radials, red Koni shocks, and camber adjusted to 0 degrees. I went straight ahead with no problems. (I never tried to repeat that with my own car though. It's been over 30 years since, and age brings sense along...)

 

[Big_John]

You could check the toe yourself with a tape measure.... Just saying...