Steering problems

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat May 26, 07 11:59 am

Got problems on the Sox car (A Body).

Have tried to set up the Camber & caster since changing the Steering Knuckles without success. All parts APPEAR to be in good order, but when putting a Caster/Camber gauge on it I cannot get a consistent reading. Have had the car tracked and all seems OK.

Car pulls heavily to the left all the time; and remains very skittish on the road - little directional stability.

Ride height is set correctly. Set the car at about Zero degrees camber (probably a small amount of negative camber now the car has settled down) but as a result can only get 1 degree positive caster - I think Matt Snowball found this when he set the car up originally.

Need to sort this out PDQ for Gary's Picnic or I am not going as it would be pointless and dangerous to put the car on the track.

Blue has ben great and made suggestions which I have followed up. but I thought a quick post here may yeild other ideas, thanks....running out of time....

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat May 26, 07 3:42 pm

Pete , had the same problem with the Pit , turned out the steering box was loose.

Don't wanna take your thread space up with a silly reply , but ya never know.

Got a couple of eccentric A arm bushings (if the same as an A body) used for sagging/twisted chasis rails , will give you another 3* castor , with more adjustment for camber.

Not suprised if the Sox is a little twisted.

Hope you sort it Pete.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat May 26, 07 4:40 pm

Hi Adam, found some faults (LCA bush) but that did not fixt the problem.

Have proved the problem is not enough Caster, so if those bushes are going spare I would love them, thanks.

On max setting still not enough caster and way too much negative camber, but at least it does not pull too hard to the left and behave like a tea trolley. Will still be a bit iffy at the track, though.....

I have B body UCA's with the big Ball joint (Or late A Body ones with the B body ball joint if you know what I mean......

Are they rubber of Urathane?

Thanks.

Pete.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat May 26, 07 4:57 pm

You got PM Pete.

Ma Mopar never gave these motors enough castor (steering wheel not returning), also not enough KPI.

Edit. there rubber , will get you outa a hole though.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat May 26, 07 5:31 pm

Thanks Pete, car is straight, no damage. I set ride height by distance from bump stops.

Adam, thanks for the offers of assistance

Dead right about lack of Caster; can only get 1 degree in the Charger as well.......

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat May 26, 07 5:50 pm

If the torsion bars are not stressed equally what happens is the front can look straight but the rear suspension height can vary from side to side.

I don't think that would make castor changes on the front though?

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat May 26, 07 5:52 pm

Pete. If more neg camber gives you more positive castor then you can go up to one degree neg camber without odd tyre wear.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat May 26, 07 5:56 pm

Hi Dave - it is set (like Spinal Tap) at "11"!!!!

I cannot get any more caster and I am ignoring camber at the moment.
Even set like that it is only 2-2.5 degrees positive caster.....

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat May 26, 07 6:10 pm

I have driven with only 1.5 degrees castor before and it still went straight. They use even less castor on some manual cars when they are new from the factory!

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Sat May 26, 07 8:53 pm

Pete another silly one, but you never know, is the back end jacked right up to get the slicks in?

That'll do your caster angle no favours...

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sat May 26, 07 10:51 pm

Hi Pete

you are resetting the tracking after every camber/caster adjustment aren't you ? your symptoms sound like a tracking problem. Unequal L-R caster angles will cause a pull, but probably not a huge one.

You won't get any more than 2 / 2.5 degrees absolute max caster with stock bushes & sensible camber, but this should be adequate . As mentioned earlier , rear ride height is a factor . every degree you raise the rear of the car reduces the caster by the same.

As also mentioned earlier in this thread, corner weights L&R front could be unequal (i.e torsion bar adjustment) , and this could cause a pull.

Also , UCA eccentric bolts must me TIGHT before road testing, otherwise they'll move lots the first time you stamp on the brakes, changing camber, caster, & tracking.

How good are your gauges ? The fact that you're not getting repeatable readings must mean something, somewhere is moving .

Cheers

Matt

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sat May 26, 07 11:03 pm

did whoever tracked the car know exactly what they were doing ? I've had appalling tracking done by many garages in the past.

If the car drove OK before you changed the knuckles it ought to be just an alignment issue.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sun May 27, 07 12:04 am

Thanks for your advise Matt (and others!).

It will have to do for the moment.

The good news is that I found another problem, whereby the Torsion bar was moving backwards allowing the LCA to move forward and aft. Had to pack both ends of the torsion bar - did the same with the other side to be safe. Left LCA had moved back about 3/8", maybe more

What a lousy design.....

I guess adjustable UCA's are on the cars, or an AlerKation