Darty steering

duckman · Post by **duckman** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:27 pm

'66 D-200 converted to 4-wd with '76 power disc front end, 6" sky jacker leafs, Rancho 5000 shocks, 16.5"x10" Kink Krusher wheels and E-rated 36" Super Swampers with 45lbs pressure. Fresh alignment, entire front end rebuilt and tight, had frame measured by body shop and it came out square and true. Poly bushings in all spots and double Rancho steering stabilizers. Pinion angle wedges in front & rear installed. Heim joints from the Chev. Saganaw power box to steering arm. Sounds good right? Problem is that truck is extremly darty going down the road, and if it is crowned at all it is a white knuckled experience! Also some bump steer as expected, but I could live with that. Have tried playing with tire pressure without alot of effect. Have not tried a tire with less aggressive tread yet but lots of other rigs out there using them with no problems. HELP!

RussRoth · Post by **RussRoth** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:46 pm

Sounds like your caster adjustment is incorrect. I have air bags in the rear of my W and if I crank it way up I know exactly what you mean about the white knuckles. Can be pretty scary. Was the alignment done before or after the pinion wedges were put in? If the wedges were put in after that is likely your problem and you will need the caster reset.

duckman · Post by **duckman** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:58 pm

After. I see you are in Vanc. Wa. I am in PDX, we should get togeather
David

RussRoth · Post by **RussRoth** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:47 pm

I think getting together would a be a great idea. JeffC also lives over here and has his share of sweptlines

. Pretty busy right now but should have some time soon. Do you know what your caster setting is? How does it compare to what is called for in the FSM for a W? If nothing is loose anywhere the caster setting would still be my prime suspect.

duckman · Post by **duckman** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:18 pm

Thanks for the reply Russ. I do not know what my castor is set at. Schwabs did the alignment but they have performed poorly in the past. I think I will run it through another shop. When you get time it would be great to meet somewhere. I have another buddy with a '68 2wd. Perhaps a quarterly sweptline meet???

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:01 pm

One of the best front end shops in Vancouver is Carls Wheel
Alinement, give him a call, I'm sure he could deal with it
and set it up right....360-694-6025
Does rods, customs, moter homes and 4x4s all the time, even "on" car
wheel balancing

Post by **HellBelly** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 10:01 pm

Jeff, do you know if he has a website? I'd like to get it added to the site if he has one. sounds like a great reference

Thanks

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:51 pm

Scott, no he does not have a site, maybe one day I can talk him
into it, he's got a great 4 bay shop going and just bought the
building he's in and been renting for many years .....

Post by **Hobcobble** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 7:13 am

Jeff,
Nice looking MoPars in your photo album. That Dart is a real eye
catcher!
John

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:27 pm

Thanks John,
The Dart is a unrestored sweet hart and a nice find, keep it
garaged at mom and dads and let mom drive it to the store
once a week just to keep it in good running shape since I don't
get to drive it to shows very often, took a "best stock" class
at one last year I did make.
Was one of those little old lady cars, drive it church and
the store and that's about all and always parked in the garage.
Be adding more of my trucks as time allow to the site......
Jeff

Russ · Post by **Russ** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 8:09 am

DM, just a thought. When someone replaced the front axle did they also reverse the spring shackle? If the shackle is on the rear and the steering is also on the rear I would think that would cause the effect that you are experiencing.

ducman · Post by **ducman** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:36 pm

Russ,
Thanks for the tip, I will have to look when I get home. I had a simular setup on a 70 Landcruser 350/turbo 400 etc. The power steering and lift left me with a simular problem. The fix there was called a "steering correction" kit that moved the live and fixed shakle around up front. Thanks for the memory jog! Also, what should the camber setting be on this setup?
Dave.

duckman · Post by **duckman** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 9:47 am

OOPS! strike the word camber and make it castor
Dave

Russ · Post by **Russ** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 7:41 am

FSM shows 1 1/2 degrees with no load in the bed for manual steering, and 5 to 6 degrees for power steering. Actually, a footnote says:

"Caster varies with front and rear spring loads and therefore should be checked when the vehicle is loaded. If caster cannot be checked when vehicle is loaded, the no load caster is approximately 1 to 2 degrees for manual and 5 to 6 for power. If vehicle wanders caster should be increased. If steering effort is very high, especially when cornering, caster should be decreased."

Sounds like they're saying to play with it until it drives like you want it to.

duckman · Post by **duckman** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:28 am

Russ,
Thanks for the manual quote. I will take it to the alignment shop with me. On the shackle, the 'live' or non-fixed shackle is on the front and the fixed point is to the rear. This looks like the stock factory setup.
Dave

Sweptline.ORG

Darty steering

Darty steering

darty steering

darty steering

darty steering

darty steering

darty steering