Front End Wander

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vestracing

vestracing

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Ok, we just purchased a new to us 1970 Dart drag car. I am an experienced drag racer and couldn't pass up this car but I have only found one issue: the steering at the big end of the track.

Even when loading the car and driving it around the pits I notice a lot of steering wheel wander (turn the wheel and nothing happens until a few moments later). The car still has factor torsion front end and ladder bar rear end setup. When I get out of the throttle and start to apply the brakes I am having a hard time controlling the drift end the front end. Any ideas on what would be causing this? Is it the steering column or something in the front suspension.
 
Wander. Most likely you need to rebuild the steering box,but worn out suspension components will contribute to this as well.
 
where is a good place to start looking, we just got away from running a seven second dragster to going back to a door car. When we were running our original roadrunner I was too young to remember anything about the torsion setup and my dad's buddies would set everything up in the front end.
 
A simple start is to get the car up high enough to get a look at all the steering parts while someone turns the wheel back and forth a 1/4 turn or so. You'll soon see where the slack is. You need to have the weight on the front wheels for this.
 
My 71 Demon drag car (roller) had a totally worn out front end. You just need to disassemble the whole thing and find and fix the culprits. It takes some special tools, mancini Racing sells a kit with most of what you need. UCA bushings (and maybe the actual arm as the sockets the bushings ride in split), LCA bushings and also where the pivot goes through the K frame, ball joints, idler arm, everything including the steering box. Also be aware that the upper ball joint is screwd in, not pressed in.

Here is a service manual:

[ame="http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf"]http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf[/ame]
 
Some of these cars also have a problem with the lower control arms mount welds being broken loose. Until you have checked it out and found a starting place we will just be giving you a bunch of information that may not apply to your situation.
 
Idaho said:
A simple start is to get the car up high enough to get a look at all the steering parts while someone turns the wheel back and forth a 1/4 turn or so. You'll soon see where the slack is. You need to have the weight on the front wheels for this.
Click to expand...

And... while you are doing this look at the gear box relative to the K member to make sure it isn't lose and moving...
 
stumper said:
And... while you are doing this look at the gear box relative to the K member to make sure it isn't lose and moving...
Click to expand...
you do know that you can back the jam nut off, and tighten the sterring box preload(I guess you`d call it) screw down some, then re-tighten the jam nut. don`t over do it, or u can cause some undo wear. something else to look at---------bob:-k
 
start with jacking the hotrod up and turn the steering wheel a little to see if the wheels turn with a small amount of input. if not do as famous bob instructed. after thatt do as the others have suggested.
 
wow...

to make it easy on the OP

Loose Steering box bolts
Worn out or mis adjusted steering box
Worn out pitman arm and idler (i always replace these as a pr)
Worn out inner and outer tie rods
Worn out upper or lower ball joints (replace as a pair)
Worn out lower control arm bushings (LCA bushings)
Worn out upper control arm bushings (UCA bushings)
Worn out strut rod bushings
Mis-alignment
Bad tires
Shocks
Bent or broken frame parts

easiest thing is leave the car on the ground and check play in the steering wheel. If there is more than half an inch movement then watch the pitman arm as someone turns the steering wheel(is the pitman arm moving?) this tells you if the box is loose and needs to be adjusted/rebuilt. after that its all easy, inspect and tug
 
I agree with STUMPER's comment, may or may not be the problem but check the steering box to frame bolts.......I had a similar situation on mine, at the finish line the car would float............One day while moving the steering wheel with the hood off I noticed the steering box moving, the bolts were loose!...They are a bear to get to, but doable.... and as mentioned the preload on the the steering box gear can be adjusted. Good luck.
 
Had a similar problem with mine turned out I had a little frame rot near the front shock mount control arm area, we found it while aligning it the frame actually flexed when we were tightening bolts for caster adjustment.
 
Hey guys sorry work got busy last week. I checked the connection between the steering wheel and the tires and everything is tight on the ground. I moved the wheel not more than 5° and the tires seemed to respond with that little input. It feels like it has a quick ratio steering box in it but I don't know if that is contributing or not. I will check the steering box to frame bolts.
 
By the way TIRES can make one hell of a lot of difference.
 
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