Front Steering For Cheap For Your Abody Mopar

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7

74360duster

JEREMY
Joined
Jan 21, 2006
Messages
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Location
JAMESTOWN,MO
During A Weekend In March 2006.my Father And I Converted My 73 Duster To Front Steering By Using A 87-92 2wd Dodge Dakota Manual Steering Rack.the Whole Job Costed Approximately $90.00.the Fit Looks Almost Factory.now I Can Run A Truck Rear Sump Oil Pan,and Have No Steering Box To Work Around And No Rear Steering To Get In The Way Of Exhaust.really Works Excellent.best K-member To Use Would Be A 73 & Up Style With The Cut Out Through It For A Sway Bar.once Your Try This You'll Love It.any Questions I Can Be Reached At 660-849-2507
 
What did you use for front steer knuckle arms? Did you swap the rear-steer knuckle arms left to right?
 
I just got off the phone with jeremy and he is going to take pics and specs of the set up.He does not have a PC or digital camera,and will get a family members camera and do the best he can for us.The info I do have,is the rack from the dakota was bought as a complete unit,manual unit with inner and outer tie rods for 75$.As stock set the tie rod to tie rods length is longer than a normal dart tie rod to tie rod length,some cutting and rethreading is needed and is no big deal.The dakota tie rods he says bolt right in,no mess,no fuss? He removed and brakets and mounts for idler arms and steering box mounting.He made a egg shape hole for the pinion shaft of the rack to fit in the K-member.One problem is the angle of the origanal column to the rack which needed dual jionts to make the column free turning with no bad angles for the jionts.I will find out the location makes and height location also.Cutting of the K-member and fabing the mounts which should be done with good solid 1/8-3/16 steel brackets.More info to follow,Mrmopartech
 
The Steering Lock To Lock Is Between 3.25 And 3.5 Turns.the Same As My Factory 74 360 Duster.i Switched The Left And Right Ball Joints Left To Right For The Front Steering.was Able To Remove Steering Box And Mounting,and Rear Idler Arm Mount,steering Tierods Are Back Approximatley 2 Inches.steering Is Level Straight Across From Tie Rod To Tie Rod.just Set 360 With Super Comp 1 3/4 Primary Tube 34 In Long.the Collectors Dump Back Behind Trans.pan.very Long Headers.very Easy Access To Left Motor Mount. Nice Not Having Any Steering To Deal With In The Way.also Rear Sump Pan.hope To Have Road Ready In Couple Of Weeks.my 81 Truck Ran 12.99-13.00 With This Motor.hoping To Maybe Hit 11.99.i Will Try And Get Some Pictures To Mr.mopar Tech Who Is Kind Enough To Help Me Get Them Posted.i Went To Work Inorder To Get On Here And Get Everyone Interested Some Info And Pictures.feel Free To Email Or Call After 6:00.i Like Talking Cars.
 
The only part that worries me is the swapping of the knuckle arms. The original position of the steering arms enables a change in toe that allows the proper toe-out angle during a turn. Swapping the steering arms would cause a toe-in condition during a turn and lead to steering instability during turns. It would probably be o.k. in a drag car... but I definitely would not run this setup on on a street/road course car. If you wanted to see this phenomenon yourself (its called Ackerman's Geometry), take a piece of string and attatch it between your tires at the centerline of the tread with the wheel at full turn, then turn the steering wheel to the straight ahead position, the string should sag. If it doesn't, or gets tighter, you do not have the proper toe-out on turns.
 
Mr.Porter,thats why you go to a top of the line alignment shop to do all the adjustments.In the hands of some one like me doing alignments for the last 30 plus years,its not a problem.Mrmopartech
 
I HAVE RECENTLY ROAD TESTED THE CAR TO 100 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY.DRIVES LIKE MY 74 DUSTER DRIVES OTHER THAN STEERING IS TIGHTER AND MORE RESPONSIVE.STILL NEEDS TOE END SET.HAVE IT TAPE MEASURE CLOSE.DOES NOT SEEM TO BUMP STEER.TIRES ARE STAYING STRAIGHT BACKING UP AND DRIVING STRAIGHT AT ANY SPEED.VERY HAPPY WITH RESULTS. :thumblef:ONLY REGRET WOULD BE WHEN I INSTALLED THE FULL SPOOL IN THE REAR AND SELLING MY 4.30 CLUTCH POSI'S.I WISH I WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM.OR AT LEAST THE POSI.
 
Mrmopartech said:
Mr.Porter,thats why you go to a top of the line alignment shop to do all the adjustments.In the hands of some one like me doing alignments for the last 30 plus years,its not a problem.Mrmopartech
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Mrmopartech, toe-out on turns is not an adjustable angle... unless your alignment machine bends steering arms.
 
have been racing car.running consistent 11.9 with bad ignition.popping very bad.112 mph.front end has been aligned.everything is working well.ignition died last race.had to be pulled off the track.going to park the car for a while and start on my mini tubbed dart that has a 440 with ross 13.5.1 pistons.h beam rods and a balanced steel crank.going to probably order a set of indy cylinder heads,intake and roller cam.
 
Friend of mine up in MI has done a similar swap to his Ramcharger (if I understood him right the Ramcharger is a front steer). Said the Dakota stuff was an easy swap. Apparently it's been covered extensively on Sweptline or some other truck forum.
 
i am thinking about doing this to my big block dart next.should be running next month.have been driving the duster on the street alot more lately.only thing i wish i could change would be taking the spool out when cruising. other than that very satisfied.
 
tobysoldblue said:
or will a manual mustang 2 rack work for this?
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The Mustang II or "Pinto" rack has been the most popular choise for hotrod/ratrod builders for a long time. The Dakota rack does 2 things , fits at tierod ends to knuckles and keeps it 100% mopar. :)
 
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