What are members doing to improve front suspension??
- Thread starter sp6t1348
- Start date
1. Rebuilt control arms with rubber bushings and new ball joints
2. Removed front sway bar
3. Moroso "Trick Springs"
4. Cheap Summit brand 3-way adjustable shocks set on 90/10
5. Manual disc brakes & manual steering with '61 PS gear box
Oh wait.......you want it to handle better for turns and stuff? Sorry Sean.
Just messing with you.
I remember someone using a huge Nascar style front sway bar with "heim end" style links, tubular control arms, and big Wilwood brakes. Those should really help with handling. I can't remember who it was, but have pictures saved.
The only people I have heard complain about bump steer with an X-frame were ones who had adapted a Rack & Pinion.
2. Removed front sway bar
3. Moroso "Trick Springs"
4. Cheap Summit brand 3-way adjustable shocks set on 90/10
5. Manual disc brakes & manual steering with '61 PS gear box
Oh wait.......you want it to handle better for turns and stuff? Sorry Sean.
Just messing with you.
I remember someone using a huge Nascar style front sway bar with "heim end" style links, tubular control arms, and big Wilwood brakes. Those should really help with handling. I can't remember who it was, but have pictures saved.
The only people I have heard complain about bump steer with an X-frame were ones who had adapted a Rack & Pinion.
Do you still have the original wimpy 11/16" swaybar up front? I went with the 1" bar Adco bar that made the cars much flatter in the corners.
There are some tubular arms that increase caster which helps stay street at high speeds. I hear that some which are advertised as adding caster really don't .... or are all over the place in how much. There are ways to use offset upper crossmember shafts to help too, but I never can remember the specifics and would have to research it again.
Those sway bars will make a world of difference and a good rear bar will help with cornering and leveling the launch.
A steering gear box from a power steering car has a better ratio and should improve the feel with your manual steering. Bolts right up since all the "power" stuff on these is down in the cylinder.
Those sway bars will make a world of difference and a good rear bar will help with cornering and leveling the launch.
A steering gear box from a power steering car has a better ratio and should improve the feel with your manual steering. Bolts right up since all the "power" stuff on these is down in the cylinder.
...what Jason said. I am using an Addco bar, Afco shocks and Southwest Speed tubular upper to get more caster. Also the brake kit from 58delivery and a P/S geared steering box.
Bump steer is created by the toe changing as the front of the car travels up and down. It does scrub off et. In extreme cases the front tires can go into a violent shake. As we lowered the ride height on the red car the toe went to an "out" position when completely colapsed...as the front tires came back down. Look at the angle of your lower control arm and compare that to the angle of the tie rod. They should be parallel....check it at rest...fully extened...and collapsed. We made and improverment by using a long bolt...spacer...and a hiem joint. It helped....but didn't completely solve the problem....I never felt safe with the modification. We solved the problem by intalling a rack at the proper heigth to solve the geometery problem.
This was posted on a thread I started about problems I know I'm going to have to solve:
The URL does a great job of explaining bump steer, how to test and mitigations.
The URL does a great job of explaining bump steer, how to test and mitigations.
Sean
I too have manual steering. I went through the whole front end years ago and went with radial tires. Still wandered around. Then about 5 yeas ago I installed a Quick Performance (9" ford)rear end with the 4 link. I could not believe I was driving the same car...........drives like a top. I was spending money on the wrong end........
Check the rear bushings..............
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HemiChallenger71
Well Known Member
I'd be interested in hearing more on this from you and 61belair427.
Dave and others can give you more details than I can on the gear boxes. Up until recently I thought that the manual and power steering gear boxes for our cars were the same because the "power" portion of our cars' power steering is the ram cylinder the pump sends fluid through for assist. I did not realize it until others here pointed it out, but the gear boxes for the power steering cars have a better ratio.
Lucky for me I was already converting to one (already had it) just to get rid of a leaky pitman shaft seal.
Lucky for me I was already converting to one (already had it) just to get rid of a leaky pitman shaft seal.
HemiChallenger71
Well Known Member
Makes perfect sense. Plus the drag link is cheaper.
Does anyone make a collapsible steering shaft? Can I pirate one form something? I've been playing with mine to turn it into a collapsible.
Does anyone make a collapsible steering shaft? Can I pirate one form something? I've been playing with mine to turn it into a collapsible.
I'm not sure, but after a picture that was posted on here awhile back of a wrecked Chevelle, I am sure wanting to look into it.
HemiChallenger71
Well Known Member
I feel a collapsible shaft is more important than seat belts. Not joking either.
You might be right on that!
Jason called it on the steering box, also. The boxes are identical except the P/S one has a 20:1 gear, the manual a 24:1 I think.
The fact that the steering gear box is located soooooooo far forward on our pre 65 Chevy frames plays a big part in the danger of getting harpooned
in a frontal collision. The rear steer front suspensions were an improvement and the later firewall mounted rack and pinion design was better yet.