Steering goodies on the way
1/14/05, 07:13 AM
#1
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The top 2 complaints I have about my 66 stang are that
1) I cannot keep the car going in a strait line without feeling like I'm going around a road course. The front end is just so loose!
2) I cannot hit the breaks without feeling the the wheel is going to snap my arms of. I constantly have to counter steer to opose the effects of the front drums
My friend Vintage302 and I both have the same issues. We both helped each other replace the front suspension on both of the cars. While the cars both ride much better, they still don't stear worth a darn.
We have them both at stock ride height. Well, after talking constantly about problems like these, we have both decided it's time to tackle these problems head on. After all, what good is a great looking classic mustang if you don't want to pull it out of the garage to drive it?
We decided to tackle the stearing on 2 fronts. 1 - lower the car 1" on all 4 corners and 2 - replace all of the steering components up front (except for the steering box).
I'm not too sure that the steering box will be bad. Our cars both started life as strait 6's. His was power steering, and mine was manual. Since then, be it under our own valition, or by someone else's doing, the front steering components have been butchered.
On my car, I installed V8 spindles and V8 suspension components to support the additional engine weight. I still have my strait 6 steering components though. The suspension stuff was so pricey that I had to save money and couldn't do it all at one time. The dynamics of the spindle arms on both the strait 6 and V8 spindles are the same, so it bolted up and tided me over.
The center link, however, was shot to start with, and is now almost COMPLETELY gone. My solution?
Mustangs Plus! I decided to throw in all grab-a-trak stearing components. I've got the stock tie rods and adjusting sleeves. From there, I'm going with a grab-a-trak center link, grab-a-trak quick steer pitman and idler arms, and new idler arm shaft.
On the corners, I'm going with 620 1" lowering springs in the front, and 4 leaf mid-eye leafs in the rear also a 1" drop.
When I do the rear leafs, I'm also mating up a new 9" rear end and V8 driveshaft that I aquired. I've got a 3 speed C4 in the car, and the 9" has 310 gears. That should make her gitty up a LOT quicker over the stock I6 rear end that was in the car.
As for the front, I have plans by year's end to get a front disk conversion kit to elimiate that brake pull.
Hopefully this stuff helps. I suppose I'll find out as soon as I get it all. I know Vingage and I are about fed up with driving our cars because of it. We have put so much time and energy into weekend projects on these cars, and it just breaks our hearts that the cars aren't fun to drive (which is why we built them to start with!).
1) I cannot keep the car going in a strait line without feeling like I'm going around a road course. The front end is just so loose!
2) I cannot hit the breaks without feeling the the wheel is going to snap my arms of. I constantly have to counter steer to opose the effects of the front drums
My friend Vintage302 and I both have the same issues. We both helped each other replace the front suspension on both of the cars. While the cars both ride much better, they still don't stear worth a darn.
We have them both at stock ride height. Well, after talking constantly about problems like these, we have both decided it's time to tackle these problems head on. After all, what good is a great looking classic mustang if you don't want to pull it out of the garage to drive it?
We decided to tackle the stearing on 2 fronts. 1 - lower the car 1" on all 4 corners and 2 - replace all of the steering components up front (except for the steering box).
I'm not too sure that the steering box will be bad. Our cars both started life as strait 6's. His was power steering, and mine was manual. Since then, be it under our own valition, or by someone else's doing, the front steering components have been butchered.
On my car, I installed V8 spindles and V8 suspension components to support the additional engine weight. I still have my strait 6 steering components though. The suspension stuff was so pricey that I had to save money and couldn't do it all at one time. The dynamics of the spindle arms on both the strait 6 and V8 spindles are the same, so it bolted up and tided me over.
The center link, however, was shot to start with, and is now almost COMPLETELY gone. My solution?
Mustangs Plus! I decided to throw in all grab-a-trak stearing components. I've got the stock tie rods and adjusting sleeves. From there, I'm going with a grab-a-trak center link, grab-a-trak quick steer pitman and idler arms, and new idler arm shaft.
On the corners, I'm going with 620 1" lowering springs in the front, and 4 leaf mid-eye leafs in the rear also a 1" drop.
When I do the rear leafs, I'm also mating up a new 9" rear end and V8 driveshaft that I aquired. I've got a 3 speed C4 in the car, and the 9" has 310 gears. That should make her gitty up a LOT quicker over the stock I6 rear end that was in the car.
As for the front, I have plans by year's end to get a front disk conversion kit to elimiate that brake pull.
Hopefully this stuff helps. I suppose I'll find out as soon as I get it all. I know Vingage and I are about fed up with driving our cars because of it. We have put so much time and energy into weekend projects on these cars, and it just breaks our hearts that the cars aren't fun to drive (which is why we built them to start with!).
1/14/05, 07:31 AM
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Yeah we both have had issues but, we are well on our way to correct them. Just takes time and money. I will be doing the same thing as soon as I get the car back from the paint shop. :spin:
1/14/05, 09:04 AM
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On my car, I installed V8 spindles and V8 suspension components to support the additional engine weight. I still have my strait 6 steering components though. The suspension stuff was so pricey that I had to save money and couldn't do it all at one time. The dynamics of the spindle arms on both the strait 6 and V8 spindles are the same, so it bolted up and tided me over.
Right there is, at least part of, your problem. The 6 cylinder steering components are different sizes than those of a V8. I really don't see how this has even hung together since the outer tierod bolts are considerbly smaller than the hole in the spindle's steering arm.
I'm sure you will notice a significant difference in the car once you get all the new components in and I'm betting most, if not all, of the brake pull will disappear.
Did I mention
?????????
1/14/05, 09:30 AM
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And I will remind the forum... budget and Mustangs Plus should not be used in the same sentence or paragraph :stubborn: unless you include any of the following words: break, over, and/or blow.
1/14/05, 11:11 AM
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Originally posted by Jay@January 14, 2005, 10:33 AM
And I will remind the forum... budget and Mustangs Plus should not be used in the same sentence or paragraph :stubborn: unless you include any of the following words: break, over, and/or blow.
And I will remind the forum... budget and Mustangs Plus should not be used in the same sentence or paragraph :stubborn: unless you include any of the following words: break, over, and/or blow.
the outer tierod bolts are considerbly smaller than the hole in the spindle's steering arm.
Now that you mention it, I totally see it, but I never saw it before. WOW. What an idiot. Still, I have poured through restoration guides looking at suspension setups, and I just have to say....
THANKS FORD FOR MAKING EACH MODEL OF THE FIRST GEN MUSTANG COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the tip J. Live and learn. That's the beauty of doing it all yourself. Still, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything in the world. Make mistakes, and learn from em. I'm sure that no matter WHAT i throw on there now (grab-a-trac or not) that it will cure my problems.
Thanks again, and I'll be sure to let you guys know how things turn out.
1/14/05, 12:23 PM
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Special Circumstances. I don't buy from them, but I did for other reasons. I also don't feel too bad about the purchase (Even though, YES, I AM overpaying) because the components are a little stauncher then stock. So, Yes, I know I overpayed, but no, in this instance because it was a gift (someone else's money), I don't particularly mind.
1/16/05, 07:11 AM
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I already had purchased a set of tie rods on my own, so I'm really pretty much set.
It's really just a chance to spoil myself rotten ONE good time. I never order up from these guys for a few reasons: Product Cost, Shipping Cost, and Shipping Time.
It's much more cost and time effective to order through NPD. I only went this route to give myself one good spoiling. It's probably never going to happen again unless I win the lottery and they make something I just can't live without.
The more reserved reason that I don't order from Plus is because I am not really crazy about "Resto-Mod" mustangs. They are pioneers in the field. I used to be crazy about them, but the more I learned about the mods and the originals, the more I realized that an unpresumptuous sleeper car that looks classic but has the cahjones to mop the floor with your butt is a much cooler car.
I would rather have a sleek looking slightly different then stock classic sleeper than a full on modded bling bling mustangs plus car. I don't usually order from them because I don't want to support those cars.
These components though, just made my mouth water, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to get my hands on them without having to shell out the cash was too much to pass up.
All and all, I stear folks clear of mustangs plus. I tell them that unless they're made of money, it's best to find it cheaper somewhere else. Funny though... most folks know it really.
When I was a rookie fixing up my car, I found Plus. Even though I LOVED the stuff in the cataloge, I just couldn't bring myself to place an order. The more I restored, the more I fully understood why.
Moral of the story: Sometimes you get a chance to do something obsurd, extravagant and even wasteful. Sometimes you say yes and ride the wave. It's a wild ride, but one that doesn't make much practical sense.
It's really just a chance to spoil myself rotten ONE good time. I never order up from these guys for a few reasons: Product Cost, Shipping Cost, and Shipping Time.
It's much more cost and time effective to order through NPD. I only went this route to give myself one good spoiling. It's probably never going to happen again unless I win the lottery and they make something I just can't live without.
The more reserved reason that I don't order from Plus is because I am not really crazy about "Resto-Mod" mustangs. They are pioneers in the field. I used to be crazy about them, but the more I learned about the mods and the originals, the more I realized that an unpresumptuous sleeper car that looks classic but has the cahjones to mop the floor with your butt is a much cooler car.
I would rather have a sleek looking slightly different then stock classic sleeper than a full on modded bling bling mustangs plus car. I don't usually order from them because I don't want to support those cars.
These components though, just made my mouth water, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to get my hands on them without having to shell out the cash was too much to pass up.
All and all, I stear folks clear of mustangs plus. I tell them that unless they're made of money, it's best to find it cheaper somewhere else. Funny though... most folks know it really.
When I was a rookie fixing up my car, I found Plus. Even though I LOVED the stuff in the cataloge, I just couldn't bring myself to place an order. The more I restored, the more I fully understood why.
Moral of the story: Sometimes you get a chance to do something obsurd, extravagant and even wasteful. Sometimes you say yes and ride the wave. It's a wild ride, but one that doesn't make much practical sense.
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