I replaced everything coils, shocks, rebuild kit from kanter, upper lower control arms, sway bar bushings, lower control arm stabilizer bushings, tie rod ends... Steering is tight and responsive, but likes to track ruts in the road.. It will grab a rut in the road with no real change in steering, but when I respond the cars responds... Is there some relief valve or something that needs to be adjusted or change that I can make to make the steering less apt to track ruts? I have seen that some of you guys apt for manual steering or go with rack and pinion conversions. Any suggestions are not out of question and I would be glad to check or entertain. Thanks guys
Haven't aligned yet... maybe I'm a dumba$$ and that's what it is. 245/45Z/17.. I just plumb bobbed and chalked.. old school.. have never had an issue like it before. I have built a couple 70 xr7s and was really close.. maybe I should measure again tomorrow .. not sure on pressure had local tire center mount em.
Getting ready to do a Borgeson conversion here when it warms up a little to get rid of my factory power steering. Replaces all the crap that the factory installed with a integral power steering gearbox. Got the parts waiting patiently for the carport to warm up a little...wish I had a garage right now.. so if you can wait for a month or two I could probably give you some feedback. When I had my car aligned it helped allot, I am also using one of the newer style ford power steering pumps and they dont produce as much pressure as the original ford ones did so that calms it down somewhat. But the wander is still prevelant at times... Also one of the big helping factors I had was the instillation of a rear sway bar.
I assume you did strut rod bushings as well then? Caster is a huge factor on these old cars. Those 245's certainly dont help either combined with a possible caster issue. Good thing you have power steering. Manual steer with those tires and alignment issues would be a handful to say the least. You may have to play with pressures as well with those big meats especially being 45z rated. Makes a huge difference on my other car(300) with pulling into tire ruts etc. 245/45zr18 on mine.
wide tires will need alot of positive caster and some negative camber to drive normal. 3.5*+ positive caster (as much as i can get without rubbing the valance) may need to shim the upper a arm to acheive a good + reading with no rub do not allow more then a .25* differance from side to side I also like to see .5 to 1.0* negative camber (slight variance for road crown ok) but i like mine to be a match and 1/8th to 1/4" toe in DO NOT USE THE OE SPECS have a good alignment done by a competant shop (that isnt scared talk to a local mustabng restorer and see who they use) following this and then let me know how it does i can hands down bet this will be the best money you will spend in your car to correct the issue you describe.
