Another steering question.....

[Harrison]

I know you will all be so happy when I finish this thing so I'll stop asking stupid questions, but........

I'm far from being classified as a chassis builder. If I'm worried about anything on this car, I'm worried about my steering and suspension. There's lots of geometry involved there and I'm no mathematician. (I can spell pretty good though http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif).

My RPU will probably be the most bump-steering, anti-Ackerman ridin', POS this side of the Mississippi.

My question involves the tie rod running from the cowl steering to the front wheel. I'm going to get it horizontal to the ground but when I turn the wheels the tire is going to hit the tie rod a few inches before it would otherwise hit the split 'bone. To increase my turning radius I'm wondering if I can put about a 30 degree bend in the tie rod to gain some clearance so it will turn a bit sharper.

Sound stupid? Will this screw something up in the steering geometry or create other problems? I haven't seen it done that I can remember so I'm guessing it isn't something that I need to do - but a tighter turning radius sure would be nice.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, JH

[Nimrod]

Wouldn't change the geometry any...but would make adjusting the lenght more dificult and will weaken it some.

[Rocky]

On a right hand turn, that bend might make the rod end on the spindle-end of the drag link go past it's limits...better check how close you already are to it's limits before you bend the drag link. I think you could weld a gussett on the outside of the bend area to keep the flex problem away.....make it from some 3/16ths or 1/4" plate....maybe drill some lightening holes in it to make it visually acceptable.

[fab32]

What kind of joints are you using on each end of the drag link? If they allow movement in more than one plane the bend in the link will most likely "FLOP" up and down when changing steering direction or encountering irregularities in the road. This might not happen, but I'm betting it will. At the least, it will sag at the bend to the lowest point allowed by the joints. I'd mock it up with some temporary tubing to check it out before making a permanent link.

Frank

[Harrison]

Frank, I think you are right. I'm using stock Ford ends.

The "flop" sounds really possible now that you mention it.

Thanks, JH

[C9]

Are you using stop-nuts on the kingpin spindle bolts?

The Deuce Factory carries stainless ones in the right length. (Some outfits carry longer ones you can cut down - most times they're about .250 too long.)

You can also use Chevy mag lugnuts (7/16-NF) for a stop nut.
Cut the bottom end flat and use a hard flat washer - AN sized - between nut and spindle.
More than likely you'll have to do some testing so as to find the correct stop nut length, just be careful not to cut it down so far that the steering stops on the internal stops in the steering box.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Harrison....make the steering arm on your left front longer. That will allow the full amount of turn in the front (until the spindle reaches the stop nut). Of course, this will slow up the steering. You can compensate for this by lengthening the pitman arm also.

[Morrisman]

I reckon it'll look real nasty with a big 30 degree bend in the tie rod. Seen it done before and it looks terrible. Can't you try to bend it at each end a little and try to offset the whole rod and get away from that kinked in the middle look?
Maybe re-engineer the postion of the steering box a touch. Lengthen the steering arm?
Put the tie rod on the inside of the pitman arm instead of the outside.
Bend the pitman arm over if you have clearance.
Live with less turning radius that side?
Space the wheel out a touch?

OR

Bend a complete curve into the tie rod where the wheel will touch, make it a design feature instead of a lash up?
Bit of a shitty drawing but you can see what I mean:

[C9]

No offense, but you're calling the drag link a tie rod.

The tie rod goes from left steering arm to right steering arm.

Drag link goes from steering box to upper (left) steering arm or the right steering arm depending on whether you have a fore & aft draglink or a cross-steer drag link. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Harrison]

...told you I didn't know shit about building a chassis.

JH http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif