Technical Advice to get more steering

Hey guys, I'm looking for opinions and recommendations on getting more steering travel on my Plymouth (the wheelbase is 130" which sucks) I'm using a reversed corvair box with stock pitman arm. I have done some research but each car is setup a little different than mine. I also have a little death wobble which I'm trying to work out but that can wait until I can actually make decent turns

 

So what's limiting you?
When you turn the wheel all the way does the steering spindles hit the stop bolts? If so you have what you have and it is what it is.

 

That steering link looks a little puny, is probably flexing @ speed causing the wobble

 

The steering box does not have enough throw to View attachment 2849589
This is right turn with box maxed out, about 1.5" from wishbone
View attachment 2849592
Left turn is as much as I can make it go (I will have to live with this)
Basically the steering box maxes out before it hits the steering stop bolts

 

Then you need either a longer pitman arm or shorter steering arms, maybe a combination of both. That will increase the distance the wheels turn. But it also will increase the steering wheel effort needed to turn them.

You could get into a scrub line issue with the pitman arm and an increased bump steer doing that with the pitman arm without raising the box mount.

Your attachment links didnt work

 

Maybe I have misunderstood you but if the travel in the box differs left to right then your pitman arm isn't located on the steering box in the best loscation. You may need to file out the flat land on the spline in the pitman arm (if it has one) so you can set the box at the center of its travel and then install the pitman arm where you want it to go? That at least would even out the left to right travel i think

 

Pics didn't work, here they are again.
Right turn and right wheel

Left turn and left wheel

 

That wheel base will be a killer.

 

I would rather do a longer pitman arm vs the front steering arm due to the fact that it will actually decrease my steering to the left because the tire will come in contact with the steering rod sooner (all due to the dropped axle)
I don't think I will have any scrub line issues. And I don't believe anyone makes extended arms for corvair boxes.

 

The left tire will hit the steering shaft before the wishbone when making a left turn which does make left turns not as tight as a right turn but the steering box still maxes out either way before hitting the stop bolt

 

No one stop solution here
1 Move the box up
2 Make the pitman arm longer
3.Bend the arm over the bones instead of around it.

Or- reverse the box and put the longer arm up, may give other problems as I can't see all of it.

 

Yes wheelbase sucks! Only plus is a little smoother ride but it was my first build and wheelbase is only 13" longer than stock

 

I understand with #1 how it will get rid of bump steer but am not sure how it will give the steering more travel.
Option #3 I am not following. Which arm are you referring to

 

Looks like the brake line on left could get worn also.

 

Here are some more pictures if it helps

 

Those aren't options, you need to do all 3. ( no one stop solution)

Follow the bouncing ball...

You need more travel at the wheels,
The only way to get that is a longer pitman arm.

A longer pitman arm violates your scrub line, so you need to move the box up.

Getting the pitman arm bent above and parallel with the bones brings the drag rod to center and gives you more left turn before the tire hits.

 

Ok I understand what you are saying now, thank you!
I think I might be able to skip raising the box if I lower the front steering arm (to avoid a bad angle) my scrub line should be fine with up to a 2" longer pitman arm

 

From that last pics angle I'd agree that your scrub line wouldn't be in trouble.
Looks like you could bend the arm over the bone too.

 

Just curious how much caster you have at kingpins? Also, you might be better off unreversing the box, lowering it on the frame, and moving your pitman arm 180* to get rid of that bad drag link angle.

 

I would prefer to leave the box where it is, frame is powder coated already (mistake on my part)
Taking the arm off right now, going to bend it straight (which will also bring it closer to frame), and go from there

 

I have thought of doing that already I will be unable to with the way my motor mounts and headers are unfortunately

 

Alright guys one more thing I just noticed. From lock to lock (no steering arm on) from lock to lock I only have 2 3/4 turns. That seems like it's not enough

 

Vicky pretty well covered everything I would have told you to answer your question. I do feel the need to add one thing.... You should not under any circumstances rotate the pitman arm to point upward.
Doing that will give you a bump steer problem. Your drag link angle is actually pretty good now, and it will only get better with a slightly longer pitman arm.
The ideal situation would be if you extend a straight line through the rod end at the front of the drag link and the rod end where the wishbone attaches to the frame, the point where the drag link attaches to the pitman arm should be on that line.
The further it is off of that line,in either direction, the more bump steer you will have. It is a common misconception that the drag link and wishbone should be parallel. Those cars all have bumpsteer, whether their owners want to admit it or not. The only reason it doesn't present a big problem is because they don't have much suspension travel.
Anyway, enough rambling...do what Vicky told you and it will be as good as it's going to get.
Also, raising the box or bending the steering arm on the spindle down will not improve anything that I can see, it will only increase bumpsteer.

 

Here is the problem, the drag link is either too short or too long. The OP said it will turn until it touches the bone on one side and not the other. Take the drag link loose frome the box, carefully check it out turning both directions, mark the center of travel on the box. Then set the front wheels straight, check drag link length and make it shorter or longer, what ever is needed.

 

2-3/4 turns lock to lock
Or
2-3/4 turns center to lock

Lets make sure before we tear the box apart. Try it with the pitman arm disconnected

 

2 3/4 turns lock to lock. I have a video but don't know how to post it

 

Good advice. Point the wheels straight, remove drag link, center steering box travel, point pitman arm straight down, and measure for correct drag link length.

 

I tend to agree with your recommendation....provided......the pitman arm is verticle when the box is centered. That is to ensure that movement for either left or right turns is the same, as the effective length of the pitman arm varies throughout it's range of movement.

Ray

 

And yes pitman arm is disconnected

 

You may be correct, but I am having a difficult time comprehending your geometry. Since, in this car's case, the bones are very near the same length as the drag link, when it is steering straight ahead. It seems to me a parallelogram would serve the OP's interest better than the bones and drag link being at angles to one another. In other terms, the drag link should follow the same line as the bones (parallel), not be at intersecting angles.

Perhaps you can explain the reasoning (geometry) supporting your recommendation.

Ray