over the winter i changed the front axle on my 32. it had a 4'' tube axle with 35 ford brakes i went to an early dropped heavy axle i-beam and used buick drums with 40 ford backing plates. took it for a ride today at 40 mph it went into a death wobble like i have never experience and i am 67. the axle angle is at 10%. going to start changing things back if i can't cure it. please help with any suggestions this thing drove like a dream before i changed it. 740-632-9628
I would Check run-out on rim and tires after putting used Buick drums on car. If they are true, then check everything one more time.
going to try turning axle around see what angle is then the axle is an old heavy that has been dropped in a shop some 50 years ago.
If I hit event the slightest of road bumps or turns at 25-30mph I had an unbelievable bad death wabble that required an immediate stop, no matter where I was. Think crappy supermarket shopping cart wheel. I change my caster (cut the chrome wish bones - ugh) from 12 degree to 6. Instant death cure.
I have almost the exact same set up but 7 deg caster. I get a death wobble too. I tried to adjust toe as well. No luck. I have done a ton of research and trial and error on my problem too. Caster is a leading concern but alot of work for 3 - 4 degs in your case. I have a bitch of a time adjusting the brakes. The driver side grabs first and "activates" the death wobble. Tightening up the steering box helps for a while. then it comes back. Then I adjust the brakes and start over. I guess the point is to try to eliminate some other sources of "activation" before cutting and welding.
got most of it out . spun my axle around now about 5 degrees, also radius-ed my brake shoes to match the drums they were way off and changed the toe in. still get a slight dw when the brakes are applied going to a go little more toe in and see if it helps. don't know if you radius ed you shoes i made a card board template from the inside of drums and sanded shoes to match, both sides were different.
32owner you do have a lot of offset, which does contribute to these issues. Look at Kaspar's diagram above and you will see how it's supposed to be set up. That kingpin should point to the center of the tire patch on the ground. Borrow some stock wheels from a friend and check it out. Also, you said you turned your axle around and got a different caster reading? Original Ford I beam axles are not supposed to be bent different front to back. That may be part of your problem as well. They should be straight with all the caster controlled by the radius rods or wishbones.
One thing I've read about to arc your brakes shoes (but never tried it yet) is to stick some long strips of 80 grit sandpaper inside the drums and twist them back and forth while a friend lightly presses the brake pedal. You are sanding the shoes to perfectly match that drum.
We used to have machines to arc shoes, but they were outlawed in CA.! Progressive thinking trumped safety issues. Alchemy has suggested a great substitute here, as Raybestos and Bendix BOTH offer 'cam-ground' linings that have the stopping power of NIL on the road test succeeding a 'proper' brake job... my wife did a complete brake job on my '55 F100, said she might as well have dragged her foot to stop the damned thing... she pulled the drums and the contact pattern was way up in the middle! She corrected it by hand, a shoe at a time, on my 14" disc sander. She remarked that she would go broke on 'Flat Rate'... The 'death wobble' on braking suggests drums are out of round. If you spun them up (and turned them) and they were chucked at the BEARING RACES, the possibility remains that your wheels when torqued qre 'distorting' your drums enough to produce some 'ovality' at the braking surfaces. Some Bear and John Bean machines had 'cones' and blanks that fitted to the inside casting of the drums, OUTSIDE the diameters of the races, bad news chucking them there, as the wheel hub rides on bearings which ride on the races. So we must chuck the centers of the races. Remove the drums with wheels on, mount an other spindle in the vise. Install the drum and wheel, and mount a pointer (or a dial indicator) inside the drum surface. You may be surprised at the runout...When found, remove the WHEEL ONLY, and spin the drum again. If 'concentric', examine wheel and drum surfaces, and/or install wheel clocked differently until concentric. I believe when driving the car and applying brakes lightly, I could ascertain which side it was, unless it was sooo slight I'd have to revert to the previous method. Years of this made it 'second nature'...
changed the toe in today much better. I am now 1/4'' in in the front seems to have helped. my axle is a 55 year old drop job and seemed to have a little lean which i originally put to the rear. after swapping it seems fine. brake shoes radius worked great but was a real pain with a sanding block. liked alchemy suggestion try that next time. any one going to Goodguys Columbus deuce will be there.
That's scrub radius is far beyond reasonable. Looks like it's going to be about a foot below the road surface. This video would explain why adjusting to a VERY excessive 1/4 toe in seems to help make things better.
I had a 32 Ford PU. Never had any kind of wobble or shake in the front end. Decided to lower the air pressure in the tires to make it ride better. Took a road trip and had a SEVERE wobble. Re-inflated the front tires and the wobble was gone, never to return. Simple things are often overlooked.
HRP that is about what mine is now seems to be fine but haven't had it over 50. what a day changed the oil got ready to try it again and saw something leaking on ground now the diaphragm in the fuel regulator took a shit what next DAM old cars fun you gotta laugh lol must have been from all the DW lol
ive just had al the same issues as yourself.i put my buick drums on a wheel balancer,guess what, the are out of true,infact egg shaped.r/tested no probs at all.dont now what I'm going to do know,apart from bin them.
Things to remember. In the 50s and 60s dragsters ran 15 + degrees of caster for control at speed, couldn't back up but no shimmy at speed. I run my axle at 9 degrees with 1/8th toe in. Now another thing that might be giving you a problem is King Pins. Did you put in new bushings??? Are the tie rods good? Steering box tight??
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