HELP!Can't figure out the BUMPSTEER issue on my '65 galaxie. running out of options.

Pull the T-bird spindles out of the car. Get the stock spindles off the shelf and lay them next to each other. Take pics of everything. Measure up any and all differences between the two parts. Post them here. The upper and lower balljoint pick-up points and the steering arm angle/location need to be pretty much the same from one spindle to the other to avoid weird issues....and/or be compensated for with different control arm/control arm pick up points on the car, different center-link/tie-rod relationships, etc, etc, etc.

The easiest thing to do may be to put the stock stuff back on the car, get a disk brake conversion for the '65 spindles and cut a couple of coils off each corner and call it good. Sounds like a whole lot of work and aggrevation for just a couple extra inches of drop. Keep in mind that many racecars were (and are) tabbed to the chassis allowing the builder to place the body anywhere they want on the frame (similar to channeling an early coupe)....that amount of drop would be difficult to duplicate using suspension components alone.

If your really trying to play the pro-touring gig then readily available NASCAR stubs are available that you could easily use on your car.....talk to some good o'l boys around the Carolinas. For many years most NASCAR chassis' were based on '65 Galaxie front end/partial frames. There's got to be a better and safer way to pull this off.

-Bigchief.

 

Thanks for all the replies.
Gawd, I don't know what I would do without this help! Today I am going to try and measure the toe/caster/camber thru the whole suspension travel.
I am going to try the 2 foot wood piece on the wheel deal.

I'll let everyone know the results.

Hey BigChief, since there is absolutely no bumpsteer issues when I put the stock height springs back in (obviously raising the car back up and changing the tie-rod to lower control arm angles), do you think there could be a problem with the spindles?
Or, since there is no problem with the spindles at stock ride height, does that mean they are good to go (no matter what the ride height).

Sometimes these questions are hard to write/explain by typing.

Thanks again!,
Steve Bava
Nor-cal

 

Until you compare the spindles you won't really know.

A possible scenario is the Tbird spindles are different enough that at stock ride height they work but all your geometry allowance is eliminated. Then you lower the car and you're outside allowed geometry. Whereas the stock spindles target the middle of the geometry, and have enough tolerance/allowance that you can drop the car and still be within reason. (grossly oversimplified for explanation purposes)

It's a very common issue with spindle swaps.

good luck

 

Shifty,
Actually,
that makes perfect sense. I never thought of it that way.
I'll try to check the spindles as well (he says disgustedly, as he is thinking about all the extra work).
Thanks,
Steve

 

You'll need to pull a spindle out and look at old/new. Yes, since that seems to the major component you swapped out, I imagine the spindles are a significant contributor to your issues.

 

thanks again to everyone that contributed thus far.
it's a bitch building a car then not bein able to drive it.
and with a wife and 2 kids it's hard to find the time.

anyways, no, i haven't yet taken out the springs and measured the bumpsteer.
and no, i haven't yet taken out the spindles and looked at them.

i did find the time to bounce the frontend up and down (by myself, while pushing down on the front fenders) and didn't see any changes in the toe.
i know this is crude, but i thought i might see some change.
i probably wasn't getting the car to move enough?

thanks again,
i'll report more when i have more.
steve

 

update:
sorry for delay. it has been suggested on here and in person from other people that i need to get back to the original Galaxie spindles.
Well......good luck finding some. i don't think disc brakes came about on Galaxies until sometime in '67?

anyways, last week i was able to drive about 2 hours North and scrounge up some disc brakes from a '68 Galaxie. I have been told they are a direct "bolt-on" to my '65. the only problem i have found so far is that the brake fittings in the '65 don't match the brake hoses on the '68.

relatively easy fix.

so....i am in the process of getting these brakes working well enough to drive my car down the road a little to see if it cures the bumpsteer issue i have....hopefully had.
i am also in the process of converting the car from an automatic car to a 4-speed.
so it might take me a few long nights to get her back on the road.
really the only thing i can see me having to farm out that might take a while is the new driveline.

thanks for all the help and advice,
steve bava
nor-cal