Corvair front suspension

Thanks! Most people would not use a rachet strap to hold the steering rack on the car but I like to think outside the box. I adjusted the Ackerman with a hammer and then tightened the strap down. as you can see the front end is 100% done and all adjustments are permanant.
Thank god there are no smart asses on here who amuse themselves by making stupid comments...but yours was close.

 

Matt; I think the comments on the ackerman come from the pics you put up. The middle pic in the top row looks wrong as far as ackerman, but the top right pic looks better. Can't tell for sure what the turning radius is on each tire in those pic angles.

maybe a pic taken from a step ladder looking down at the tire angles at full turn would help.

 

My car has a Corvair front suspension with an MG rack, but the car is very light and has fenders. It's not the prettiest thing, but turns short and quick, no bump steer what so ever and the ackerman is in the ball park. The Scarebird disc conversion is great. Do what's best for you, but do it safely. "Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one"
take care, Dave

 

F&J,I welcome all comments accept the snide ones that serve no purpose. I have intentionally left the rack unmounted and the steering shaft for last.
First I want to determine ride height,then I can start mounting the rack and working on angles and such. I stuck the rack on and put the tie rods in. I measured the toe throughout the suspension travel to see how much bump steer it would have. NONE. The turning radius goes lock to lock and the toe stays pretty accurate throughout the turn.
The spindles travel outward when the suspension goes from full rise to full compression and it takes up the drop that the rack has now...strapped to the frame with one strap. I figured that the people here were all smart enough to see the strap and realize that the final alignments are not even started. I was wrong.
I am a fng but I have to say,I have been insulted several times on this board and I am not sure what the deal is with that.
These people could not possibly act like this in real life.

 

I admit I did not see the straps holding the rack, but that does not make me "not smart enough" I did read the post with the pics, and it does sound (to me) like you had it all set in stone...

Not sure what that means. It should mean that the toe changes from slight "in" going straight, to gradually, but "increasing", "toe out at turns".

"Toe out at turns" is just another normal everyday alignment term/or test, and IMO, another way to test/or describe accurate ackerman.




EDIT, you are doing good with the view count on your thread. It was at 3000-plus. Many "On-Topic" threads don't do that well ...so somone is reading it

 

I'm kind of surprised to read how many cars converted with IFS', built up out of unlikely components, there are with absolutlely no Bump Steer at all.
( when even some bone stock cars left the factory with measurable Bump Steer )

Not saying its not true, but I wonder how many of those cars were acctually measured to check for Bump Steer...

 

In my case I did alot of measuring,alot of reading and alot of experimenting, (I have a pile of MG racks,steering arms,tie rods that did NOT work) and I measured the bump steer by running the front suspension through its travel. of course it has a little when one goes from fully unloaded to fully compressed,which might be an issue if I were jumping the Snake River...but in the center 4 inches of travel there is no measurable bump steer. I am using the toe plates from my race car.
The shortened steer arms and Chevette rack are awesome right out of the box. The MG rack is a bit short o the pivots. It should not suprise you that a guy can build something that is as good as something store bought.

 

That doesn't surprise me, but what did surprise me was that everybody seemed to be able to hit the sweet spot.

( specially since the worst case of Bump Steer I've ever seen was on a Corvair IFS'd Streetrod with a R&P...Done by somebody who I thought was a competent builder.)

 

I learned how to drive in a '65 Corvair. It would turn on a dime! I've got a pile of these I'm about to have loaded for scap iron since they're in the way and I don't need them anymore.

 

I am certain that the problem here is Father Time.
The people here who dealt with Corvair IFS on street rods did it back in the '60's and early 70's...before Chevette racks,quick steer linkage and Disc Brake kits. If anyone here doupts the claims pertaining to the bump steer,I welcome them to stop by with some Miller Lite. But after I show them they have to help grind welds smooth..I hate that shit and I have about a millin welds to grind on this thing.

 

""Rat Rods" are a fad that cannot go away fast enough for me....That does not make me right,it makes me different. "

That, sir, should be on a T shirt at least! I'll buy two X large.

Russ
66 Corvair limo project, 30 rumble seat coupe with pinto running gear/suspension, 2 V-8 Fieros, Northstar/t-5 23 T bucket: ya... I understand different.<!-- / message -->

 

66 Corvair limo?? OK..I gotta see this thing. Sounds VERY cool! Reminds me of tyhe Corvair motorhome they made back in the 60's.
Got any pictures of it?

 

Matt, here's the pic of the front end w/the MG rack in '73. 100K miles since on the car, it worked out fine as a daily driver.

 

I love the white walls on the ralleys...I might have to throw a set together! that is a sweet ass car.

 

This was right after I got it here from So Cal a couple years ago. I've since replaces most of the roof with patch panels and sheet. gota love those vinyl roofs .
It's a fill in project between other more important projects, so progress on it is slow but steady.

Russ

 

no comment. Junkin mine
"and the bowtie rolls on"

 

My 36 Chevy drives like a Pontiac. It sits a little high and doesn't turn tight. But I like the smooth ride. Let me know if youm need a parts list for disc brakes.

 

Corvair "quick steer" arms bolt right on and get that thing turning tight.

 

In the picture below, it appears that the outside wheel is turning through a tighter radius than the inside, and also that the tie rod ends are closer to the centreline of the car than the ball joints.
IF this is the case, you have reverse Ackerman, hence the smart ass comment.
You could fix it by putting the steering arms on opposite sides, so that the tie rod ends are closer to the tyres, and using longer tie rods. Or by putting the rack behind the cross member.
How exactly did you adjust Ackerman with a hammer?

 

I did not adjust the ackerman with a hammer..I was being sarcastic....it was in response to
"Nice to see a complete disregard for Ackerman. "
This second comment was what you should have made your first.
The rack is not level in the picture. once straight it pulls the right rear back in.
Thank you for the advice,I would move the outer arms but they are cast and do not swap side to side without going rear steer.

 

Going to rear steer would be a huge improvement in this case.

 

I've never been able to figure out why people don't like straight axles. They are good enough on thousands of new Jeep Wranglers, Land Rovers, Dodge/Ford trucks, not to mention any truck over a ton probably has one. I've had a lot of straight axle vehicles, they all handled fine an rode fine.

With that out of the way the Corvair setup seems pretty straight forward and simple. Might be the ticket for my 53 Willys car that has a very weak A-arm setup with no parts availability. I see Corvairs a lot on craigslist for mega cheap. Might have to investigate further.

 

The sway bar and strut rods are in the way.

 

Phil, I had that problem with my old willys...I never thought about this swap on there but I bet it would be great.

 

You'd be surprised. Drive it yet?

 

Yeah,I would be. Seriously. Why anyone would go out of their way to be an asshole to strangers who share the same hobby with them?

And NO,I obviously have not driven it yet...but since I am confident in my history of building quality driving,safe cars...I do not rely on trial and error.
You?

 

Have U thought about putting stiffer springs in while its apart?

 

i read the whole thread a while ago ....i'm sorry all those guys bashed you ....i just want to understand for myself why is it you think a live axle is dangerous or wont handle horse power in curvy roads?

i am all with the crowd of its your car you do what you want, i just think that old technolegy isnt as bad as you may think or were led to believe

i had a chopped and channeled 32 chevy with transverse springs ,split bones and a dropped axle i could take cloverleafs at 70...easy....with bias tires, probably even be better with radials ... i think it is more a center of gravity thing over suspension choice

when you car is done maybe you and one of the loudmouths who has a compareable car can do a slalom course and let the results speak for themselves...i think it would be interesting

 

Yep,Vega GT A/C wagon springs.
with the engine set back of the'30 the front end weight will be nearly the same.

 

2 cents, removed & junked a few, couldn't find parts, poor steering.