My car has death wobbled my brain now 3 times I am running out of clean shorts. Talked with a few axle car owners they gave me some Ideas on steerstabalizers but more Ideas would be more helpful.Im running a beam axle any pics or ideas please
I had this problem when I first built my last car and it was the shocks, not sure if that will solve your problem ? Pictures of your setup and parts list along with type of tires will help ?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=604974 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=748801 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=804497 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=615688 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=474751 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=485930 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461304
Once you experience severe death wobble you never want it to happen again. You are always wondering when the next time will be. Post pictures of the entire setup you have, from every angle. That is the only real way we can offer constructive suggestions, otherwise all you get are guesses. I love SoCal steering stabilizers, but first you need to cure the root problem as the stabilizer only makes a good system better IMO. Don
I had that problem when I finished my coupe and took it out the first few times. Toe was way off. I fixed that and the problem disappeared. Check your alignment.
Laughing so friggin hard right now. And I hope steering stabilizers are one of the "casualties" around here. Find the problem, fix it and be done with it. If you have wobble, something aint right. Stabilizers are just a bandaid.
That is absolute bullshit. They are not a bandaid on the new cars that come with them, nor are they on a properly setup hot rod, they are an enhancement. My 27 handled great, no issues at all, but the addition of the stabilizer made it so much better in all respects. It tracks better, goes over RR crossings and potholes without a whimper, and when I get my foot deep in the firewall I know the car will go where it is pointed, well sometimes at least. Four of our cars have them on them right now, and every one from here on in will too. As far as a "casualty", I bet if you look back into history you will see some enterprising hot rodder figured out how to add some sort of dampener to his steering setup. Don
Sorry man, just my opinion. We all have them. For the record Don, I really like the stuff you build so don't take it personal. But I'm ok with my hot rod's quirks and things that don't behave like a modern car does. It's part of the experience for me I guess. Another reason is aesthetics. GM one wire alternators on an open hood car. Dont like to see it. I don't like seeing disc brakes either. Do they stop better? No question. Still not for me. Finding a pic of one car in a magazine 50 years ago of a car that had some rare Indy car disc brakes on it does not legitimize the use of camaro or chevelle brakes on a hot rod to me. Like I said, just my opinion.
My '32 had bad wobble and twitchy handling. After checking everything to make sure nothing was broken or worn out I tried to align it myself and that failed. Then I found a local garage that had an "old guy older than dirt" working there who has aligned many straight front axle cars. Now it handles like a modern sports car ...well almost. I even bought a SoCal steering stabilizer but haven't installed it since it's working so well as is. edit: I plan to add the stabilizer to "enhance" the well working setup
When you built the car did you install new kingpins, or at least new bushings reamed or honed to fit the pins; install new tie rod ends; new spring shackles; make sure shocks were working; adjust steering to factory specs and rebuild if necessary?
Steering stabilizers are for real. On MY car I'd check everything else first, though. On my 1938 IHC D-2 pickup it was caused by bad shocks.
Do it! I had a death wobble in my truck at 85mph due to over confidence. It's fixed now but the seat in my truck has permanent pucker marks.
You may not need kingpins or any sort of stabilizer. Have an alignment shop check it out. I did that with my '31 DB when I had a horrible wobble. They discovered two broken wedges on each side of the axle where the spring mounts are. They removed them and put in the proper angle wedges and I am in business, now! Straight arrow, no wobble at any speed....up to 60. Won't go much faster than that right now with the original engine in it.
CASTER........If you don't have enough Caster in the axle it will do this........lay the axle back about 2 degrees more and try it........I built a Model A years ago and pretty much set everything up with roller tires....after finishing the car I put taller tires on the rear....took off down the road with my toes hung in the carb barrells....felt great, the I let off the throttle and it started changing lanes...after I got the seat out of my rear I pulled in the shop...My shop was the local Speed Shop with multitudes of race car drivers coming in every day....I was telling one of the Old Super Modified drivers what happened.....he walked back to my shop...took a framing square and it up against the axle and measured.....then he loosend the Four bar and put about 4 rounds in the top and about 2 out of the bottom and tightened it up....he said get in....he floored that thing and ran it up to about 100 mph and hit the brakes....it went straight as an arrow........then he explained to me why you need Caster........It fixed my car...it's also why they rake out the forks on Motorcycles.............Hope this helps
For people that think a steering stabilizer is a Band-Aid and shouldn't be used.......... From So Cal's website: "There hasn't been an early Ford style front end car leave our shop in thirty years without one." Pete Chapouris President, SO-CAL Speed Shop
Well, whatever you are dealing with...start with basic mechanics, or you will likely find yourself chasing a problem that has at least two layers. Carefully observe while shaking EVERYTHING that moves up there...tie rod and drag link ends, kingpins, steering sector, wheel bearings. Having a helper is good so you can focus closely on each joint as it is shaken. Tighten spring to crossmember if early Ford, if not early Ford scrap it and get one. Check out shackles and fasteners, wishbone or radius rads to frame. THEN start measuring toe, caster, and camber.
Here is a check list for you, and anyone else experiencing this. Confirm all steering linkage components are in good working order and have NO slop in them. Confirm alignment settings, should have 0 to + toe in
Not that I had read any in any of these post but there is a difference between a front Pan-hard bar and steering stabilizer bar. I believe that the front Pan-hard bar would be more of a requirement than the stabilizer bar. Never used a stabilizer and hope I do not ever have to. For the original poster need pictures
You need an 1/8" toe-in, a steering damper, make sure the wheels are not only balanced but run true (not out of round), no loose ball joints or king pins. Those are the basics.
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