History Grandpas el mirage roadster recreation p.r.c

Hey Bruce: I could see a little change in the steering (due to it being bent), but not anywhere near what you're taking about. I think I know what your problem is - will post a couple pictures in about 10 mins (need to go back out to take a picture of the old girl in the garage - will clean up a spot and put some markings on the picture for you).

Be right back - don't pull the front axle yet!
D

 

Okay - after looking at my setup again, I think I've confirmed my suspicion. Take a look at the following two pictures of the pitman arm mounting on the steering sector shaft - notice my red arrows and how the clocking is different. This is about the only thing that I can think of that could cause that drastic of a difference in the amount of articulation from one direction to the other. I think if you 'fix' this, you'll be good to go.

Your clocking:


My greasy ass original:

 

Dale where it's sitting right now I have about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 turns steering from left to right. Equal turns now but look where the spindle is pointing. Do you think I should just take of the pitman arm and see if I can click it like yours?? The wheel is turned to the left about 1 half turn on the steering wheel.

 

Here is where the pitman arm is when the front wheels are straight.

 

Well, I don't know if they stamped the end of the sector shaft in any particular manner (so my guess up above is just a guess). You have the pitman arm at the right location (angle for straight ahead) - so what I'd do is pull it from the sector. The, take a look at it and see if you can clock it in multiple positions (seems I recall the funny spline indicators are equally spaced???).

Then, if you can put it on in different clockings, then leave the wheels straight ahead and with the pitman off, turn your steering wheel all the way to the left, then count the number of turns all the way to the right - then get it into the middle (actually one can usually 'feel' the middle) - then see if the pitman arm lines up with the sector index splines at that point.

Hopefully if my guess is correct, you'll off by 1/3 clock rotation. Let me know - will be interesting to find out. Also, I can go out into my shop and check my stock 34 box - to see if I see the same markings on the sector.

Let me know.

 

Dale with the pitman arm off I can't clock that marked x like yours.

 

And with the steering dead equal it is still making wheels turn to the left. I tried different pos. on the spline and it has to be on the only way it is. I'm wondering if the splines are clocked different on the pitman arm from 34 to 32 for the difference in the wheel base.??

 

No idea - mine is a stock 32 box. Did you try the center the wheel deal I mentioned up above?

 

Just saw your post - so it can only go on one way. Hmmmm - something doesn't jive - and it has to be steering box related in my mind.

 

With the pitman arm off - can you turn the steer box an equal number of turns each way - side to side?

 

Yes total turns is about 3-1/4. From left to right.

 

This is where it sits with the steering wheel dead even and the ford emblem is where it's supposed to be on steering wheel.

 

Ok I think it might be the splines on the 34 arm. Look at these pictures. The black one is mine "34" and the other is a "32" a friend of mine sent me the picture.

 

Bruce that looks like the same splines to me. Yours is the outside shot and your friends is the inside?


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Bingo you win one free lolly pop at lunch time.

 

I didn't even notice that and me and dale were on the phone for awhile and he said the same thing. I didn't even pay attention to the way it was flipped over. My head is spinning and it's killing me. I just want to drive this beast. But now I'm busting the front axel out to get it straightened. Dale and I feel pretty good about the problem. It's got to be how bad the axel is bent. I will post a picture here in a few of the axel when I get it out.

 

I just went through 61 pages of this build and my eyes are tired but such a rad story!! I will be following! keep up the awesome work

 

Sorry billy there's a lot of blah blah blah in those 61 pages but it is a cool story. Thank you for sticking with it. I will be posting a lot more here as soon as I get this damn bent axel back. Like banging gear videos with ol grandpa holding on tight....

 

So I got the axel out and made some discoveries. King pin bushings and king pins are toast. Axel looks like a boomerang. Talked to okie joe this morning and he said 1-2 months turn around. He said he would rather tell me 2 months and get it all done in 3 weeks. So now I'm at his mercy. But on a good note I'm going to send him the axel and the spindles and he is going to drop it 4" like grandpa had and bend the spindles to match. Install a new set of king pins and bushing and set up the camber and caster or what ever he does. He said it will be all new once again. I was going to just take it and have it straightened local, but I think I would rather have it done by a pro like joe. I bought it from him and iv talked with him a few times at swap meets. So I would rather give him the money and help support his love of these old parts. So I will feel a lot better and be able to sleep at night knowing the axel was done right and magnifluxed.

 

Wise choice on going to Joe -- he did the exact same thing on the new axle for my 32 -- and he has a jig to make sure the spindle arm drops don't hit the stock wishbone. Also, he precision fits the kingpins - doesn't do the sloppy old hand reamer method. LOL. Lastly he magnafluxes everything - which I think is very important in general.

 

Very wise move grasshopper........Joe is the man & you will never be sorry you went this way.

 

This May or may not affect my steering. Now I'm trippin on the wish bone. Shitty thing is I had 2 other nice axels and a nice wish bone and sold them.
Back to hoarding..................

 

2 steps forward 4-8 weeks backwards.

 

But as soon as I get it back and installed me and grandpa will be rolling.

 

A buddy with a press and a 6 pack should fix that right up.

 

Nice granite surface plate you have there.

 

Bruce I think your front axle might be bent? Did you check?


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I got the axel sent off today to okie joe. Now it's a waiting game. Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait. Guess nows a good time to clean up the garage since I haven't cleaned at all since I started this build. Finish up a few little more ideas on the hyper. I will post pictures as soon as I get it back from joe. I'm really looking forward to the 4" drop I having him do.

 

That axle just has a bit of 'aerodynamic work' done to it . . . got those pesky axle ends out of the way, turned em back toward the car . . . yeah, that's it . . .

Okie Joe is going to earn his fricking money on this one! LOL

 

Better watch out you know that every time you clean your work space the GREMLINS are released and the next time you go looking for something that "was right here" it will have mysteriously disappeared.