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Front end wandering need help

hemiEssex

Active Member
Local time
7:36 PM
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
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Location
Smithers BC Canada
My 65 Coronet
Set up as follows
440 RB
I think stock small block torsion bars
73 New yorker discs and front brakes( I am assuming that the spindles were used too, as it was this way when I bought it. I just replaced everthing with new parts. I ordered a 65 kit and everything fit, but I found out when I had the brake parts ID ed so I just bought new ones to replace.
stock replacement NAPA shocks
all new front end kit, ball joints, pitman, tie rods ends etc.
Urethane bushings
275/60/15 on front 6 inch mopar wheels
255/60/15 on back 8 inch cop wheels
no sway bar
Took it in and had it aligned. The tech was able to get it to these specs and that was all he could adjust it to.

Left front
Camber .5
Caster -1.5
Toe .04
Right front
Camber -0
Caster -1.3
Toe .04
He set the torsion bars quite low, the car has a wicked rack and look with the tires.

Heres the rub, It handles awful, in the parking lot it turns good, the steering returns, but when I punch it and get it over 60 it wander all over the place, when you brake it pulls to one side (drivers) and when you pull out to pass and get over 70 it really starts to wander and floats. If you let off it is better and also it seems to be really skitterish.I think also the box is a little loose, I am going to replace it( only suspension part that is old)
What is my next move. I know it should handle better than this, it is not traditionally a lazer sharp handling car, but man I just did an 8 hour road trip and I had to two hand it all the time.
Off set control arm bushings??
Raise up torsion bars?? ( to what setting??)
I live in a small town in Northern BC canada so there is only one reputable alignment shop and that is who I used, but they do not work on these alot. I need to figure this out myself and tell them how I want it set.
Any ideas would be appreciated, I know this thing should handle way better.
cheers
Steve
 
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What is the ride height at in the front? I know when I adjusted mine up the handling went to hell. (edit: nevermind just saw what you wrote)

The steering box could definitely be a culprit. The play is adjustable so check that for sure. Also something to check would be tie rods and all steering linkages.

Is that the maximum caster? If not more could be dialed in for high speed firmness.

One other thing is that my steering box loosened up, and that caused major slop and floatyness. Definitely worth a look.
 
Camber & toe look ok...But caster? You should never have negative caster. You want as much positive caster as you can get.

Try this: Both front cams out and both rear cams in as far as they will go...remember only go 90 degrees in either direction from neutral or else you cam damage the cam or the retaining tabs. Next, if Camber is positive, adjust front cam until the desired spec is achieved. If it is negative, adjust the rear cam until desired spec is achieved. either adjustment should only require less than a quarter turn. Any more than that, and you will risk losing your caster adjustment, at which time offset ucab's are in order. Hope this helps!
 
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why are your front tires wider than your back tires you wrote front size 275 60 15 on 15x6 wheels and rear 255 60 15 on 15x8 wheels you must of wrote down the wrong sizes i assume, hows the idler arm on that ol dodge i didnt see any mention of it but those always get worn out and make things sloppy if you didnt replace it i would recommend it , now how about showing us some pics of that nice looking 65 of yours.
 
My road runner was darting all over the road until I replaced the lower control arm bushings.
 
Here she is when I finished her up in June.
coronetApril002.jpg

First burnout
coronetburnoutback.jpg

All the suspension is new. Idler arms, bushings, pitman etc. Only thing reused was steering box as it seemed okay. I have bought the offset bushings, I think I will put them in and have it re aligned with the positive caster.
 
Mine was wandering all over too when I first got it. Allignment helped a tad, replaced passenger side idler helped a tad, found the gear box moving on the K member and after tighteneing it helped a bunch. Last improvement was to replace the front 28"x8.5x15 tires - and it made a world of difference :)
 
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