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What is your stering like in your early mopar?

S

Street fighter

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I have a 73 dodge charger that runs good looks good, but the steering is bad, I replaced the steering gear that was leaking, that helped some, but the car is nothing like any of my other cars, for one the car is a big car and I have to keep my mind on this car because it just seems to drift on the road, I have all new front end parts and had it lined up, but it don't steer any better.am I the only one with this problem? I was told that this is one of early mopars issues. all new tires front and rear I have owned the car for 35 years and it was like this from day one. there's no frame issues that I can see.
 
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Mine is fantastic.Rebuit Firm Feel stage 3 steering box with Fast Ratio idler and pitman arms, 4 1/2 degrees of caster and 275-40-18 tires. Plenty of upgrades from factory stock in terms of torsion bars, sway bars, shocks, chassis reinforcements.
The guys that switch to those aftermarket front suspensions brag about the feel of rack and pinion steering but for less than half the $5500, you can have a bad *** steering and handling Mopar.
8100 I.jpg
8100 H.jpg


When rebuilt to factory specs, these cars handle pretty much like yours. When you spend a little more and get an alignment with modern specs, your car will steer more like a modern car.
 
Street fighter said:
I have to keep my mind on this car because it just seems to drift on the road, I have all new front end parts and had it lined up, but it don't steer any better.
Click to expand...

Two questions - what tires and what alignment specs did the shop/you use? Bias alignment specs on a radial tire car give poor steering "feel". The overboosted power steering doesn't help.

The sleeves for the lower arms in the K frame can be prone to cracking. Then you'll never get good steering. Usually the alignment catches it.
 
One problem with my Roadrunner that I immediately recognized on the test drive 7 some years ago when I bought it was a pull to the right. The first mod I did was front drum to disc brakes conversion. The mechanic spotted a bent passenger side lower control arm. At the time, I replaced it with a good used one from Stephens Performance.
In a couple of weeks, I'm replacing the K-member and front suspension with a QA1 K-member and front suspension.
To answer your question, I had manual steering, and still a slight pull left. "Not enough adjustments available in the factory upper control arms" I've been told by a couple of very good, very experienced "old school" alignment mechanics. The only part of the new suspension that's not QA1 is the upper control arms. I got SPC UCAs because they have lots of adjustability. There are offset bushings available for the stock UCAs that could have helped, but I don't want any more front suspension problems. I never had any problems with vagueness in input, and it has never been as bad as the old ice cream truck I "piloted". The steering wheel had about 10" of "dead space" between left and right, and the steering wheel was more like a suggestion box.
:steering::realcrazy:
 
I agree with Kern dog

Historically, Mopars do better going straight ( with factory equipment), but with all available upgrades. they can handle like a dream. I've noticed that it's a bit harder to cure with the weight of a big block. I'm happy with mine....all OEM, with a little effort
 
Doesn't the 73 have rubber K-member mounts? If so, that's a lot of your trouble. In the past cast iron replacements were available. Someone may have some used ones for sale or they may still be available. You could probably fabricate your own design, they're just spacers.
Mike
 
In my '55 Plymouth, it's a little vague but manageable up to about 50mph. On the interstate at 75 or 80, it requires a lot of concentration and constant correction. In the '71 Charger, it's rock solid, but I did put in a Steer and Gear box a while back, but it wasn't bad before that. It got better when I had the alignment redone to get the specs as close as I could to what Mopar Action published for radial tires.
 
consider putting electric steering on it then you can control the amount of power it takes to steer the car we are doing it to my car and both my brothers cars 64 dodge/65 plymouth and 69 roadrunner all your newer cars are going to that
 
In 73 there are 2 joints on the steering shaft that are likely shot. One is the coupler, a rebuild kit for these are $20 well spent. The second is a rubber isolator mounted above the coupler with a tin shield around it. This is likley shot and replacements are not easy to find. The last one I did I used two of the GM style couplers from the HELP section at the local auto parts store.
 
I like the feel in my 69. Manual steering box that I rebuilt and set the alignment on myself. New, stock suspension components. Tracks straight, easy to steer.
 
An upgraded T-Bar and leaf spring setup will do wonders over stock. As mentioned, a FF steering box or Borgeson will be even better, plus disk brakes.

My car has a lot of upgrades (front to rear) and I'm able to pass pretty much everything on the freeway with a lot more confidence than when I first drove my car with a tired stock suspension and 4-wheel manual drum brakes.

I don't claim to be the fastest car on the road (which is a big claim in So. Cal) but you'll need to be fast to catch me if my right foot is low on the floor.
 
biomedtechguy said:
@71charger_fan
Link? Scanned article? Specs?
If possible...please!
Click to expand...
All I have is a photocopy of the page of the magazine with the recommended specs. It doesn't say what month/year they published them. This is what they said (read degrees camber, degrees caster, inches toe-in):

L'il ol' lady -0.25, +1.5, 1/16 to 1/8
daily driver -0.5, +2.5, 1/16 to 1/8
Hi-po street -1.5, +2.5 to +3.5, 1/16 to 1/8
track day +2.0 to +2.5, +3 to +4, 0 to 1/16
auto-x (only) +3, +3 to +4, 0
drag race (only) 0 (at 100mph height), +2.5, 0 (at 100mph height)

I aimed for the "hi-po street" I think they got me almost there. Unfortunately, the sheet from the alignment shop is in the car which is at the paint shop so I can't say exactly what my alignment specs are.
 
My 72 has power steering and it feels fine? It steers with just a pinky compared to newer vehicles but doesn't wonder at all? My 66 has manual steering and that also feels very solid.
 
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