Help me Diagnose and improve my steering and suspension

[Green72Runner]

First off i have searched and googled for about 2 weeks now on things and I have a few questions.

I feel like the steering wheel is to loose, and i am trying to find the problem as I don't have the money to just replace everything.

1. Is there a proper way to check the steering box and see if the "slop" is within spec? I know that there are some adjustment bolts on it.

2. I can see that some of the slop is from the k-member flex, are there any DIY fixes for this or do i need to shell out the $130+ for the Firm Feel bracket?

3. The car has some high speed float/ instability in my opinion i have read that more caster can help that and i plan on putting in the offset/eccentric UCA bushings. Will that cause any issue in getting a slightly negative camber? Currently it has an obvious positive camber which obviously doesn't help with handling even if it worked for old poly tires


if it does need a new steering box, can those be removed with headers on?

 

[PST]

Hope it helps

Thanks
James

- - - Updated - - -

Here is the one for power steering:

 

[Moparsmitty]

One of the first things I recommend is taking the car to a good local alignment shop (not one of the big chains) and let them put the car up on the alignment rack and check it out. I's a lot easier to diagnose steering/suspension problems when you have the right equipment and can see where it needs work. Money well spent IMO. That said, it always cracks me up when I let somebody drive one of my old cars and they say "man, the steering is loose in this thing." Well, our old cars just don't steer and handle like a new car unless they've had major steering and suspension upgrades.

 

[Green72Runner]

One of the first things I recommend is taking the car to a good local alignment shop (not one of the big chains) and let them put the car up on the alignment rack and check it out. I's a lot easier to diagnose steering/suspension problems when you have the right equipment and can see where it needs work. Money well spent IMO. That said, it always cracks me up when I let somebody drive one of my old cars and they say "man, the steering is loose in this thing." Well, our old cars just don't steer and handle like a new car unless they've had major steering and suspension upgrades.

Good point and this has been done, the shop is so well known for being one of the few competent shops you have to schedule appointments 3 weeks out. They aligned it and it helped considerably. I know i said the wheels look like positive camber but i know they set it up and it is better than it was.

I would say if i put a mark on the center-top of the steering wheel i can move it 3" in either direction before you feel feedback from wheel resistance, this is without the car running so now over power assist.

Thanks to PST i will have to pull out my shop manual and try those things

 

[Dennis H]

Firm Feel. Stage 2.

 

[Moparsmitty]

Yep, try adjusting the box like the service manual shows. If that doesn't help you might need a new gear. I agree with Dennis about Firm Feel, they do good work.

 

[67 coronet]

with that much slop i would check the coupler on the steering column to the top of the gear box.if you look under the car at the pitman arm,while someone moves the steering wheel back and forth,you should see the arm move with the movement of the wheel.almost no delay at all.same thing if you are looking at the coupler.

 

[Moparsmitty]

with that much slop i would check the coupler on the steering column to the top of the gear box.if you look under the car at the pitman arm,while someone moves the steering wheel back and forth,you should see the arm move with the movement of the wheel.almost no delay at all.same thing if you are looking at the coupler.

Good point 67. I forgot all about the coupler. Always a good place to start. Easy to check and not very hard to repair.

 

[Green72Runner]

Thanks guys I hope to check some of these out tomorrow

 

[Green72Runner]

Just wanted to update this, I ended up adjusting the sector shaft, it was just barley looser that it should have been so that didn't help.
I ended up ordering a Firm box from Steer and Gear, they pay for return shipping of the core and were cheaper so it ended up being about $100 less than Firm Feel, but the big reason is due to Firm Feel's good reputation they were booked out 2.5 weeks where Steer and gear will ship today.
I look forward to the battle of swapping this out and being able to enjoy driving my Mopar even more! I will also report on my opinion of the Steer and gear product