Re: [Chrysler300] 1964 FLOATING POWER

Folks,

I, too, have a 300-K that wanders over the road. I have to keep correcting with the steering wheel. Same road, same speeds with my 1968 New Yorker, and it stays steady and no wandering.

The 300-K has new tie rods and ball joints (well, "new" is relative. Lots of years, but few miles). What it has not had is the alignment set per the article in our news letter. I used to carry it in the console, ever meaning for a GOOD alignment shop to make sure to set it for radial tires with the alignment specs in the news letter article. My 300-K seemingly has no issues with loose joints or steering gear, etc.

Your issues, bringing to the forefront of my brain, tends to encourage me to try another good shop, with the effort to set the car up as best as possible and see what difference it makes, if any.

Tim

On Wednesday, July 5, 2017 4:36 PM, "John Grady jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300]" <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

You should be able to tell if ball joint or wheel bearing by what moves.. drum will move compared to backing plate if wheel bearing ( I doubt that .. they fail with lots of drama unless it was left loose at time of work) . They do not "get loose " In general. Unless reinstalled wrong .

Ball joints do get loose you can see movement between A arm and spindle at top one often . See FSM . If never done , likely worn? Should for sure be the same on both sides.

Other part that wears on Chryslers is the idler arm mount on passenger side --Bushing inside falls apart you can move it vertically ( not supposed to move vertically) . But if front end aligned they would have caught that ? I would not mess with power steering box adjustments. Really need to know what you are doing . But rocking wheel by SO , engine on , while you look can find any steering play .. less so if on stands?

Check heat doors are closing ? Water valve closing ?

Jamie once helped me on a Cuda , where Lash was due to steering box bolts being loose / missing to frame . Whole box moved when you steer . He found that . YOW . "Great mechanic" and all that " restored it"
John
Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 5, 2017, at 4:22 PM, Dave Dumais dave.dumais@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hey all,
Diane and I cleaned up the K for a short road trip, 1hr and 20 minutes down to Fredericksburg to a local car show.
It was their annual festival, 4th and all, with Boy Scouts, kids on bikes and such.

Without AC, we knew it was going to be a warm, return trip back to garage. It was indeed. The heat came from around the under side of dash, and up thru the floor. Traffic was fair, and vent windows, all windows down.

This big Brute seemed to float down the highway, a little side to side, but mostly moving steering wheel, a finger flick now and then to compensate.
I had the front end aligned several years back, with low mileage since then.
So it is up on the stands, and I moved tires up and down without hearing clunks. Moved tires back and forth while looking at linkage.

I do have some give when the drivers tire is moved bottom to top, hand on bottom , hand on top, move it in and out. no noise, but not as sound as it's other side.
I do not have the time to check and see if it could be a wheel bearing issue. Seems like 1/8" play. All components have been maintained thru the years.

I will try to get it on a lift, so it can be checked and visualized. I have not adjusted the steering box at all. It does wander more than I remember, but it can be controlled easily by rocking the wheel a little here and there.

We pushed up to 75, and 80 before some one objected to that speed.
Heck, all the MODEREN day cars were flying by at a faster rate.
Still on stands.
Dave in VA.