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The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er
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Lentover
Posted 2020-01-29 3:37 PM (#593566)
Subject: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er


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So I was advised to call Lares Mfg. to have my steering box rebuilt and Doug the service technician kindly recommends that I check a few things out before I commit. First check the realignment "positive caster/camber side" to make sure its not the radial tires that is causing the issue. . Second have someone wiggle the steering wheel while another person checks to see if the "pitman arms are moving together at the same time and same amount. And thirdly he said it might be the coaxial power steering gear. Would any three of these cause it to wander as extreme as it does? I mean just to drive down a highway at 50-60 mph I have to waggle the steering back and forth 3-4 inches .
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-01-29 4:07 PM (#593568 - in reply to #593566)
Subject: RE: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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Could be the steering box but it might be tie rod ends (and there a lot of them (6?)) and/or the idler arm. Have these all been replaced?



Edited by 56D500boy 2020-01-29 4:10 PM




(55-56SteeringKnuckleTieRodsDiagram.jpg)



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Attachments 55-56SteeringKnuckleTieRodsDiagram.jpg (130KB - 222 downloads)
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Shep
Posted 2020-01-29 6:05 PM (#593577 - in reply to #593568)
Subject: Re: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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I will add, careful with Lares, they did a gear box for a friends 55 New Yorker, was not done right, had issues upon installation. Details on request.
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ronbo97
Posted 2020-01-29 7:09 PM (#593583 - in reply to #593568)
Subject: RE: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er


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56D500boy - 2020-01-29 4:07 PM . Could be the steering box but it might be tie rod ends (and there a lot of them (6?)) and/or the idler arm. Have these all been replaced?

Your illustration shows a 57-9 setup. On 55-6, there is only one tie rod shaft on the center link.

Regarding the wandering steering, if you've never rebuilt the steering linkage, that's the first place to start. The center link, inner and outer tie rods are probably loose. Put front of car on jack stands. Then have an assistant turn the steering wheel as you watch the movement in the linkages. If there is any movement, the linkage needs to be replaced or professionally rebuilt.

Ron

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Lentover
Posted 2020-01-30 11:22 AM (#593604 - in reply to #593566)
Subject: Re: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er


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Thanks for the replies. My mechanic is going on a suppliers' boat cruise for a week and he is going to pick some brains about this issue but some good advice on the linkage and tie rods.
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-01-30 11:37 AM (#593605 - in reply to #593583)
Subject: RE: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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ronbo97 - 2020-01-29 4:09 PM

56D500boy - 2020-01-29 4:07 PM . Could be the steering box but it might be tie rod ends (and there a lot of them (6?)) and/or the idler arm. Have these all been replaced?

Your illustration shows a 57-9 setup. On 55-6, there is only one tie rod shaft on the center link.



You're right. Sorry about. I grabbed the wrong diagram from my "Steering" file. This should be the correct one (below):

It shows five tie rod ends and 2 idler arm bushings that could wear and become loose over time.




Edited by 56D500boy 2020-01-30 11:42 AM




(56DodgeIdlerArmAndBushingsDiagram.jpg)



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Attachments 56DodgeIdlerArmAndBushingsDiagram.jpg (118KB - 222 downloads)
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BigBlockMopar
Posted 2020-01-30 1:32 PM (#593615 - in reply to #593566)
Subject: Re: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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I would be careful and find someone more knowledgable instead, rather than a 'mechanic' that needs to pick brains to even see where/what the problem might be in such a basic system.
Folks like that could cost you lots of money when they advise you to replace all kinds of parts as they go along their 'search'.

Most of the items mentioned above are all things you can check in the garage, even with the car on the floor.
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wizard
Posted 2020-01-30 5:03 PM (#593625 - in reply to #593566)
Subject: Re: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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This might just be a matter of wrong toe-in - that is if you have made a front end alignment with compensated values for caster/camber so that you can have the benefits of radial tires.

Make sure that the pitman arm moves simultaneus with the steering wheel - the insulator can be shot.

A bad idler arm (or tie rod) will get the effect that the pitman arm sets the wanted direction, but the bad idler have some free play and first won't do the same as the pitman arm, but then the idler arm will actually over steer on the right wheel, making the the car steer more than wanted - you try to correct this with the steering wheel and the circle will be repeated, but now in the other direction.

A classic car front end suspension is not rocket science, rather basic - all the needed info is in the fsm.

Try these values;

CAMBER, NEGATIVE ¼º to ½º

CASTER, POSITIVE 2º till 3º (most probably it will be difficult to get more than 1,5º, but as much as possible)

TOE-IN 1/8”


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Shep
Posted 2020-01-30 6:17 PM (#593632 - in reply to #593625)
Subject: Re: The Wandering Steering saga continues on my '56 NY'er



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Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George)
Good info Wizard. Caster will be difficult to to get that far positive without shimming the control arms to tilt the spindle back. My 55 was set same as your specs, radials and no steering looseness, but only about 1.5 positive caster. Drove great.

Edited by Shep 2020-01-30 6:18 PM
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