Post to the EFV-8 Forum
Post Classified Ads
Shop the Online Store

User Login

Not Registered Yet? Click Here to Sign Up!

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Loose steering?

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: Loose steering?

Chris.NZ

12-05-2015 @ 3:15 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 49
Joined: Oct 2009

Come spring take it into a local tire shop.
They will check it out and should be able to tell you what's wrong.

len47merc

11-29-2015 @ 5:40 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

jwicklow - all great advice above. For me and personal (safety) peace of mind, and not knowing my 37K original miles vehicle prior to obtaining it, and rather than 'inching-up' on the front end by replacing one thing (or a couple of things) at a time and determining the results, my choice was to call James @ Job Lot and request of him all the components needed to restore the front end to as new condition. I knew, per TomO's test and prior knowledge with king pins, that they needed changing and a machine shop would be required to replace them professionally and properly. As well, personal experience with tie rod ends suggested these needed to be changed as well. Drag link - experience back to the early '60's at the time only so went there as well. Radius rod bushing - no experience at all so purchased that as well. New tires(?) - the Flintstone-like flat-spotted bias plys the car had been sitting on for ~40 years had to go - replaced with new Firestones (original bias plys) from Coker. Found a local seasoned veteran that was the 'only' Model A thru '50's vintage car front end guy around, gave him the parts and told him to call me when he was done and it was 'right' (I could have changed all the parts myself as well as contracted the king pins but I had knowledge of the individual's expertise and his turn-key cost was too reasonable to pass up). Parts were not that expensive, camber was properly adjusted and set (i.e., front axle slightly 'bent'/adjusted on the front left) and the '47 tracks very well on 710 15 bias plys, even on broken and/or groved pavement. Good as rack & pinion & radials - absolutely not, but worlds - worlds ahead of where the vehicle was upon receipt. One of the few contracted jobs I undertook for this car and was glad I did - no worries, nor sitting on pins and needles, about what '...might go wrong...', am I going to lose my steering/control(?), etc..

After receiving the car back, the steering box was clearly only in need of gear oil and did not need any rebuilding.

Hate to spend money, or recommend money money be spent, when it is not needed - steering, suspension and brakes on an unknown vehicle are areas I personally endeavor not to take any chances or risks with.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 11-29-15 @ 5:42 PM

jwicklow

11-29-2015 @ 11:19 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Apr 2015

Thanks everyone for your great advice. I will follow all of it in the Spring. The car just went into Winter storage, so I won't be able to do anything with it until I get it back out. The car is so new (to me) that I don't even know what to ask for help about, but I'm sure I will learn in a hurry come Spring. There are a few things that I have already noticed and have questions about, and will be posting those over the next few weeks. Thanks again for everyone's help.

TomO

11-29-2015 @ 8:50 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7252
Joined: Oct 2009

New tires can also make the steering difficult. I have Dual 90s on my Lincoln and it can be a chore keeping it straight on bumpy roads. My 40 Mercury has Coker Forestone 6.50x16 tires and tracks very nicely, but with more correction than my modern car with rack and pinion steering and radial tires.

Check your front end for wear by jacking up one front wheel and try to move the wheel as if the car were turning. There should be no movement. If there is, look to see where the movement is and repair or replace the worn parts.

Next grab the top and bottom of the tire and try to move it. There should be no movement, if there is your kingpin bushings need to be replaced.

Do not try to adjust out the slop in the gear box. If you have slop in the gear box, remove it and have it rebuilt or rebuild it yourself. Trying to adjust out the slop will just cause more wear on the sector and could lead to a dangerous condition.

Tom

woodiewagon46

11-29-2015 @ 8:45 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 698
Joined: Nov 2012

If you are new to early Ford V-8s the last thing you want is a car that is unsafe and one that you won't want to drive. Winter is a great time to jack up the front end and go over everything mentioned above. Most are simple repairs that can be done if you have some mechanical skills. There is a wealth of information available on this site and everyone will be willing to give you advice on what you don't know.

trjford8

11-29-2015 @ 7:17 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 4214
Joined: Oct 2009

I'll add to cliftford's list. Old tires can also add to the problem.

cliftford

11-28-2015 @ 3:44 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 845
Joined: Jan 2014

There are a number of possibilities. Steering box, tie rod, pitman arm, kingpins, wheel bearings, steering box loose on frame,or a combination of these. I would jack it up, put jack stands under the frame and check each componet. Also check spring bushings.

rebrown

11-28-2015 @ 3:35 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 22
Joined: May 2014

I had quite a bit of "slop" in my 36 Tudor steering until the tie rod ends were replaced. It is much better now but still feels a lot different than a modern car with power steering. I would check the tie rods and linkage and go from there.

jwicklow

11-28-2015 @ 12:46 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Apr 2015

I am new to early ford V8s, and could use a little advice. I have recently purchased a '39 DeLuxe coupe in excellent condition. It is mostly original, with some exceptions (new bumpers, battery, etc.). The engine starts up immediately and runs well. Everything seems to have been well maintained. However, when I drive through town, the car feels like it is all over the road, and I am constantly turning the steering wheel to correct my path of travel. Is this normal for a car this old, or am I just unrealistically expecting it to be like a modern car? If the steering issue is not normal, does it sound like I will need to focus on the steering box, the linkage, or alignment? Thanks for your help.

<< previous || next >>

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Merchandise Questions

Membership Questions