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Steering gear vs. alignment #986528 05/05/11 12:05 PM 05/05/11 12:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan MIRADAMANia OP mopar
MIRADAMANia OP mopar Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan	I just got my Charger aligned yesterday and it still seems to dart from side to side. The gear is worn but I would think the car should still go down the road straight. My thought is that with a worn gear you have to turn the wheel farther to get any input which shouldn't affect whether the car tracks straight, just how much you have to turn the steering wheel to get the front wheels to turn. Any thoughts?

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: MIRADAMANia] #986529 05/05/11 02:25 PM 05/05/11 02:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 740 Anderson, IN 1 1969RR super stock
1969RR super stock 1 Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 740 Anderson, IN	Hello, What were the final setting? You really want as much positive caster as you can get. Remember, these ol' Mopars had a hard time achieving enough positive caster. Also, your gear box might actually be too tightly adjusted. If someone has tried to take the "slop" out by tightening the sector adjuster, that will make for a terrible "wander". Alignment setting would (if not correct) make the car pull or drift to one side or the other, not so much fell like it "wanders" or darts side to side. Post the settings if you can. Take care, Jeff

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: 1969RR] #986530 05/05/11 03:07 PM 05/05/11 03:07 PM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog Striving for excellence
Kern Dog Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	Quote: Also, your gear box might actually be too tightly adjusted. If someone has tried to take the "slop" out by tightening the sector adjuster, that will make for a terrible "wander". GREAT point. The steering box adjustment, if set too tight, will tend to "bind up" and when coupled with a meager factory setting of positive camber and 0 degrees of caster.... bad news on the road. Alignment techs with brains will set up the car how YOU want, but you have to tell them beforehand. Mopar Action magazine had an article a few months back on how to improve your power steering system. The power steering in most classic Mopars is waaaaaay overboosted, and the article showed a way to reduce the pump pressure to a point where the pump provides just enough pressure to add assist without feeling like you are steering the tires on wet ice. You can see the article online. Its certainly worth reading.

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: Kern Dog] #986531 05/05/11 03:26 PM 05/05/11 03:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,588 St. John's Newfoundland 440newport master
440newport master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,588 St. John's Newfoundland	What size are your front tires? I had 255/60's on the front of my Mirada for a few years. I loved how it looked but it always wanted to jump in and out of the crown of the road. I put 225's on it last week and now drives straight as an arrow.

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: 440newport] #986532 05/06/11 11:37 AM 05/06/11 11:37 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan MIRADAMANia OP mopar
MIRADAMANia OP mopar Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan	Left caster was +1.4, right was +2.4, which was the most we could get, left camber was -.5, right camber was -.7, toe-in was .05" both sides. The tires on the front are 235-60-15, the rears are 295-50-15. There is quite a bit of play in the steering wheel and it turns very easily.

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: MIRADAMANia] #986533 05/06/11 01:55 PM 05/06/11 01:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 34 Hummelstown, PA A AINTNRT member
AINTNRT member A Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 34 Hummelstown, PA	First thing I'd do is get the caster fixed, you have 1 degree difference left to right, that's enough to cause an issue. Don't matter which way you go as long as the both sides are close to each other.

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: AINTNRT] #986534 05/06/11 03:18 PM 05/06/11 03:18 PM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog Striving for excellence
Kern Dog Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	The Moog 7103 offset upper control arm bushings are great for adding more caster. Much cheaper that changing to adjustable upper control arms. I was able to get 4 degrees of Caster with the Charger! I have a 275-40-18 tire on the front and it tracks straight until I steer into a rut.

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: 1969RR] #986535 05/11/11 12:17 PM 05/11/11 12:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan MIRADAMANia OP mopar
MIRADAMANia OP mopar Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan	Also, your gear box might actually be too tightly adjusted. If someone has tried to take the "slop" out by tightening the sector adjuster, that will make for a terrible "wander". Alignment setting would (if not correct) make the car pull or drift to one side or the other, not so much fell like it "wanders" or darts side to side. Post the settings if you can. Take care, Jeff That's exactly what the problem was. When I adjusted it correctly the car goes straight down the road very nicely. Thanks!

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: MIRADAMANia] #986536 05/11/11 08:22 PM 05/11/11 08:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,344 Central TX roe master
roe master Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,344 Central TX	Quote: Also, your gear box might actually be too tightly adjusted. If someone has tried to take the "slop" out by tightening the sector adjuster, that will make for a terrible "wander". Alignment setting would (if not correct) make the car pull or drift to one side or the other, not so much fell like it "wanders" or darts side to side. Post the settings if you can. Take care, Jeff That's exactly what the problem was. When I adjusted it correctly the car goes straight down the road very nicely. Thanks! Whats the process for making that adjustment? 1971 Plymouth Satellite 408/904 8 3/4 3.23 SG

Re: Steering gear vs. alignment [Re: roe] #986537 05/13/11 11:41 AM 05/13/11 11:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan MIRADAMANia OP mopar
MIRADAMANia OP mopar Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 472 Westphalia, Meeeeeshigan	This is how the 71 service manual describes it: 6631057-LastScan2.jpg (36 downloads)

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