Thread: Steering clearance issue

Tweet

1930 Model A using TCI chassis built for Mustang steering, 4 bar setup.

The drag-link tie-rod is rubbing the shock. All the geometry looks good in terms of the drag-link and the 4 bar setup. We are using what appears to be the short version of the upper steering arm. It measures 5 3/8" from mount face to center of the tie-rod.

My buddy wants me to shave down the upper steering arm, but I think there is something else that isn't right. Any help would be most appreciated. Here are some pictures of the setup.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hohumb...2003/my_photos

If it were my problem to solve, I would consider moving the shock tower inboard enough to clear the tie rod / drag link.

Sorry, I didn't take the time to look at all the pics., but how much clearance is there between the tire and the drag link? If you move the drag link outward to clear the shock will you still have adequate tire clearance?

I looked at the pics. a little more. It's hard to tell if the shock is mounted forward of the spring perch or will moving the shock inboard interfere with it? Flipping the steering arm over and putting the tie rod in from the top will most likely put the drag link in a bump steer position? Looks like it (drag Link) would be about level at ride height as is?
Shaving the steering arm ........ will there still be enough clearance to the axle when you turn hard left? Everything looks purdy' close in the pics. How much interference is there with the shock as it sets now?
Just thinkin' out loud.
I still would try to find a different location for the shock. If I'm looking at the pics. right, you shouldn't have to move them very much. I know you wouldn't have to move the steering arm/tie rod far either, but moving the tie rod joint closer to the spindle will speed up the steering a little. And if you have any bump steer at all that will magnify it simply because any bump will move the spindles faster. You do have a fairly long drag link tho, which will help some in reducing bump steer.

Well ..............I know what I mean even if it sound confusing to everybody else.

We're not that far off as it sits right now. 1/8" more would probably give me the clearance that I need. Looking at the geometry in the current state, everything looks optimal. Flipping the tie-rod would put it out of alignment with the bars and shaving down the steering arm would make the steering a little rougher but it wouldn't be too much.

You've gone thru all my thoughts currenlty. I was trying to get away from cutting and moving mounts. The hope was there might be something stupid we've overlooked while putting this together. The long drag link should help reduce and bumpsteer condition but moving it relative to the other components would add the possibility.

PS You have my car in your garage!

You actually might have two problems.

To go with Pro's comment, there's another (at least one) shock bracket that is more "upright" than the one you've got, doesn't have that slight "S" pattern to it. It will make the shock lean in at a steeper angle. See the pic here: http://www.peteandjakes.com/parts/05.htm

Second, you may have the wrong shock. There may not be enough travel left with that one. On a good bump you're going to bottom that one. Once you get it loaded with full weight check it out. On the same sight as above they have shorter shocks available.

Just going to a shorter shock wouldn't solve your original issue except at static height. On compression you'd still have interference.

This is not an unusual problem, when using that type of steering set-up. Some of the "sites" that sell the slingshot style steering arms even carry a warning of exactly what you are experiencing. To solve it, your best bet is to cut a slot in the outside edge of the shock mount, bend it ( the shock mount) in towards the fender about 1/4" (or as much as you can) at the top, then weld up the slot.

dumb question to ask but i would assume the pics you have are with the susp loaded with all correct weight on the front end?? i coldnt see int he pics if fully loaded.
i wonder if one could get/make a cammed offset shock mount that would bolt on the original mount hole and be able to turn and set a 1/4 of an inch in or down or up whatever . never seen such an animal but that doesnt mean somrthing like that doesnt exist.
in the farmer world there are some machiney pieces with things like that to adjust clearances.

There are no dumb questions! The suspension is fully loaded. The drive train is installed and just about everything is bolted on. The passenger side wheel is on the ground currently and the pictures were taken with the drivers side jacked up by the shock.

We had the car on the ground while we were looking at the original problem at it looked the same.

I'll try to get to it this weekend and see what the best step is.

Thanks for the nice pictures; your brake lines are really neat! You are making me glad that I chose the Vega-cross-steer setup, but I would like to be constructive. If 1/8" clearance is all you need there ought to be enough threads in the dogbone to mill 1/8" off the threaded ends. This will change your geometry slightly, but not much. The disadvantage of this idea is that you may then not have enough room for a grease fitting on the upper part of the king pin? Then maybe you should consider a hairpin steering arm where you could thread the arms about 1/8" further and trim off the longer threaded ends. Speedway has the hairpin "old-style" steering arms for only about $20 so it may be worth a try. Brian's suggestion of cutting the shock mount and bending it back should work too, but maybe if you look around in a few catalogs you might find a shock with a smaller diameter? Another possibility is to grind 1/16" off the end of the steering arm, not cutting into the hole, and then milling another 1/16" off the ears of the dogbone so that you can gain your 1/8".

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

If it's made of mild steel and if it isn't chrome plated, you could heat it and bend it upward about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. That wouldn't be enough to create excessive bumpsteer like flipping it over could, but should give you ample clearance.

Take a look at Speedway's drag-link style steering arm.

Go here: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/asp...qx/product.htm

They show two arms, one @ 6 1/4" and the other at 7 3/4".
The shorter one does look like yours.
Not sure if Speedway is measuring overall length or from spindle mounting surface to tie rod end center.
If the overall length of your steering arm is the same or close to the longer Speedway arm a swap to the shorter arm could do it.

The real simple answer and the cheapest one to do is to remove the present shock mounts, cut them at an angle and perhaps a touch shorter to pull them toward chassis center and reinstall so the shock is tilted inward at the top a little more.

The pic below shows my 31 - with Vega cross-steer fwiw - and where the top of the shock sits.
The shock mount is a SoCal fwiw.
Pointed out to show about where the upper shock eye should be for drag-link type steering.