'Streamline' 1968 camaro project

[slimjim]

Well I have FINALLY gotten back from overseas and am hoping to pick up where I left off.
Spent some time on my car today, I replaced the unisteer steering arms with right stuff arms, I needed these to allow inner wheel clearance now that I'm using the ridetech spindles instead of the ATS spindles.
However I noticed the steering arms are at least an inch longer, which works fine with my 8inch wide wheels but they will need to be changed again if i am to go a wider wheel in the future, if anyone has any experience or knows if this could negatively affect steering then please chime in.




I also got to play with the trans tunnel and freshly powder coated dash frame, I'm hoping to get started on this in a couple weeks after a little ski trip.

[frojoe]

It looks like the angle between the steering rack and the steering link (is it still called a tie rod end for a rack setup?) is pretty huge. For a steering rack you want about 10 degrees angle, depending on the steering arms and side-to-side movement of the rack, to help with Ackerman angle while turning.

http://image.hotrod.com/f/9021098+w6...lutions%2B.jpg

Depending on how big your angle is, if it's large like it looks to be in your picture then it could make the steering wonky at higher steering angles. Also, steering feel is very sensitive to arm length,and if they're 1" longer than what you had previously, then your steering could get drastically slower with reduced steering angle.. but that all depends on the throw of the rack (which I'm not personally familiar with). I think at this point you really just have to cycle the rack thru its travel and measure your steering angle at the hubs to get an idea if the steering arms will be too long & make the steering angle too small, as well as look at how parallel the steering links get to the rack thru turning. But to know for sure you'll just have to test drive it.

[slimjim]

It looks like the angle between the steering rack and the steering link (is it still called a tie rod end for a rack setup?) is pretty huge. For a steering rack you want about 10 degrees angle, depending on the steering arms and side-to-side movement of the rack, to help with Ackerman angle while turning.

http://image.hotrod.com/f/9021098+w6...lutions%2B.jpg

Depending on how big your angle is, if it's large like it looks to be in your picture then it could make the steering wonky at higher steering angles. Also, steering feel is very sensitive to arm length,and if they're 1" longer than what you had previously, then your steering could get drastically slower with reduced steering angle.. but that all depends on the throw of the rack (which I'm not personally familiar with). I think at this point you really just have to cycle the rack thru its travel and measure your steering angle at the hubs to get an idea if the steering arms will be too long & make the steering angle too small, as well as look at how parallel the steering links get to the rack thru turning. But to know for sure you'll just have to test drive it.

Thanks for your help, nice simple diagram also.
I'll take some measurements and see where I'm at, it certainly increased the angle using these new arms and wasn't even slightly on my mind when trying to overcome the last problem with the unisteer arms..
unfortunately I won't have the luxury of test driving it for some time so it looks like i will hit the books and learn everything I can about Ackerman angle. I'll also have the steering column and steering wheel arrive in a couple days so that should help with the testing. Thanks again

[frojoe]

No worries, I thought I'd chime in since I was just reading up about steering the other day and it was fresh in my mind. If you are into hitting the books, I'd suggest this one..

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Race-...Road+Race+Cars

It is based off of circle track & stock car stuff, but in almost all the aspects of suspension/steering/chassis that he describes, he notes the difference between what he has experimented and found works best for left turns, and how it needs to differ or is the same for pavement road course stuff. There's a very good section about steering. I have a handful of books and I'd say this one goes into the deepest detail with the the best explanations, without going full enginerdy about it and breaking out calculus!

Cheers,
joe

[slimjim]

No worries, I thought I'd chime in since I was just reading up about steering the other day and it was fresh in my mind. If you are into hitting the books, I'd suggest this one..

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Race-...Road+Race+Cars

Cheers,
joe

Ordered.
I'll give it a read, I know I have a lot to learn, especially with suspension Geometry, but it's actually an area I'd enjoy learning more about.
I appreciate the help.
Totally off topic but I just noticed where you're from, I'm flying up to Vancouver tomorrow, no sight-seeing for me however, it's straight to whistler for a week!

[frojoe]

Ordered.
I'll give it a read, I know I have a lot to learn, especially with suspension Geometry, but it's actually an area I'd enjoy learning more about.
I appreciate the help.
Totally off topic but I just noticed where you're from, I'm flying up to Vancouver tomorrow, no sight-seeing for me however, it's straight to whistler for a week!

I'm in the same boat.. I've learned so much about everything else that it's time to buckle down and learn the hardcore suspension design theory, hehe. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and continuing to watch this build.

Awesome! Whistler has a ****load of snow in the forecast.. something like 200cm (78") over the next week... so enjoy all that pow!

[Rag-Rat]

I finally found one, it was not easy to locate.