Suggestions for increased caster angle.

[SShep71]

Salt racer, You made a good point as to the effect changing the steering arm would have concerning stresses on the rest of the steering components. However when I was originally contemplating the swap I was thinking along the lines an increased arc circle as per the swing of the new arm in relation to the original arm would exxagerate any binding of the steering components. Do you think that is correct? Dennis68 and yourself have got the gears turning once again, and I am starting to think more about it. If I was to do any swap of some sort, I would start at the box/pitman arm and design moving outward toward the spindles.

Thank You
-Shep

[Salt Racer]

...when I was originally contemplating the swap I was thinking along the lines an increased arc circle as per the swing of the new arm in relation to the original arm would exxagerate any binding of the steering components. Do you think that is correct?...

Yes, bind certainly becomes an issue especially if you run HD rod ends but that's what misalignment bushings are made for. Typically bind won't be an issue with OE style tie rods because of their much greater range of angular misalignment than rod ends. If you make such drastic changes that OE style tie rods bind, you probably should worry about other stuff.


If you have a running car, try swapping in a box w/ quicker ratio first. A 12.7:1 box in A/G-body feels quite quick, and is more than sufficient for occasional track use. Depending on the PS pump you have, spool valve torsion bar in the range of 0.210 ~ 0.240" diameter gives you nice steering feel for street. I have 0.235" t-bar with 1250psi TC style pump. It needs two hands to turn smoothly in parking lot, but feels really nice on highway and track.


Dennis,
Thanks (it's nowhere near nice, acutally). There are quite few Comanches up here. I got mine in NorCal last year. It was cheap, has 4.0L, short box (shorter WB), Dana44 rear axle and 5sp stick - just what I was looking for.