'59 Ford F100 horrible handling problems!

I purchased a 3 inch dropped tube axle from Speedway, after installation noticed that camber looked to be 2 deg neg left and right. Talked to SW tec support, said it was a radial enhanced axle. Its going to wear the **** out of front tires. Ill have to have the axle bent to correct that problem. As for your problem it sounds like a combination of problems, bias ply tires, stock tierod, (heavy duty after market available) drag link alignment issues, possible caster and toe adjustment.

 

Yup. If the steering arm has not been bent to put the drag link back at level, at loaded ride height, then there is little point is chasing other possible issues.

This is a '55 Chevy, but you get the idea.

Dropped, but arm not corrected:
http://www.cl***ictrucks.com/tech/0...ance_products_dropped_axle_kit/photo_22.html#


Arm corrected, note the difference in the drag link:
http://www.cl***ictrucks.com/tech/0...ance_products_dropped_axle_kit/photo_28.html#

 

Thank you all for your help! I don't know toe-in setting--my pal aligned it to stock spec first and then I asked him to increase toe-in slightly and I lowered tire air pressure to 24 lbs which helped some.

I can't take/post pics. Dunno how to post to the site and the truck is driving so bad I left it at my pal's shop where it will sit until I trailer it to another friend's shop who has a frame machine. There is where we'll figure this mess out.

Good input from all. I really appreciate it.

M

 

The drag link level issue expresses itself as severe bump-steer. As you have gathered, it is indeed dangerous.

 

You just need a tape measure to set the toe in,,jack the axle up off the floor so you can spin the front tires and grab a rattle can,a light color preferably white and spray the center of the tread.

Then take a 2X4 and drive a 16 penny nail all the way through the wood,place it on the floor positioned where it just touches the center of the tire and spin..it will cut a small line in the paint,move to the other side and repeat.

Drop the truck back on the floor and you will have a fairly accurate center line to measure from,,both from the front and back.

The point has been argued many times but I usually go with a 1/8" toe in but I have set a 3/16" on some cars/

Get a friend on one side of the truck and measure as close to the center of the tire tread as possible in the back and write that down,,do the same on the tread on the front of that tire,,write that down and start adjusting until you reach the suggested toe in.

If you can't adjust the the toe in you definitely have something wrong. HRP

 

Look into Jag XJ6 or XJS IFS swaps...unless you want to keep it pure.

 

I was just thinking that!

 

Id Ditch the drop axel. I know it's not traditional but a jag sub swap is easy and cheap to do. They are stronger than mustang 2 and you gain rear rack in pinion, disc brakes, coil springs, and it drops it quite a bit and still drives and handles nice.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

If you have already bent the steering arm parallel to the frame the last two things that could fix this is a steering stabilizer

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1489241,parttype,7412

And get radial tires. I had the same problem. First I bent the arm and it helped some. Then added the stabilizer and it helped a lot but still jumped around here and there. Changed the bias tires to radios and it drives perfect!!!

 

A drop axle on these trucks also requires tie rod end drops. SW has them and so does SIDS. These should help. Sid is also a wealth of knowledge.


From my teletype.