1930 model a wondering on road

Hello , I just picked up a 1930 ford model a . It's got 4 inch drop axle , chevy spindles , corvair reversed steering box . Tie rods , kingpins etc are all tight . Car has some play in steering still and tends to wonder some that you have counter steer .
Any suggestions please

 

tighten up all steering slack and add a bit more caster

 

Make sure your steering box has a solid mount. Mine had some flex to it and did the same thing.

 

First, Check tire press. Then jack it up and grease all Zert fittings. You will be surprised what the effect is from lack of lube. Second, be aware that all beam axle cars will have a little wanderitus. It's just there nature but you don't want it to be excessive.
The Wizzard

 

Mine has never had "wanderitis".. Is it "catching"???

 

What is it wondering about? Maybe it's anxiety. Try talking it out and see where that takes you.

 

Bias or radial tires? Bias tend to wonder and follow road irregularities. + 1 on jack it up and lubing things.

 

Mine doesnt suffer "wanderitus" mine drives like its on rails, heck i dont even feel much feed back thru the wheel

check any play in box,and rod ends or king pins, then
check alignment,& caster..

 

I went wandering around through some back roads today. cleared some cobwebs out of my brain. it's good for the soul to get out of suburbia sometimes.

 

Bias tires

 

Oh, mercy! A neurotic Model A. Well, with all those inferior chiverlay parts, who could blame it?

 

are the king pins too tight? disconnect the tie rod and drag link and see if the each wheel moves easily.

 

It's amazing how much "wander" can come from BIAS tires, especially if you've been used to driving on radials for any length of time. Proved that to myself many years ago when I replaced a set of BIAS with radials on a '65 Vette. Thought I had gone to heaven. DD

 

Ok I'm gonna try the above suggestions and see what happens. I'll post results

 

Ravenwood is probably right. Take those chevy parts off and replace with Ford or Dodge pieces as they seem to play well together. Maybe a Model A wisperer! Your a good sport Honlude. Good luck with the suggestions as they are all very good cures!

 

Well I adjusted all the slop out of the steering box, and found that the drag link end at pitman arm had back off loose , thankfully the cotter pin was still inthere
I haven't driven yet but seems 1000 times better . No need for me to takecar to a shrink to talk about it's problems

 

Well I adjusted all the slop out of the steering box, and found that the drag link end at pitman arm had back off loose , thankfully the cotter pin was still inthere
I haven't driven yet but seems 1000 times better . No need for me to takecar to a shrink to talk about it's problems

 

My '31 Model A had the same thing with bias ply tires. I got use to it after about a week, but I had ordered Coker radials, once I changed, the car tracked straight and true.

 

one thing that may help you after all the good suggestions you just got have been checked out, is a steering dampner from pete and jake, put one on my deuce for under a hundred, and made a hell of a diff. something to think about.

 

Steering box adjustments should only be made with the drag link or pitman arm disconnected from the sector shaft.

 

...and in case you don't know...the box is adjusted with it centered in its rotation. It's tighter there to allow for minor wear.
tighten it up PAST the center somewhere and it will be too tight on center and may actually break internal parts.

 

Would a panhard bar help to reduce some of the "shimmies"?