a rough ride
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 115
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From: clarksdale mississippi
a rough ride
my 77 is like riding a wagon. i have noticed lately with the lovely streets here where i live that this car could get away from you real easy. if i hit some bumps the front end wants to dart like running over washboards on a gravel road. what could cause this or is this normal.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Middletown Connecticut
Cruise-In IV Veteran
My father told me this a few years ago..
"no matter how much money you sink into it, it's still gunna ride like a 30 year old chevy"
granted, there are some sweet suspension setups out there for our cars but, on stock (ish) setups, thats pretty much normal. (riding like a wagon at least)
check out your ball joints, idler/pitman arms and your tie rod ends. if those are worn the car wont ride/handle worth a crap.
"no matter how much money you sink into it, it's still gunna ride like a 30 year old chevy"
granted, there are some sweet suspension setups out there for our cars but, on stock (ish) setups, thats pretty much normal. (riding like a wagon at least)
check out your ball joints, idler/pitman arms and your tie rod ends. if those are worn the car wont ride/handle worth a crap.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 115
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From: clarksdale mississippi
corz guess your right all of those parts you listed have been replaced. maybe i am still not used to it. i did a little work on it yesterday a drove it for a while, went and got in my truck and hit the brakes and it about threw me into the window.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by Corz
My father told me this a few years ago..
"no matter how much money you sink into it, it's still gunna ride like a 30 year old chevy"
granted, there are some sweet suspension setups out there for our cars but, on stock (ish) setups, thats pretty much normal. (riding like a wagon at least)
check out your ball joints, idler/pitman arms and your tie rod ends. if those are worn the car wont ride/handle worth a crap.
"no matter how much money you sink into it, it's still gunna ride like a 30 year old chevy"
granted, there are some sweet suspension setups out there for our cars but, on stock (ish) setups, thats pretty much normal. (riding like a wagon at least)
check out your ball joints, idler/pitman arms and your tie rod ends. if those are worn the car wont ride/handle worth a crap.
The wize and sage Corz speaks truth
,mine goes where i point it and handles nice in the turns ( took it to WGI) but still needs a few things up front
But you do have to watch the old boy, while it goes straight down the road, only a few seconds of distraction and he will go his own way for sure
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by Buggs
Would the Steeroids rack and pinion power rack help this problem? Even freshly rebuilt, there is a lot of play in the old setups.
cheers
tim
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by cab
i guess i didnt make it clear. it drives straight its went i hit a bump or bumps in the road the front it will dart one way or the other.
Ahhh well I have a steering damper installed on mine from the factory takes most of that out
you say you have replaces ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends, pitman arms and such already?
do you have man or Pwr steering? and what size tires are you running
tim
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: clarksdale mississippi
yea sweet i have replaced all that it is pw steering tire size you got me on that. but when i hit bumps it reminds me of driving my truck on a gravel road what we call washboards and it feels as if it is getting sideways. if that makes sense.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
Originally Posted by cab
yea sweet i have replaced all that it is pw steering tire size you got me on that. but when i hit bumps it reminds me of driving my truck on a gravel road what we call washboards and it feels as if it is getting sideways. if that makes sense.
some have called our cars 4 wheel drive because of how the TA's will move up and down as well as side to side.
Worn rear suspesnion components can aslo cause the behavior you describe, TA bushins, strut rods and shock out back. Not that you dont know this but how is the back half looking?
Just a though on tires,
how old and how worn? how long have they sat with no driving ?
Last edited by sweethence; May 19, 2006 at 11:32 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 115
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From: clarksdale mississippi
sweet tire size is 235 60 15 they are a couple years old with maybe 2000 miles on them. i guess i will put it on the rack and check the rear good. thanks all have a good one.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,560
Likes: 5
From: the land of a never ending frame-off resto-mod. May Visa have mercy on my soul.
2 things that can really affect handling are tires and shocks. the belts in tires start to breakdown after 20 to 30k miles. Shocks also lose their dampening ability after 30k miles. Age is a major factor because you are also unable to see the problem. These are two of the components of steering and suspension but also some of the less expensive to repair/replace. Take this into consideration.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
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From: Minnesota
IMO our 1950s steering technology is largely to blame. I replaced every moving part front and rear on the suspension and steering and still get some jumping around over the really rough stuff. Steeroids will be my next upgrade as soon as I scrounge up the clams.
