1970 BB Significant Over Steer
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
1970 BB Significant Over Steer
I had the front end aligned and the rear alignment checked on my 70 BB. Now, it goes down the road straight as an arrow, a pleasure to drive. However, if I go into a sharp turn, either right or left, it really begins to over steer, and the rear really wants to come around. The more I get into the sharp turn, the worse it gets.
This car has the stock suspension, stock springs, stock front and rear sway bars, new gas shocks, new rear spring bushings, and new rear sway bar bushings. I have not replaced the trailing arm bushings yet. The front end alignment is dead on. The rear is as follows:
left camber -.6 degrees
right camber -.7 degrees
left toe -.47 degrees
right toe +.04 degrees
Obviously, the left toe is not correct and is actually toe out and not toe in like it should be. The toe in on the right side is marginal.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Would additional negative camber help? Or, is the toe out on the left and just marginal toe in on the right causing the problem? I owned a 70 BB car 30 years ago, and don't remember it acting this way.
Thanks.
This car has the stock suspension, stock springs, stock front and rear sway bars, new gas shocks, new rear spring bushings, and new rear sway bar bushings. I have not replaced the trailing arm bushings yet. The front end alignment is dead on. The rear is as follows:
left camber -.6 degrees
right camber -.7 degrees
left toe -.47 degrees
right toe +.04 degrees
Obviously, the left toe is not correct and is actually toe out and not toe in like it should be. The toe in on the right side is marginal.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Would additional negative camber help? Or, is the toe out on the left and just marginal toe in on the right causing the problem? I owned a 70 BB car 30 years ago, and don't remember it acting this way.
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,360
Likes: 382
From: Plano TX
If I read your specs right you have a combined toe-out in the rear? If so, then yes, that will make handling treacherous. The C3 needs rear toe in for stability. Start by fixing the rear toe and I think you'll find the car much better to drive.
Why wasn't the toe addressed by the alignment? Stuck shims? Or is the TA bent?
Why wasn't the toe addressed by the alignment? Stuck shims? Or is the TA bent?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
I agree with all you say. The combined toe for the rear listed on the computer print out that the shop gave me shows a total toe of -.43 degrees. This should be a positive number for a total toe in, but since the left has a significant toe out, the total is negative, and as you say, results in a total toe out.
This was not corrected at the time because the nuts and bolts holding the trailing arms are original and appear to have never been apart. Knowing what trouble they can be, I did not want to spend hours and a lot of money in the alignment shop trying to free those nuts and bolts so the shims could be changed. I decided I will work on freeing the trailing arm bolts myself and then once that is done, return to the alignment show for the total rear alignment. Thanks so much for you help.
This was not corrected at the time because the nuts and bolts holding the trailing arms are original and appear to have never been apart. Knowing what trouble they can be, I did not want to spend hours and a lot of money in the alignment shop trying to free those nuts and bolts so the shims could be changed. I decided I will work on freeing the trailing arm bolts myself and then once that is done, return to the alignment show for the total rear alignment. Thanks so much for you help.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
Yes, this is a project car that has not been on the road very long. Since putting it on the road, it has always wanted to steer to the left and has always had significant over steer. The front end alignment corrected the constant drift to the left. It now steers straight, but still has the over steer.
