Alignment
 

Hi Barners, I have an alignment question. When I turn the steering wheel to the left all the way to lock, I have about an inch or so before the 17” wheel I’m running touches the brake rod. If I turn the wheel to the right, it hits the brake rod before it gets to lock. Is this an alignment issue or suspension/ steering problem like something bent or incorrectly installed? Thanks!

Re: Alignment
 

Look at the "stops" on the front axle. Are they the same length??
Paul in CT

Re: Alignment
 

Probably the 17 inch wheels may have something to do with it,I had 16 inch wheels on a 30 Coupe and they would rub on extreme turns.

Re: Alignment
 

Could also be wear on steering balls,about the only alignment that can be adjusted is the tie rod ends every thing else is a bending operation.

Re: Alignment
 

Almost forgot how good are the kingpins can get a lot of play out of them if bushing are worn often don’t get changed as required reaming . Often people aren’t familiar with them so they get ignored.

Re: Alignment
 

I have a little play in the front end, I already adjusted the toe, the wheels are straight. It just seems it turns further to the right than the left.

Re: Alignment
 

It may depend on the steering box and the pitman arm. You could try a shorter pitman arm which would also make the steering easier.

Re: Alignment
 

More than likely it's a steering box adjustment. Probably hitting because your wheels are wider than the stock ones.

Regards
Bill

Re: Alignment
 

Steering box probably not centered. With the drag link disconnected count the turns from lock to lock , Exactly half way is center . If the wheels are not straight ahead when the box is centered something is bent. Probably the steering arm on the left spindle.
Bill

Re: Alignment
 

It could also be the length of the drag link. Do the test that BB describes above then somehow adjust the length of the drag link to have the front wheels straight ahead. I still like the idea of reducing the length of the pitman arm.

Re: Alignment
 

There could be a chance that the steering box was set up wrong. Most folks check this stuff pretty well when doing a steering gear repair. If the sector is off by one tooth, it would severely limit steering to one side or the other depending on how it was set up.

This may not affect model A cars but the end of the sector shaft generally has a master spline on later cars so that the pitman arm will only go on in one place. I've seen folks file on the master spine so they can put in on in any location. This can cause the same type problem. When the steering shaft is centered, the key way or master spline should be in it's steering centered location and the pitman arm should also be in its centered location. The same thing can happen with steering wheels that have a master spline. I haven't messed with an early model A that has a splined type steering wheel. If it has no master spline then it could be put on off center. It may be hard to tell on a Ford 7-tooth steering box.

Re: Alignment
 

That's what I was thinking...
Do the toe-in adjustment with the steering wheel centered and held in place with something. If the steering wheel is not held in place during a toe-in adjustment, the steering can become off one way or the other due to the adjustment having become unequal from center. Use the "string toe-in method" for centering accuracy.

Re: Alignment
 

Thanks for the great advice everyone!

Re: Alignment
 

It would think it is NOT the steering box adjustment. If you have your steering stop tall acorn nut style on the backside of the spindle lock pins that is the stop for the spindle and steering limit. Make sure the lock washers are present as well. Other things that can and are most likely the issue are
the fatter profile tires
Brake rod return spring alignment at the bracket ( may be bowed outward)
Potentially very worn and or bent steering arms at the spindles

The steering box itself is capable of the lock to lock and should be approximately centered in a 2 tooth at 1.5 turns at the wheel.
The steering box can’t cause it to go anymore if the tall steering stop nuts are present. Make sure they have lock washers on them .

If you have a steering box centering issues that is a separate issue at this point…. In my opinion. Remove the steering arm (pitman arm) at the sector shaft and do step through all steering box adjustments in order to get your proper adjustment in the box. Worn components in the box will not give you a zero lash at center steer now matter what.

Larry Shepard

Re: Alignment
 

I have been using a toe in bar for years.

Kawa (12) brought up the string method. For those that have used both methods, how would you compare the two?

I have been watching a lot of string videos and one advantage I see is that you do not have to roll the car backwards and forwards.

Re: Alignment
 

When checking/adjusting toe-in I don't roll the car back and forth. I just push the fronts of the wheels apart as that's where they tend to go when one is going down the road.

Re: Alignment
 

If you have a car that has a non-centered steering issue, the string method can sort that out by referencing the wheels position with respect to a held-center steering wheel. My own experience using both the bar and the string methods taught me that the string method tends to be more consistently accurate than a moving bar.

Re: Alignment
 

Is there instruction's for the string method? I would think that using string vs a hard object such as a bar or stick would be less accurate due to string tension differences. I just spent a grand on 5 tires, tubes and wheel bands so I'd like to align the front end.

Regards
Bill

Re: Alignment
 

https://speed.academy/diy-wheel-alig...e-explained/2/


I used the string method to align my nearly completed '41 Ford hot rod, all new modern steering parts with no previous adjustment at all, and it worked great.

Re: Alignment
 

This sounds like a good place to start. Just sayin' :)