Steering Box Location...

[Screaming Metal]

Yea VB....I'm like a zomie off one of these cheap horror shows from the 70's! Ha! Without coffee, about all I can dois manage a grunt every-once-in-a-while.

LKE, on your dads car steering....I see you went thru the frame. I was trying to cant the steering column at a greater angle for more comfort when I drive it.

One of the reasons why I was wondering about all the options...is on a tight turn to the left...won't the tire get into the steering rod with the rugular boxes? Or is there enough arm on the spindles to get by that?

 

[PotvinGuy]

Wow, I started something! Let's see...no, I don't run shocks, and it's fine around town and on the freeways. I did take a very bad country road once (think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride) and there was plenty of bouncing. So plan for your situation.

Bumpsteer: there is a little, since the axle and the tie rods move in slightly different arcs, but it rarely is noticeable and never has been a problem. I do run a Panhard rod (part of the Speedway assembly), which is required (I tried it without it and wobbled like a cartoon car). And I've pondered splitting the axle (see Fatman's vintage IFS) or trying a Mumford linkage (Google it), just to fool around.

Toe change: I expect there is some, but it doesn't reveal itself in driving and my first tires lasted 15 years with normal wear patterns.

I would like to add a steering damper, since the R&P gives excellent road feel, which is nice except when you hit a bump and the steering wheel kicks. I'm looking at dampers, haven't found the perfect one yet. It needs to be very sexy or invisible. I did hook up a SoCal damper and noticed an improvement in jerk control, but it was ugly and I took it off.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Well PG....believe I'm gonna go R&P, smaller, more road feel, will have a cleaner look....wanted to have all the info before I go slicin' and dicin'....

I'll think and look and think and look.... for a few days, maybe a week....then all of a sudden theres this mad insanity I go into and I'll have something craved, cut, machined and welded up. But I like to do the homework first.

Thanks guys for all the info....it really helps....if ya'll think of something else...lets hear it! oh, by the way...since we're on the subject of steering here...what type or size of TRE's are ya running?

 

[PotvinGuy]

Screaming, I just added some detail pics of my front end:

http://picasaweb.google.com/tbucket.smith/Potvinguy#

The crossmember and perch are formed of 1/4" steel. The crossmember is open on the bottom for access to the R&P, which just bolts in. The "ends" of the crossmember are open, and the R&P boots just stick out.

 

[Screaming Metal]

PG, thanks a bunch! I downloaded some to study...and I really appreciate it dude! Your frontend fabrication is fantastic!!!! Is the Potvin blower your new setup or old? Those have always been cool looking....especially in the sleepers they sometimes put them in.... Ha!

 

[gotmark73]

Some guys with the midgets were running racks, Stilletto I think. They swore by the rack, easier to steer and small, the better system seemed to be mounted on the frame with a drag link. But you have to remember it is a single seat car with a 4cyl in front of the driver so steering linkage had to go down and be offset. Some guys with VW motors had the room above to run a steering shaft to a rack that was mounted to the solid tube axle with u-bolts. I am going Vega box in a trad style because I have a spirit chassis and that is how it's set up.

 

[PotvinGuy]

SM, the Potvin/EFI was the original setup when we built the car. Later I got the B&M blower/carb setup and ran it for a while. I've been swapping them every few years. The B&M is more streetable, but the Potvin makes people crazy, so I keep putting it back on. One payoff to designing and building your ride is having people go "what the heck?" and "OhMyGod!"

Tires: Hoosier Pro-Street radials, 31x16.50R17 and 24x7.50R15. Great ride, nice pattern, way better handling than the bias-plies I used to run.

 

[putz]

Hey Screaming where are you at? I could have used coffee this morning we had 13 degrees.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Hey Screaming where are you at? I could have used coffee this morning we had 13 degrees.

Hey Putz....got my butt backed up to my woodburning heater here....sippig coffee....eyeing another donut! Hee-Hee!!! I might have to put overloads on the rear of this T before its over with!!!

 

[fordsbyjay]

I am just curious as to how many other people use a spacer like that. My TP car had one in there longer than that and it would flex like crazy when you moved the steering wheel back and forth.

 

[LKE]

I am just curious as to how many other people use a spacer like that. My TP car had one in there longer than that and it would flex like crazy when you moved the steering wheel back and forth.

That spacer looks long in the picture, but is only about 3/4" long. My last car was like that too, and i never noticed any flex. I dont know if it makes a difference, but i thread the arm, so the bolt tightens into the arm, with a jam nut on the back. So the only flex would be what ever that 5/8" bolt would flex.