How much is too much?

[ivoryjohn]

Using the fix everything until it ain't broke no more approach to the "fix the shimmy game," seems to be the recommended method. I started with a cupped shim washer in my wishbone ball, moved on to a shortened pitman arm followed by a properly adjusted and repaired steering gearbox. Next I figured the steering arms needed a new set of balls.

Of the things that I have so far repaired only the old pitman arm has actually shown any significant wear. The steering box only needed new shaft threads and all else was in good shape so says my steering guru. I am having him replace the sector bushings anyway.

When I pulled the steering arms and took off the tie rod and steering rod the balls looked good. They showed some wear but to the naked eye don't look out of round. I have to get batteries for my gauge to tell exactly how much the steering arm balls are out of round but am leaning toward putting them back together as they are. I would be real surprised if there is as much as a 1/16 wear on any one of the balls.

[B]How much is too much wear? Surely some wear is to be expected and won't cause the front end to do this if the balls are less than perfect.[/B]

[Mike]

John,
look at these items for possible front end shimmy
loose steering column to frame
loose king pins
worn or loose spring shackles
most common one is loose and or worn spring perch nut

[johnbuckley]

Why are you redoing the steering? Part of a full rebuild or was there a steering problem? Add to Mike's list above of shimmy inducing items ....insufficient presssure from any one ( or more) of the springs on tie rods or drag link , and..... out of round balls. As a rule of thumb if the balls look OK they probably are OK. As you're probably gathering any one or more part of the steering system that is not up to good standard can induce shimmy.

[ivoryjohn]

This car is one I bought 15 years ago partially disassembled too be restored or partially reassembled from a restoration. I never could figure it out which. I believe what I have is a very low mileage car the previous owner had taken apart to repaint and reupholster. The reason I say this is I didn't get much information from the car salesman I bought it from that needed quick money but from the evidence I found as I went along.

The rear floor pan of the Fordoor was perfect and there was no rust or body damage anywhere on the car...ever. It was completely original but partially apart and in boxes.There are still Ford stencil part numbers on the bottom leaf of the front and rear springs. It was one of those, "he bought it from the guy that knew the fellow," kind of deals.

I finished the restoration with paint and interior and ended up having to sell it 14 years ago. Three months ago I bought it back for a guy that had most of the shade tree mechanics in this part of the state work on the car for him. He would get it going and let it sit until he had to pay to get it going again. Apparently each screwed up something else. I can't fault the guys because I have joined their humble ranks and chased one problem after another from backfires to playing steering chicken with oncoming pickups. I've put on a new distributor, exhaust and intake manifold, alternator, timing gear and am redoing the front end etc.

My car had a gut rattling shimmy when I applied the brakes or applied the brakes and hit a small hole. It got marginally better with each solution I applied. Secondly I made hard steering with a lot of play much worse when I tried to adjust the steering myself and didn't get it right. Although I got rid of some of the stiffness I still had a considerable amount play and the car hunted down the road like an English Setter much to the surprise of oncoming traffic and myself.

I figured to eliminate the problem or problems while the car was out of commission waiting on the steering to be rebuilt. I have added the cupped washer shim, put on a new shortened pitman arm, am having the steering box fixed and properly adjusted and was going to redo the steering balls if needed. This posting is the first I have heard of a spring perch being possibly part of the problem.

As you may suspect I am having a ball of a good time and enjoy being involved in something other than watching my grass grow. It is now time to wrap up my fix-it stage and get some summer miles on the car.

[Lawrie]

I fixed the shimmy on my 28 pickup by fitting new tyres and tubes.Lawrie

[Louis]

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Ivoryjohn,
This was discussed on page 12 under [Frt. end wobble.]
A lot of good advice.