[CraigG.]

Hey Everybody,

72 GTO with stock front suspension new rebuilt completely with 18 x 5 #180 front springs and adjustable Competition engineering front shocks and double adjustable Competition engineering rear shocks.

Four wheel alignment with Drag racing toe in at eighth inch, Mickey Thompson 10.5W Bias drag slicks, adjustable ladder bar suspension.

The car is getting fast enough and is launching hard enough to pull the wheels pretty well and is running in the 6.30s in the eighth and 1.30s in the 60 foot.

The car is wanting to wander and feel the need to oversteer to keep it going straight down the track once the wheels are down. I'm most uncomfortable with the excessive free play at the steering wheel and how the car wants to wander at speed.

I will get a new steering box and wondered which manual steering box for A body drag racing – 24 to 1 or 16 to 1. Which would be best for controlling wheels stands - when they come down and the car recovers and providing less freeplay and reducing wandering at speed.

Thanks Again, Craig

[MatthewKlein]

Originally Posted by CraigG.

Hey Everybody,

72 GTO with stock front suspension new rebuilt completely with 18 x 5 #180 front springs and adjustable Competition engineering front shocks and double adjustable Competition engineering rear shocks.

Four wheel alignment with Drag racing toe in at eighth inch, Mickey Thompson 10.5W Bias drag slicks, adjustable ladder bar suspension.

The car is getting fast enough and is launching hard enough to pull the wheels pretty well and is running in the 6.30s in the eighth and 1.30s in the 60 foot.

The car is wanting to wander and feel the need to oversteer to keep it going straight down the track once the wheels are down. I'm most uncomfortable with the excessive free play at the steering wheel and how the car wants to wander at speed.

I will get a new steering box and wondered which manual steering box for A body drag racing – 24 to 1 or 16 to 1. Which would be best for controlling wheels stands - when they come down and the car recovers and providing less freeplay and reducing wandering at speed.

Thanks Again, Craig

You might be experiencing bump steer. This video explains it well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFD16A2sRg
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gls-ss-6472gskb

Also, regarding the steering looseness. make sure your rag joint is tight.

[Skip Fix]

What is your caster also? Old factory settings for bias did not use much positive caster. The more positive caster you can get and a slight toe in both make a car wander less.

[CraigG.]

maxed caster with offset shafts and 1/8 inch toe in set when front end was raised "3.

[leeklm]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

What is your caster also? Old factory settings for bias did not use much positive caster. The more positive caster you can get and a slight toe in both make a car wander less.

Good point skip. My Smith arms are putting in something like 7 deg caster. It wants to track straight!!

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[CraigG.]

4.5 caster and 1/8 toe raised at "2 from ride height - I do believe that the bump steer is a thing to look into.

[Skip Fix]

That caster and toe should be good. Look at rag joint and box for sure, as well as shaft as the U joints in shaft especially if a factory can wear. Then on to bump steer.

I know my S10 manual box in the Camaro is real tight on center but then has some slack the more off center you get. Lares said that is normal for those boxes. But is straight at the track.

[CraigG.]

Hey Everybody,
Gentlemen, thank you for all your assistance. My current plan is to put on the Global West steering knuckles kit for mitigating bump steer, getting a new 24 to 1 Saginaw manual steering box and returning to the four wheel alignment for re-check and especially rechecking toe in.
Thanks again, Craig

[Tim Corcoran]

You most likely already know this but there is an adjustment on your gear box that can take the slop out. My 65 A-body had a lot of slop in the steering until I adjusted the play in the gearbox. Your suspension is working pretty good if you're getting 1.30 60's

[AG]

I use a stock manual box in my '68 FB, not sure of the ratio. I use offsets shafts to maximize caster and had a four wheel alignment at a ride height estimated from outside video of the car going down the track. The wheels only come up about a foot but it goes straight down the track and I use very little toe-in, less than a 1/16".