Steers like Crap
Here are some pictures as an example of the kind of things to look for with the K frame. As usual I started taking pictures after I had already started fixing stuff so the cracks aren't as obvious as they could have been, but the red arrows all indicate the ends of cracks. On this K more than 50% of the welds holding the steering box mount, and the bracket itself, were cracked.
This was the worst. I already had clamped and tacked it, but the entire mount between the arrows was broken free. When the wheels were turned this section would lift up and the gap would be like a 1/4" between the mount and the K frame.
The end of the steering box mount and engine mount. Again, cracked between the arrows.
This one is easier to see. The whole steering box bracket was cracked all the way through.
Close up showing it's actually displaced.
The factory welds were piss poor, but with the car at a stand still it was a great demonstration of how much force dry steering puts on the components. The whole steering box was flexing back and forth, pulling the mount off the K by a good 1/4", when the steering wheel was being turned before the wheels even moved. That was with 225/60/15's on the car. It takes a lot of force to dry steer 275's, it will wear stuff out in no time at all.
Here are some pictures as an example of the kind of things to look for with the K frame. As usual I started taking pictures after I had already started fixing stuff so the cracks aren't as obvious as they could have been, but the red arrows all indicate the ends of cracks. On this K more than 50% of the welds holding the steering box mount, and the bracket itself, were cracked.
This was the worst. I already had clamped and tacked it, but the entire mount between the arrows was broken free. When the wheels were turned this section would lift up and the gap would be like a 1/4" between the mount and the K frame.
The end of the steering box mount and engine mount. Again, cracked between the arrows.
This one is easier to see. The whole steering box bracket was cracked all the way through.
Close up showing it's actually displaced.
The factory welds were piss poor, but with the car at a stand still it was a great demonstration of how much force dry steering puts on the components. The whole steering box was flexing back and forth, pulling the mount off the K by a good 1/4", when the steering wheel was being turned before the wheels even moved. That was with 225/60/15's on the car. It takes a lot of force to dry steer 275's, it will wear stuff out in no time at all.
