Turning Radius

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moparstud440

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I have a 69 Barracuda and a 75 Duster. The Barracuda feels like it turns like a dump truck compared to the Duster. Whenever making 90 degree turns into driveways/parking lots etc, the Barracuda just seems like it needs more of an arch to achieve. Both cars have manual steering boxes (I know the Barracuda is original to the car, the Duster not sure if it was changed from power steering to manual or not) and suspension parts. The Duster has factory disc brakes and the Barracuda I swapped out the front drum brakes for disc brakes from a diplomat. I did check the Barracuda is turning lock to lock and tires aren't hitting anything. Were their different ratios manual steering boxes from the factory? Just trying to figure out why the Duster turns so much nicer.
 
Gear ratio in the box wouldn't change steering radius, only how much steering wheel rotation is req'd to reach lock to lock. In a recent thread a member posted a pic of his late model disc brake swap. He mounted the calipers to the front and they hit the pre 73 design stabilizer bar. He lost some of his steering radius. I suppose the castings/stops on Diplomat spindles could be different.
 
Front end alignment/ wheel offset/ tires/ tire size.............Are they same engine? (weight)
Are steering wheels same size?

One "easy" thing you might (be able to do) is swap front tires and try again
 
Gear ratio in the box wouldn't change steering radius, only how much steering wheel rotation is req'd to reach lock to lock. In a recent thread a member posted a pic of his late model disc brake swap. He mounted the calipers to the front and they hit the pre 73 design stabilizer bar. He lost some of his steering radius. I suppose the castings/stops on Diplomat spindles could be different.

After I posted I realized that steering ratio would only affect how many turns of the steering wheel, not the actual radius. Car doesn't have a stabilizer bar, but maybe it is the spindle stops?
 
Front end alignment/ wheel offset/ tires/ tire size.............Are they same engine? (weight)
Are steering wheels same size?

One "easy" thing you might (be able to do) is swap front tires and try again

They are kinda different animals. The Barracuda is street car with a 360 and has a 6" wheel and 205/65R15 tire. The Duster is a drag only car so it's a 440 with fenderwell headers that limit front tire size, but I have a 26" tire on it, but only a 3 1/2" wheel. Even with the big block the Duster turns alot easier, but that's due to the smaller width tire I'm sure. It almost has to have something to do with the stops on the Barracuda, because even before I swapped to the disc brakes and ran the factory 9" drums the car never seems to turn overly sharp.
 
If the steering box is worn, as mine was, the wheels will be harder to turn. You’ll also have steering wheel play. I went to Flaming River steering box.
 
maybe the steering wheel and steering box aren't set "straight ahead" in the middle of the boxes travel, and/or the tie rods aren't centered in their adjustment, either.
 
I would make sure the calipers are in the correct orientation and that they are hitting nothing.
 
sounds like an alignment issue with the dump truck / Barracuda. A correct alignment on a car that is not in spec works wonders.
 
Like all above plus, some aftermarket Lower balls joints have a larger protruding section that limits turning, may have to grind a bit off? If this section hits first grind a little at a time and use the LBJ as the instead of jamming the steering box to its limits.
 
Make sure the lower ball joint bolts are turned the right way as the head of these bolts are what hits the steering stops if you put the bolts in backwards they will hit sooner limiting the steering.
 
I have both sides at -.75 degree camber and +2.5 degree caster. Toe in 1/16-1/8"

then we will check that one off. got to be something out of whack, ...the sheet metal is pretty much the same

good luck
Denny
 
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