Hard steering

[IT'S DYNAMITE]

I have 9 Mopar vehicles in my collection but my question is about the '67 Plymouth GTX -426 Hemi that I bought last October 2021. Being in Maine it went into storage right away due to snow already on the ground. I finally had a chance to drive it in April after removing the factory bias redlines and installing radial redlines that I had Diamondback make for me. The car is an automatic and it is a beast with all sorts of torque but if you try to move it around like parking it is very hard to steer ,I guess do to the fact that it is a no power brakes and no power steering car. I was told that in '68 the engines was moved back 1-1/2" and maybe that is why, do to the weight of the Hemi. I can live with the hard steering but not sure if my Rotator Cuffs are going to make it. Also adding to the problem maybe is the fact that I am almost 80 years old. Any thoughts? I don't want to add power steering.

 

[f569]

I have 9 Mopar vehicles in my collection but my question is about the '67 Plymouth GTX -426 Hemi that I bought last October 2021. Being in Maine it went into storage right away due to snow already on the ground. I finally had a chance to drive it in April after removing the factory bias redlines and installing radial redlines that I had Diamondback make for me. The car is an automatic and it is a beast with all sorts of torque but if you try to move it around like parking it is very hard to steer ,I guess do to the fact that it is a no power brakes and no power steering car. I was told that in '68 the engines was moved back 1-1/2" and maybe that is why, do to the weight of the Hemi. I can live with the hard steering but not sure if my Rotator Cuffs are going to make it. Also adding to the problem maybe is the fact that I am almost 80 years old. Any thoughts? I don't want to add power steering.

I'm going to leave the technical advice to the many here who are way more qualified than me but .....
my son left for Maine yesterday. He called me from Saco a few moments ago on his way to Hancock. If you like, I'll volunteer to have him swing by and pick up that troublesome '67 Hemi GTX (with the new redlines) so he can bring it back here for an assessment.
You don't make fruitcake do you?

 

[AR67GTX]

I don‘t think there are any solutions for this other than sticking with fairly narrow section tires and keep the air pressure on the high side. Actually the bias belted tires might have been a bit easier to turn. My 66 Hemi is essentially the same - very heavy to turn at a stop and my garage requires a 3-point entry or exit.

I sent my brother a video of a drive in my 66 Hemi taken from the inside looking over my shoulder. He replied that he thought I said it had very hard steering but from the video he said it looked like it was turning pretty easy or I was a lot stronger than he thought. I told him I wasn’t a lot stronger, I had just learned from driving manual steering cars over the years, to not try and turn the wheel until I first started rolling, and everything works pretty well then.

I have a friend with a 69 Hemi Roadrunner, manual steering. It’s a beast too and I don’t think any easier to crank the wheels. Not sure that there was a change in the engine position - not that much difference in the K member or unit body framing. I may be wrong.

 

[Don Frelier]

Make sure everything is greased.
It makes a difference.

 

[IT'S DYNAMITE]

Thanks to all for your concerns about the steering. I think the radials are a little easier as far as the steering and yes if you are moving only slightly it is easier to steer. I have a '64 Plymouth Belvedere wagon with the 426 max-wedge engine which is a former IHRA & NHRA National record holder in B/SA and that steers like a dream. Even though a "B"body it is not comparing apples to oranges due to the weight difference between the Max and the Hemi and in general the way the body is constructed.
I agree with ARGTX as I also have to make a 3 point turn in and out of my garage and I keep the pressure at 35.
Thanks to f569 for the offer to have your son pick up the car in order to evaluate it and "NO' I do not make fruit cakes. I have to tell you something funny. Last Sunday I went to a car show in Augusta. My car has the original window sticker still on it and it shows a total list price of $3996.70 and I had 3 offers for $5000.00 but I turned them all down and told them it has a steering problem ...LOL.
I have to end by saying that I hesitate to use it sometimes because all the other cars (except the Max Wedge wagon ) have power steering so I kind of walk past it and pick one of the others to drive. I don't have Antique plates on the cars and go through inspection like all the normal people In the past 28 years the GTX has only had 980 miles put on it.
Don Frelier you are my kind of person with a full disclosure on the Australian Shepard mix dog.

 

[Budnicks]

I had just learned from driving manual steering cars over the years, to not try and turn the wheel until I first started rolling, and everything works pretty well then.

Not sure that there was a change in the engine position - not that much difference in the K member or unit body framing.

exactly

 

[AR67GTX]

It could be that someone put one of those new 16:1 steering boxes in it and removed the 24:1 box. I’m not sure you can tell just from outward appearances. They have been out awhile now. Might be something to check by putting the car up on Jack stands and seeing how many turns it takes from lock to lock and report back.