Road Runner pulls to the right

[roadrunnerh]

Hello my Mopar Brethren!
My '68 RR pulls to the right fairly hard. Crusin' at 60-70 mph, she will get into the right lane real quick when I let go of the wheel. I switched front wheels, still does it. It happens not just when I brake, but always. Any advice on what to check? I jacked up the front end and the wheels do not have play. So ball joints are ok?
Help!

 

[cudajunction]

Maybe you need alignment?

 

[roadrunnerh]

i thought about that, but wonder about where to take her? I don't want some 25 yr old kid doing an alignment on my car.

 

[PRND21]

I'd recommend an alignment first, a good tech will tell you if you need an idler arm or control arm bushings or whatever. I know that this is too far from you, but if you're in central In. Bruce at Precision Alignment in Middletown In. has been at it for 40+ years. None better that I know of.

 

[Darthomas]

Many considerations.
Does it run true straight when the wheel is held straight?
Did you bang the driver side into a pothole?
Was this "suddenly"?
Check for broken strut rod bushings.
The driver side wheel, having less likelihood to collect slop in positioning, leads the directional response.
For the passenger side to make the car pull right, you'd have to have it 'way toe-ed in on the pass side, but then you'd already be complaining about scary understeer in the rain first, and weird bump steer transitions.
Look for slop in the idler arm but I don't expect you have a problem there.

Assuming the wheels have correct camber, which anyone should be able to see by eye, we can look for slop or what is described as steady heavy pull.
That is, are the wheels pretty damn vertical?
Then if we are pulling to the right, we must consider the driver side wheel is aimed outward left too far, and seeking least resistance in rolling, turns right.
At this point, the pass side pulls the whole assembly to the right.
I would first adjust the driver side tie rod adjuster 1 full turn to make that side toe in more. Then see if the tendency has changed.

You really can learn to align it all yourself if you think about the forces at work and use your eyes like a micrometer, which isn't hard.....it's like seeing if something is sitting square relative to other things.

 

[Darthomas]

Hello my Mopar Brethren!
My '68 RR pulls to the right fairly hard. Crusin' at 60-70 mph, she will get into the right lane real quick when I let go of the wheel. I switched front wheels, still does it. It happens not just when I brake, but always. Any advice on what to check? I jacked up the front end and the wheels do not have play. So ball joints are ok?
Help!

Back to original post, you won't be able to feel ball joint play fully if the suspension is fully dropped. It needs to be suspended in the working range. But don't worry even if your suspension has more slop than a horse- wagon, I can tell you how to make it track true.

 

[PaveFE]

Hello my Mopar Brethren!
My '68 RR pulls to the right fairly hard. Crusin' at 60-70 mph, she will get into the right lane real quick when I let go of the wheel. I switched front wheels, still does it. It happens not just when I brake, but always. Any advice on what to check? I jacked up the front end and the wheels do not have play. So ball joints are ok?
Help!

I had the same problem on my 70 RR and went thru the litany of checking tires, suspension, sticky brakes... then I noticed when I had the car (stopped) and running at idle, every time I gave is some gas the steering wheel would move. It turned out to be an adjustment on my power steering. Problem fixed.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I had the same problem on my 70 RR and went thru the litany of checking tires, suspension, sticky brakes... then I noticed when I had the car (stopped) and running at idle, every time I gave is some gas the steering wheel would move. It turned out to be an adjustment on my power steering pump. Problem fixed.

That's great info and I've never heard of that. Can you share with us where and what exactly on the pump was adjusted?

 

[oldbee]

If you go for alignment make sure the guy knows that frt. suspension height has to be adjusted first. I asked my choice if he knew that & he said yes, did a beautiful job. He was in his 50's.

 

[MarPar]

If you go for alignment make sure the guy knows that frt. suspension height has to be adjusted first. I asked my choice if he knew that & he said yes, did a beautiful job. He was in his 50's.

meaning how high to adjust the torsion bars first?

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Ask around to see who can do an alignment. I found a Firestone in Chicago and got a "lifetime alignment" for $140 which has already paid for itself (1-time = $75). You just have to make sure that the mechanic will be doing more than just adjusting the "toe" at the tie rods. The "caster" (& I think "camber" too) are adjusted with the offset washers on the upper control arm bolts. It's a simple system, but I've found several younger mechanics who have no idea how to adjust them. Just ask if they know how to adjust those and also ask for a printout of your alignment specifications.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

meaning how high to adjust the torsion bars first?

Yes. Moving up/down 2" on a torsion bar changes the alignment (per old Direct Connection book). I think there's a factory service manual specification where you measure the distance from the bottom of the lower ball joint to the ground (smooth garage floor) or something like that. The main thing is make sure you're front end height (torsion bar bolts) is where you want it before the alignment.

 

[oldbee]

Yup on torsion bars. I also took align specs written down to the tech,including height-1-7/8" plus or minus 1/8". He asked me if I measured beforehand,told him I eyeballed only; he said I only off about 1/4"..

 

[PaveFE]

You adjust the valve body. Loosen the fasteners and slide the valve body forward or aft (I don't recall if sliding forward turns the wheel right, back left).. Trial and error. I know it takes only a slight adjustment for the change.

http://vintage.mitchell1.com/PClubData/chassis/dch73/V2D7311038.pdf

 

[mr. b]

there is a place here in Jeannette Dans auto he has been doing mopars for 40 years I will not go anywhere else to have my mopars done he did my barracuda 10 years ago and still doesn't wear out tires he did my 63 also doesn't wear out tires they go straight as a arrow

 

[Dako]

You adjust the valve body. Loosen the fasteners and slide the valve body forward or aft (I don't recall if sliding forward turns the wheel right, back left).. Trial and error. I know it takes only a slight adjustment for the change.

http://vintage.mitchell1.com/PClubData/chassis/dch73/V2D7311038.pdf

Before doing this, put the front on stands and start the car. If the power steering valve body needs adjustment, the wheels will travel on their own as soon as the car is started. If the steering wheel stays centered, the valve is adjusted properly.

 

[WileE]

If you go for alignment make sure the guy knows that frt. suspension height has to be adjusted first. I asked my choice if he knew that & he said yes, did a beautiful job. He was in his 50's.

Thank you, your are spot on ! I said this once on another site & the genius there said I didn't know what I was talking about, you can adjust the ride height anyway you want. I guess I did these alignments wrong 45 years ago...

 

[WileE]

To the OP... also check if your brakes are grabbing (shoes on drums, stuck caliper on disc) on the pulling side

 

[roadrunnerh]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I checked the brakes, no issue there. I do notice the tops of the front wheels are in further toward the engine than the bottoms - Negative Camber?

A couple years back I installed 15x7" magnums, previously, I had stock 14"s all the way around.
The front was jacked up with the wheels hanging free when I tried to move the wheels up and down and side to side.

 

[WileE]

If you can see too much neg camber, it is. The original specs are for stock suspension w/ bias tires. I personally prefer stock height (1 7/8 ), 1/2 - 1 deg neg camber, as much pos caster possible, 1/8" toe-in.