kkritsilas
Well-Known Member
Bruce:
You need to make some measurements as per the Allpar article on ride height. See if the ride height can be set properly as a start. As the Allpar article says, you set the ride height first, then you adjust for camber, caster, and toe. Quoting from the same article:
"Ride height is absolutely critical to a Mopar’s ability to handle high speeds, as well as the equally important ability to stop in a straight line. Our fleet records indicated that the sagging occurred in direct proportion to the use (or abuse) of the unit. Those used in urban settings, jumping medians, smacking curbs, and running over potholes, sagged quickly. Units posted to the country, where there were wide open roads, few curbs, and no medians, tended to stay aligned for several oil changes. " (Emphasis is mine, it is not in the original article).
From the description alone, it would appear that an improper ride height could display the same issues that you are haing a problem with (ie. high speed handling). The article also describes what to do about it. Note that your tire diameter may have an ifluence on the 12" measurement called out in the article.
If you should have a bent K frame, and you don't really know how the car was used (or abused), you can get reinforced K frames from Firm Feel. With the mileage on your car, though, I can't see this being the problem/ My blue 1982 Nirada has 216,000 Km and handles fairly fine (it feels loose, but not scary to drive, and it is loose because it needs ball joints, and bushings),
Kostas
You need to make some measurements as per the Allpar article on ride height. See if the ride height can be set properly as a start. As the Allpar article says, you set the ride height first, then you adjust for camber, caster, and toe. Quoting from the same article:
"Ride height is absolutely critical to a Mopar’s ability to handle high speeds, as well as the equally important ability to stop in a straight line. Our fleet records indicated that the sagging occurred in direct proportion to the use (or abuse) of the unit. Those used in urban settings, jumping medians, smacking curbs, and running over potholes, sagged quickly. Units posted to the country, where there were wide open roads, few curbs, and no medians, tended to stay aligned for several oil changes. " (Emphasis is mine, it is not in the original article).
From the description alone, it would appear that an improper ride height could display the same issues that you are haing a problem with (ie. high speed handling). The article also describes what to do about it. Note that your tire diameter may have an ifluence on the 12" measurement called out in the article.
If you should have a bent K frame, and you don't really know how the car was used (or abused), you can get reinforced K frames from Firm Feel. With the mileage on your car, though, I can't see this being the problem/ My blue 1982 Nirada has 216,000 Km and handles fairly fine (it feels loose, but not scary to drive, and it is loose because it needs ball joints, and bushings),
Kostas
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