street rod chassis question

I know it's not technically a top alcohol question, but someone here has to know this:

We have a '31 model A with a straight front axle. The steering wheel starts to shake at about 50mph, and gets worse the faster you go. The toe in is between 1/8-1/4", and the castor is 3 deg. We think we need to go to 5-7 deg castor, is that right?

thanks
bryan brown

 

Thats correct, go with 7 deg. you also might want to put an early 1960 to 69 VW shimmy damper on it , had a 33 willys we had to do both too, you`ll have to adapt it to fit, or check one of the street rod builders they might have one to fit.good luck. heres a link to one,http://www.thepartsbin.com/sitemap/suzuki~steering_damper~parts.html
and heres a link to a bunch of them http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=shimmy+damper+auto&btnG=Google+Search

 

Hi Brian, do you have any model a parts? I have a 2 door,coupe, pick up,and a roadster...all street rods, as for your problem is it a street rod? if so need more info. as what axel you have? is it a pete&jakes a posey???let me know. also how much anti dive did you put into it?

 

The axle is a bell i-beam with 4" of drop. "anti-dive"? I have no clue what that is, please explain. I don't think we have any model a parts. Are you looking for oem type parts for restoration?
thanks

 

were are street rodders only...anti dive is how much you pull the top part of the axel back that way when you hit the brakes it don't pull all over the place it will go straight, as for the bump steer you need a pan hard bar. your front end will have just these components 2 shocks 1 pan hard bar you 4 bar front end, axel vega steering box, spindels, rotors, brakes. I might add if you don't sit up your pan hard bar it will drive rotten it will dart and shimmy and as for a steering stabalizer you never use one...I have built a whole bunch of ford A's very hi end cars every thing from independent front ends to drop axles hope this will help you...remember this is a street rod...not a fuel alt. good luck. Dave Lowe