Thread: Need diagnostic help on SEVERE steering wheel shake

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One thing to remember is that you probably can’t use the alignment specs from the original car the front end items came from. Your car is now heaver and the weight distribution is different.

I am thinking that your caster and camber is probably too close to “O” or the combination of the two does not match what your car needs.

Take your car to an alignment shop that specializes in hot rods or custom cars. Your local tire shop and part houses only know one thing anymore (check the book and/or do what the computer says to do).

Good luck and hope you get it fixed soon.

Bug

Originally Posted by Bug

One thing to remember is that you probably can’t use the alignment specs from the original car the front end items came from. Your car is now heaver and the weight distribution is different.

I am thinking that your caster and camber is probably too close to “O” or the combination of the two does not match what your car needs.

Take your car to an alignment shop that specializes in hot rods or custom cars. Your local tire shop and part houses only know one thing anymore (check the book and/or do what the computer says to so).

Good luck and hope you get it fixed soon.

Bug

Good advice! Thanks!

I'm almost certain you need more caster and possibly more toe in.
If you have the strut rods you wil probably find there is a bit of bind at the "up" travel limit. My car is pretty low in front and I get just a little bind at the "up" travel limit.

I run about 7 deg caster and 1/8 toe in measured at the tire center line. About 1 deg neg camber (top of tire is closer to the center of the car.) Other than the car is a bit heavy on the steering for a light weight car it tracks very well and is rock steady in the cross winds. It actually handles pretty well for a big tires, little tires car. I did a funny car high speed back up just to relive the old days and it does ok there too. Often lots of caster would cause death wobble backing up.

Death wobble usually occurs when the alignments are very close to "0".