too much caster?

[Dmichels]

As I have read before I should try to max out caster to work with radial tires.  I have the tools to do this so I am not guessing. The car drives great around town, but at speed it is a little funny. Car tracks great with a firm wheel. When I turn. it loosens up and is touchy. Should I put it back to stock?
Thanks Dave

[Kern Dog]

MORE caster makes the car feel less twitchy. Too much and the car feels less responsive.
Your problem might be elsewhere.

[HPP]

Sounds like you have toe out. I'd check that first.

[Dmichels]

I was thinking the toe may be out after I re tweaked the camber last. I did a real quicky on the toe before the test drive. Let me recheck it
Thanks Dave

[Dmichels]

1/16 TOE IN
The car drives strait and tight but as soon as I turn it loosens up

[elacruze]

What are your specs? Caster, camber, toe.
What wheels/tires are you running? What steering box? Stock, Firm feel etc?

Can you better describe the symptoms?

My car seemed fine, but when I blew the tires up to 40 psi it got squirrelly at speed; reduce to 32 psi back to ok. At 40psi it showed some noticeable wear on the inside fronts; I had the camber set to .5* negative but it looks like more now-may have settled since all the parts were new, and it's been 2  years without a check.

[MSRacing89]

1/16 TOE IN
The car drives strait and tight but as soon as I turn it loosens up

I would make sure you do not have a ball joint going away on you.  Worn ball joints can give the car a inconsistent and wandering feel as you turn left and right.  I know this because I wear mine out yearly due to excessive fun on the road courses!!

[Dmichels]

Ball joints are new TP @ 35 Let me rephrase my symptoms Car drives and tracks great. As soon as I turn the wheel and the PS starts working I loose the firm feedback. Maybe this is to  be expected.
Dave

[pro451bee]

make sure the upper arm adjustment bolts are torqued to 65 to 70 ft lbs .I had a car that had worn rear springs and eye mounts and made car feel loose while turning.New Hotchkis rear springs really pointed that out.I thought my rear leaf were good too.

[Dino]

That sounds very much like a busted ps pump.  It should not start working in a turn, it should work all the time and you should not feel the wheel get looser when you turn.  Is that what it feels like?  Does the wheel feel super loose when you turn but okay once you straighten it out?

[b5blue]

What off set are your front rims? Is your idler arm in good shape and alined nicely? 

[Dmichels]

to answer
bolts are all tight new springs front and rear
stock ride height
I rebuilt the pump myself. I assume I did it right
I have power in the wheel at all times it just feels squirmy when I turn
15x7 front 4.25 bs new idler arm properly adjusted as per Mopar performance chassis manual
The more I drive the more it seams OK and I think I need to stop thinking it should handle like a Honda
Thanks Dave

[b5blue]

 

[Dino]

to answer
bolts are all tight new springs front and rear
stock ride height
I rebuilt the pump myself. I assume I did it right
I have power in the wheel at all times it just feels squirmy when I turn
15x7 front 4.25 bs new idler arm properly adjusted as per Mopar performance chassis manual
The more I drive the more it seams OK and I think I need to stop thinking it should handle like a Honda
Thanks Dave

Not like a Honda, but darn close.  Except for the factory overpowered steering, my car feels pretty tight.  I guess it wouldn't hurt to take it to an alignment shop and see what they can find.

You should absolutely feel no difference in steering going straight or turning, just like a Honda except for the degree of tightness.  In that aspect it's the same as a modern car.

[Dmichels]

Dino I think your description of "overpowered " is correct. The car tracks and turns fine. No wondering or pulling. I guess I am wanting a firmer wheel. Can I mess with the pump pressure to tone things down? I would think a lighter spring in the regulator would drop pressure giving less assist.
Thanks
Dave

[Dino]

Dino I think your description of "overpowered " is correct. The car tracks and turns fine. No wondering or pulling. I guess I am wanting a firmer wheel. Can I mess with the pump pressure to tone things down? I would think a lighter spring in the regulator would drop pressure giving less assist.
Thanks
Dave

Yes you can shim the pump.  I started a thread on it here a while ago but haven't done it yet.  Since I will be doing some work on the car I might as well do this myself. 

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,89675.0.html

[HPP]

As soon as I turn the wheel and the PS starts working I loose the firm feedback.

This is to be expected with a stock rebuild box. The additional caster should firm up the feel some, but won't make it like a late model. The shim trick will help some with feel as well. Reducing boost at the pump can also help. Best solution would be to simply relace the box wth a designated Firm Feel unit or the late model Borgeson conversion.

[70moparman]

You Need More Cowbell!