ackerman on 50 chev straight axle

[gab50]

I have read a rule of thumb is if the projected line through the kingpin and tierod/steering arm connection ends up at the rear u joint the ackerman is close. I have a 4" dropped and slightly narrowed front axle and my line ends up at the opposite rear wheel. I have looked at some of the fancy formula's but am just wanting layman type opinions.

[mr48chev]

That does seem excessive. it could cause the wheels to not track right with each other and actually drag one around a turn.

This is one of the best if not the best steering Ackerman explanation I have found and The simple to understand diagrams really help.
http://www.rctek.com/technical/handl...principle.html It's actually for remote control model cars but the principle is the same.

Here is a video explaining the principle that is real easy to follow too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYMMdjbmQXc

I am assuming that you have the toe in set right on the rig. If the toe in is off it will throw your angles off.

Were the steering arms dropped or otherwise modified? And I am assuming that your lines run though the center of the kingpin and through the center of the stud on the tie rod end bolt.

[gab50]

Well it interested me enough that I got it all squared up on the hoist and measured the angles. At roughly 20 degrees of turn I got 3 degrees of ackerman difference on a right turn and 2.5 degrees on a left turn. From what I have read that should be in the area of normal. Yes toe has been set at .140 total I think. I would have to check my records but think that is the nmber.

[mr48chev]

I'd think you really would have to have it all together and on a decent front end alignment machine to actually tell if it is off enough to get excited over. That is when I would worry about making changes. I would doubt that 99.9 % of the front end techs out there have ever checked this unless they went to a school were they were trained to check it. Even then it would most likely be someone who set up a lot of race cars for circle track or road racing. Street use it might come into play if a car or truck had the caster, camber and toe in set right on the money as far as specs go but it was eating up the tread on one or both front tires in a manner that showed the tire was sliding and leaving the tire tread with a feathered pattern. That usually happens with excessive toe in or toe out where it appears that both tires are being dragged down the road slightly sideways. When I taught the section on front end alignment I would drag out some old tires with certain wear patterns to be able to discuss what different alignment issues caused and how to tell one from the other. The tire usually tells you as much about what is going on as the machine

I'd still say unless someone heated and bent the steering arms to have dropped steering arms and in the process got the angle of the arms off from stock you won't run into a problem.

[tmoble]

What he said. The only way to change it is to bend the steering arms. Not something I'm going to do.

[MiraclePieCo]

A string line from kingpins through steering arm/tie rod junctions, should end up near the center of the rear end. Opposite wheel sounds like there is some issue with your alignment or steering arms. As usual, to diagnose on a forum, a photo would be invaluable.

Heating and bending steering arms is a time-honored hot rodding technique. I've seen major magazine articles depicting this, and I've done it myself to achieve proper Ackerman. I've never heard of one failing...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...w-pics.492451/