Steering

1959 - 1978, M151, M151A1, M151A2, Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the M151.
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ldj1002
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Location: Central Texas

Steering

Post by ldj1002 » Fri May 20, 2022 6:42 pm

I put new a frame bushings on and the steering is still bad. There is excessive play in steering wheel but I have driven vehicles like this and didn't steer this bad. I set the toe in my self I'm sure not exact but close. I didn't have it aligned at shop but I put shims back same place they were. Tires are wore real bad from being driven so long with bad a frame bushings. Ball joints and tie rod ends good. What should I do first to try to get it where I can keep it between the ditches if I go over 30 or 35 mph?


Rickf
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Re: Steering

Post by Rickf » Sat May 21, 2022 4:09 am

Alignment can be done without proper tools but it is a fairly complicated job and you need squares and a lot of flat solid floor space. And I am not the one to try to explain it, I know how to do it but I don't think I could explain it in layman's terms.
Lets concentrate on what you have and try to figure out where the problem lies. You say you replaced the frame bushings? What are you calling frame bushings? The control arm bushings? How is the idler arm?

If the toe is set to about 1/8'-1/4" in then it is close enough to drive. The next things are caster and camber. Camber can easily be checked with a level against the side of the tire, level is close enough for now. Caster is going to be tough to check without special tools. Caster is checked by having the front tire on rotator plates so they will turn without too much force and then they are turned a set amount to the right and the level of the tire is checked and then the same amount to the left and the level is checked again. The degrees off of center is your caster angle. The big problem here is that the angles are set with the same shims that are used to set camber. To keep camber the same but increase positive caster you would remove a shim from the rear of the control arm and add it back to the front. But it gets even trickier since caster is not always set with the same amounts for right and left on independent front suspensions.
Do a Google search for "Alignment tools" and you will get a lot of hits. Here is something I used for years and it worked quite well. https://www.amazon.com/PMD-Products-Mag ... 60&sr=8-27

As far as turn plates, cheap and easy is just as good as expensive and fancy. Take two pieces of plywood, Masonite is even better, and grease between them and there are your slip plates. Jack the car up and set it down on top of them and good to go. Trust me, trying to drive up on them will take more time then it is wort but can make for some really funny video. You may want to drill a 1/4" hole dead center in the wood squares and drop in a 1/4" screw just to keep the two pieces in line when in use.

All that said it is probably just best to find the specs in the -20 manual and copy them and take that to an alignment shop where they have a computer aligner.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

svramselaar
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Re: Steering

Post by svramselaar » Sun May 22, 2022 12:39 am

hi

if the play sits at the steering box you can adjust it at the top off it

take the nut loose and turn the screw a bit in till the play is nearly gone
fasten the nut
turn the wheels from one side to the other
feel if the wheels turn smooth
at the corners there is more play this is normal

george
1976 ? M 151 A2 AMG MUTT lost in acsedent
1978 M 416 A1 ( parkhurst ) trailer
1970 m151 A2 FORD BUDD tub
1957 Volvo sugga radio truck
M 274 mule HOME MADE MULE


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