1957 front end hop when cornering downhill. | Ford Thunderbird club group 1955-2005 T-Bird models

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1957 front end hop when cornering downhill.

  • Thread starter Thread starter DaveH
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DaveH

DaveH

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Thunderbird Year
1957
I have a 57 Bird, I swapped in a 68 ThunderJet 429. Everything works well except when corning downhill. I get a kind of a crow-hop motion. It feels kinda "wonky". The 429 isn't that much heavier than a 312. I replaced all the bushings and the springs (the old springs were almost 2" shorter than the stock replacements) and got it aligned, but it still hops. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do? I don't really want to do a mustang II type conversion unless I really need to. Thanks for any advice in advance.

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Chopping felt when cornering on the inside tire of the turn is usually a bad tie rod end.
 
Are we talking gentle curves, tight curves, high speeds, normal speeds, power on, power off, braking, ??? What shocks are on it? Does it still have the factory front sway bar?
 
Hi guys, Sorry I haven't gotten back to my post. I appreciate your input. Summer is here ands thing are getting busy. So, history detail... I replaced all the the rubber bushings including in the sway bar. As well as the tie rod ends and springs. The shocks originally came as part of a set of Gabriel Load Carrier coil overs that I tried before deciding to replace the main coil springs. After installing the new "stock" springs (which were about 2" taller than the original ones (unsprung)), I decided I didn't need the extra spring strength any more because the car came up to stock height without them so I installed just the shocks without the coil overs. To answer Tom, the bouncing occurs at normal speed and moderate curve, power off not braking, kind of coasting through the curve but always when going downhill, so when there is more weight/inertia going to the front end. When thinking about it the Shocks might be a good place to start. I can easily put the coil over springs back on the shocks and see if it helps. Mine are not adjustable but if it seems to help I might try some that are adjustable so as not to have too much strength at normal driving but extra support going downhill/weight shift. What do you guys think about that idea?? If you have ideas about what else might be going on, please let me know. I'll try to review my post more promptly.
 
Are they new shocks? If you don't mind the work, sure put the coils back on and see how it does. I'm wondering if you just need new shocks. Gabriel is said to be the low-cost version of Monroes plus I have heard claims that to make some coil over's fit they have to use a smaller shock size then a normal shock would be. I'd be inclined to buy a set of KYB gas-a-just or similar to rule out shocks as the issue. Any chance the alignment is way off. My KYBs barely fit the opening for installing them, I can't even imagine how you'd stuff a shock with a coil over it up there.
 
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