S
Steve Edwards
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- Last seen
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2021
- Thunderbird Year
- 1963
I hope that some of you guys out there have experienced something similar to my dilemma.
I bought my 1963 TBird about a year ago. It has aftermarket 15" wheels and wires and had some gnarly offbrand tires when I got it. Someone who I respect very much suggested I buy Hankook Optimo H724 whitewall radials, size P21575R15. So I did.
PROBLEM: At speeds above 45 – 50, there is a delay from when I turn the steering wheel in either direction until the car actually turns. There's about a one second delay, but it freeway speeds it feels like the car is out of control. For example: when I attempt to change lanes of the freeway, I turn the steering wheel, and a second or so later the car actually turns. Meanwhile I may have already turned the wheel the other way, and as a result of this delayed steering change, the car is wallowing and feels incredibly unsafe.
Assuming might be the sidewallas of the Hankook tires, I raised the pressure on the inner tubes from 32 to 40 pounds. Nothing changed.
Several TBird contacts told me it must be the steering gear. SD...just on a whim, my mechanic took the front 15" wheels and tires off of his '67 Mustang, and installed them on my front end. I then drove the car, and found that almost all of the delayed steering response had vanished.
So… I think this exercise proved the issue is not caused by the steeirng gear box. Could it be the aftermarket steel wheels, or could it be the Hankook tires?
Steve Edwards
I bought my 1963 TBird about a year ago. It has aftermarket 15" wheels and wires and had some gnarly offbrand tires when I got it. Someone who I respect very much suggested I buy Hankook Optimo H724 whitewall radials, size P21575R15. So I did.
PROBLEM: At speeds above 45 – 50, there is a delay from when I turn the steering wheel in either direction until the car actually turns. There's about a one second delay, but it freeway speeds it feels like the car is out of control. For example: when I attempt to change lanes of the freeway, I turn the steering wheel, and a second or so later the car actually turns. Meanwhile I may have already turned the wheel the other way, and as a result of this delayed steering change, the car is wallowing and feels incredibly unsafe.
Assuming might be the sidewallas of the Hankook tires, I raised the pressure on the inner tubes from 32 to 40 pounds. Nothing changed.
Several TBird contacts told me it must be the steering gear. SD...just on a whim, my mechanic took the front 15" wheels and tires off of his '67 Mustang, and installed them on my front end. I then drove the car, and found that almost all of the delayed steering response had vanished.
So… I think this exercise proved the issue is not caused by the steeirng gear box. Could it be the aftermarket steel wheels, or could it be the Hankook tires?
Steve Edwards