Front end shimmy and tire wear 1931 Pierce 42

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We are in the process of moving, so I had put the front end shimmy problem on hold for the duration. However, I noticed the right front tire was being scrubbed off on the outside. I decided to approach the problem immediately, because I won’t have the repair resources in our new area. A friend of mine owns probably the largest frame and collision shop for tractors and trailers in the Northeast. He told me to bring the 31 in, with just the proper front end settings. I found the setting in the early Lester-Steele book, and they are as follows: castor angle: 1 3/4. Camber angle 1. Toe in: 3/16. Kingpin Cross wise inclination: 8. The stats on my car in the beginning were as follows: camber: 3/4 and 3/4. Caster: 0 and -1/4. Toe in: 1″ When completed: Camber 3/4 and 3/4. Caster: 1 3/8 and 1 3/4. Toe in: 3/16.

Driving to the shop on expressways during rush hour that morning, and through expressway construction areas, it was much shimmying, wandering, etc. Driving home: it was wonderful, no shimmy, no wandering, the car drove better than it ever has. Someone had added shims to facilitate easier steering, God know what has been done to these cars over the years. The left caster adjustment could not be brought to exactly 1 3/4, without bending the front axle. The car drives so nicely now, I would not even think of doing that. If there is a moral to this story, I think we make assumptions. Start with basics and see what the existing state of affairs is: then correct to factory specs and see what happens.

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Tony…couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve seen soooo… many examples of guys trying to outsmart the factory with everything from suspension settings to carburetor jetting.

Yeah…just put it back the way it was, and was supposed to be.

Steven Rossi

East Haddam, CT

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