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I’ll have a batch of 12 brass steering gear box bushings at Hershey. These replace the potmetal bushing that swells and siezes the steering column.
$120 each.
I’ll have them at the PAS tent.
Greg Long
Hi Greg I saw your message in the latest PA service bulletin and you mentioned a steering stabilizer that you you used on your model 80 touring. I was wondering where you purchased that item as I would like to install one on my model 81. I have compensated with to much toe in but occasionally get shimmy at low speeds. I have to many projects right now and a quick fix for the short term would be good. I look forward to your reply. Thanks Greg Lundeen
Good morning Gregs Lundeen & Long. Nice to hear the 81 is getting ready to go out and play. Some years ago I had a slow speed violent shimmy on my 1930 Pierce Model C sedan. Fellow Minnesotan John Elliot told me how to solve it quickly and easily by decreasing the caster angel. I got a couple of shims from a local alignment shop and corrected the problem once and for all in 10 minutes. Also, there’s an excellent article on “Front End Wabble”” by either Murray Fahnestock or Floyd Clymer in one of their Model T books which offers the same solution.”
Hi Greg, I bought that shimmy dampener from a PAS member who was helping Jim and Barbara Payne in the company store at the Warwick national meet. I will contact Jim Payne to be sure who that very helpful PAS member was.. My feeble memory for names is a real curse at times.
The series 80 and 81 usually don’t have the problem of the ‘death wobble’ like some of the cars from the ’30’s have.
I found that the front spring bushing and pivot pin had almost 1/8″ of wear, This allowed the axle to have front and back movement with each bump in the road, and also with each push or pull of the steering drag-link from the steering pitman arm to the steering arm on the front wheel assembly.
What was happening was that each bump in the road induced a steering input to the front wheels because the pitman arm did not move, nor did the drag link, but the front axle did move and the front wheel stub-axle then pivoted on the king pin. Then when the axle rebounded, the opposite steering input was induced. Result: instant shimmy or ‘wheel fight’.
The caster angle that Tony speaks of in the above message creates a stronger ‘stay in the straight-ahead’ tendency. This caster adjustment will help some, but won’t ‘fix’ or mask worn kingpin bushings, or worn spring bushings and pins.
I’ll try to post some contact information tomorrow for the shimmy dampener.
Greg Long
This may be of interest and looks like what was offered previously on this website, although it is likely not the same exact item.
Hi Greg, here is a universal-fit steering stabilizer that would do the job. You might need to modify or make from scratch mounting brackets to fit the front axle beam.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/gabriel-oe-replacement-steering-stabilizers/p3054222.jcwx
The dampener that I purchased had ‘universal’ mounting brackets. I didn’t care for the design of them, but they worked, and have not needed any attention. The photo shows the mounted dampener.
Greg, get someone to help, and have them turn the steering wheel back and forth a few inches while you look at the front spring eyelet inside the front frame forging at the very front of the frame. Put a finger on the spring and the mount such that you can feel if the spring is moving fore and aft when the steering drag-link pushes and pulls on the steering arm. If there is noticable play, the brass spring bushing needs to be replaced, and maybe an new pivot bolt made and installed.
Greg Long.
