Need help with Fox Mustang steering problem

This is my friend's car with the BBF that he just bought. It has a problem of wanting to pull the steering wheel back to center real bad... Almost to the point of when you drive it around a corner it's scary... Here's what the suspension consists of...

FRONT
Lakewood 90/10s, maybe some drag springs. not sure though.
Worn out M/T ET Fronts. These things are BALD!!! 32-33psi of air.
Set of caster camber plates with the tires fairly straight up and down and the top of struts laid as far back as the plates will allow...
Flaming River manual rack
factory a-arms, tube k-member

REAR
Lakewood 50/50s, some kind of lowering spring
Lift bars and solid uppers. Factory suspension setup.
M/T drag radials


It drives straight, launches straight too. The steering feels tight, but when you turn the car rolls over real hard due to the loose struts and then the wheel wants to get jerked back to center. Nothing is loose or broken on the car.

Does this sound like a toe in/out adjustment? The tires are bald so I can't get a good measurement with the tape to check it. New tires are coming this week. I'll be able to check then.

Is this just how a nose heavy BBF Fox body drives? Mine isn't together yet so I don't have a clue...

To much caster , struts are layed back too much. Carry it to a alienment shop.

A buch of caster is a good thing on a dragcar, the negative is the symptom you descibe, the BB being heavy makes it worse. The fox without modification is tough to get too much, you can take some out, but if she gets goofy on the top end of the track then put it back in.

Just part of the deal.............can tell you this though, if its mainly a track car I'd leave it alone, too little caster will get you in a heap of trouble on the track.

OK, so it's the weight that's causing it? It wants to fight back to center no matter how little you turn the wheel. It also seems like the loose struts don't help either.

Blake, how far back are your struts? Does your's want to fight back to center just riding around at 20-30mph?

jbozzelle wrote:OK, so it's the weight that's causing it? It wants to fight back to center no matter how little you turn the wheel. It also seems like the loose struts don't help either.

Blake, how far back are your struts? Does your's want to fight back to center just riding around at 20-30mph?

As far as they will adjust, anytime you turn lose of the steering wheel it goes back to center fairly quick. Like HeRo says a bunch is good.

I would hate to know what it would be like to have one the other way..............

Thanks. Good to know that. This is the first one I've driven with a BBF. I'll let him know. We'll set the toe once the tires get put on and head to the track.

I think mine has 8-9*, could stang more, dont turn real easy stiing still, car gets goofy at 100+mph, just let of the gas and she goes right back to center........nice and straight.

Thanks. I've got some plates from Skinny Kid on my Fox that pull the strut way back and in too.

like they said above, you have to decide if it needs to be aligned for street driving or the track.

Thanks. I only moved the struts back about another 1/2 inch so I think I'll leave it there and see how it drives. Should be easier with new tires up front too. Also, he's going to want to upgrade the struts and springs to coilover so that may help to get rid of some of the roll from the 90/10s.

I'll do my garage toe setting on it and see how it drives. If it wants to move around we'll drag it to the shop.

Might be worth taking it to an alignment shop. That's not something you want to be in question of when your heading down the track.

Lots of caster is a very good thing for a drag car, not so much fun in the pits etc.!!

Bill

I am pretty sure You no about locked posi rearend doing that in corners. I just wanted to be sure and t mention that because my car does it bad with a spool. Yes not enough caster it front of car will hunt for a turnm goodluck ,..,ED

Ed,

Didn't even think about that. I'm going to have to check to see if it has a spool.

Just wanted to update everybody. My friend bought a new set of 8 ply MT Sportsman Fronts. Damn thing drives like a dream! still pulls the wheel back to center some, but it's easy to drive now.

! Track only Fox more is better. I have as much as the setup will allow. With some of the traction issue we've been dealing with, it makes me cringe to think what would have happened if it was setup with street geometry.