Front End Problems

[wildcard]

My 71 manual steering has what feels like a knot on maybe the left front tire. (Kind of like a slow speed bounce really.) Only I can't feel one anywhere on either wheel. I just replaced the steering box but I don't see that as a problem. I know it's out of line and the front tires are worn on the insides. Also it pulls to the left and turns easily to the left but harder to turn to the right. It goes in to get new king pins and an alignment Thursday. After that it gets new tires.
So what I'm wondering is if king pins and an alignment will cure all these problems or should I expect to need additional work ?
The drag link is only about 6 or 7 months old also.

[forrestbump]

The wear on the insides of your tires possibly indicates Negative Camber. I've heard (talking with a front end shop owner that properly "cold bends" I beams) that he recommends no more than 1 to 1-1/2 degrees of bending to straighten out Positive or Negative Camber issues. Course, Negative camber could also be a result of weak/sagging coil springs too.

The "bounce" sounds like it could be (in no particular order) Shocks, Radius Arm Bushings, King Pins, Out of Balance Wheel/Tire, Loose Tie Rod Ends. I'd recommend you have your front end shop check ALL things out.

I'd also recommend that you verify that the front end shop you're going to use has the equipment to properly cold bend your I beams if necessary. Shops that either don't know or don't care use a torch to soften the I beam than bend it. A VERY BAD thing as all of the temper in the forging is destroyed and you'll run the risk of shattering your I beam.

Not trying to "Scare" you, but a failure in some of these components can be very dangerous.

[fordman]

you cant always feel a bad tire. it could be a broken belt in the tire. king pins will fix the tire wear isssue. tell them about putting the new box on they may have top move the pitman arm position to get it to line up

[wildcard]

Thanks guys. Sounds like all good advice. Maybe getting it all straightened out will increase my mileage a bit too. At 30,000 miles a year, every little bit helps.

[wildcard]

fordman, I think you got it right about the broken belt. I stopped by a tire shop to get a valve fixed on one that was slowly leaking down and the owner said he thought that the belt was gonna be the problem on the front tire. He sold me a nice used one for $40 and said to try it. I drove it 15 miles home with no bounce at all. Thanks again.

[quantumleap]

do the radius arm bushings and the ibeam pivot bushings need to be pressed with a tool?

[fordman]

not the radius arm bushing. they just slide on.

[wildcard]

Got the kingpins put in Friday and an alignment Saturday. Put a couple tires on i had laying around that have decent tread on them. May as well use them before they dry rot. It already steers a lot better . Total invested was only about $310.