Wild Horse Power Steering and Steering Stabilizer

[FlamBam]

I have a 70 Bronco. Stock suspension that has (apparently) the old style WH power steering conversion. The steering box is mounted inside the frame. My question is how to attach the steering stabilizer. It has the shortened adjustable drag link from WH. I contacted WH and they had not solution and informed me that the conversion kit I have on my bronco is not sold any more. The newer ones mount the steering box on the outside of the frame. As usual I am a day late and a dollar short. Anyone have any idea how to mount a steering stabilizer with the inside the frame steering box and short drag link? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SteveL]

What size tires? Are you sure you need the stabilizer? I've been running 35s without one for years.

 

[FlamBam]

30x9.5 15 on the original stock rims

 

[FlamBam]

It’s really has really twitchy steering and a death wobble at 40 mph
I replaced all front end bushings

 

[m_m70]

did you get an alignment after you replaced the bushings??

Did you always have his issue or is it new??

 

[Oldtimer]

How old are the tires, in years, not miles.

 

[DirtDonk]

Steering stabilizers do not cure shimmies, unless they are extremely minor. And can never control an actual death wobble.
Can you give us some other details of just how and when it wobbles?
And how seriously?

Unfortunately, because steering stabilizers were not the critical component in when trying to convert to power steering back in the day, I’m pretty sure we never came up with an off the shelf solution to mount one that you could buy from us.
Hence the vague and not too helpful non-solution from us when you called.

Lots of Bronco‘s running around with your setup and without a stabilizer shock. No troubles in most cases.
Really no troubles at all that I am aware of from the installation of that style system.
It didn’t have the optimal geometry perhaps, but it was an excellent solution at the time.

As Oldtimer was asking above, an actual death wobble is almost always caused by a tire, or tires.

 

[FlamBam]

The tires are old in age but low mileage. I will have those replaced this week. I just replaced all the front end bushings with the 2 degree caster bushings (no lift, factory suspension) it had about 1.5-2 degrees caster on my measurement. I will get an alignment after the tires are installed, it never had death wobble before WH power steering installed. I understand the stabilizer only covers up the root cause of a wobble. I was hoping stabilizer would make the steering less twitchy. I will hopefully get the wobble sorted out with tires and alignment. Vehicle is a one owner, all original, no rust that I got for a steal. I don’t mind putting some $ into it to make it drive good/safe.

 

[rocknhorse76]

That 1.5-2 degrees of caster will definitely cause twitchy steering and you’ll probably have little to no return to center. How does the angle of your drag link look in relation to the angle of the track bar? They need to be as close to the same as possible or you’ll get a lot of bump steer as well.

 

[DirtDonk]

Luckily, with it being all stock and original, the angles should be as perfect as they can get.

I’ll be interested to see what the actual caster reading is during the alignment, and how close it is to what you measured.
Either way, they are usually fairly low from the factory. So 2° bushings on a stock vehicle is actually a nice little benefit.

Twitchy can also be from toe in adjustments.

 

[DirtDonk]

However, this is also why more caster was added for power steering. Later model Broncos got as much as 7 to 9° of caster!
Your minimal numbers are typical of manual steering vehicles.

 

[rocknhorse76]

However, this is also why more caster was added for power steering. Later model Broncos got as much as 7 to 9° of caster!
Your minimal numbers are typical of manual steering vehicles.

Yep, that’s what I’m getting at. Power steering likes more caster!

 

[FlamBam]

Thanks for the reply. How much positive caster should I have? The drag link is a flatter angle then the track bar. Drag link is pretty much horizontal. I would think that all factors in to the steering geometry. It definitely has bump steer and will not return to center.

 

[DirtDonk]

I think this is the time we ask for some pictures of what you have.
Let’s see what you are dealing with.

 

[m_m70]

Did you measure the caster before you changed the bushings?? Lots of folks have made the mistake in installing them backwards (myself included).

Also, when you get your new tires, make sure they aren't over inflated. I remember when I got my truck back from good year they had like 50 lbs pressure all around. Twitchy steering was an understatement!
My setup likes around 26/28 with ~1/4" toe in.

Pics are always helpful.

 

[broncobuddha]

Can steering be shored up with factory linkage? Sure.

There's better options:

Duff's Hemi Steer etc.

I have a 20 year old Bulletproof Steering Heim setup and at the time I removed the steering stabilizer shock and have never had Death Wobble. Bumpsteer was greatly reduced as well. I could use better caster angles for sure. Definitely need new radius arms.

 

[WILDHORSES]

One thing jumped right out and that is no suspension lift. The "old" P/S F100 2WD box conversion was never intended to work with no suspension lift. The draglink must be setting really flat in relation to the tie rod? How about some front end pics? Bronco sitting level with steering centered. I also don't like the caster that low bump it up to 4 degree c bushings would be a good start.

Jim