Quicker steering

SuperDave
SuperDave Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I'm thinking out load here..

"Perhaps someone else has been there and done that". I have installed a complete factory power steering set up on the 54 Hornet. The steering effort is MUCH less than before. My torn rotator cuffs are happy! I have made a few ventures around the industrial complex parking lots.. No tag yet. I am very impressed with the ease of steering, but the ratio is terrible. It still takes a lot of cranking to get the steering wheel all the way to each lock.It is the same steering ratio as the manual steering. I am thinking that shortening the center steering arm or lengthening the pitman arm would speed up or "quicken" the steering to a more reasonable ratio. I haven't looked to see if it is mechanicly possible. I might run into clearance problems... Dunno.. I do know that this can be done many ways that could be dangerous..I want to make sure it is a solid modification that won't break! Anyone ever done this?

I have shortened the pitman arm on a Model A Ford to make the steering a little less effort. I sawed about one inch off the end of the arm, drliled and reamed a tapered hole and installed a tappered shaft and ball, then welded the shank. the parts are available for that.It's a common modification. I will have to be creative on the Hudson. I'm open to suggestions.

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Ask any racer, and there is only one direction they would go to solve your problem. Go to "Speedway Motors" Homepage, type in "steering quickener", under "search", there you will find the answer to your problems, for $149. After 50 laps on a "roundy-round" dirt track, your arms would be limp noodles without one of these!

    P.S. On a tough night, your arms felt like limp noodles "WITH" one of these! (ha)
  • dwardo99
    dwardo99 Expert Adviser
    The Wasp steering box has a faster ratio (tho' still slow). I don't know if it is a direct swap or not but somebody will.
  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    wkitchens wrote:
    Ask any racer, and there is only one direction they would go to solve your problem. Go to "Speedway Motors" Homepage, type in "steering quickener", under "search", there you will find the answer to your problems, for $149. After 50 laps on a "roundy-round" dirt track, your arms would be limp noodles without one of these!
    P.S. On a tough night, your arms felt like limp noodles "WITH" one of these! (ha)
    Has anyone run this on a street car? The Speedway page recommends use with power steering - anyone use this with manual steering?

    I did a search on ebay this one is only 109.00 2:1

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Quick-Steer-Box-2-1-Ratio-LW-Steering-Quickner-IMCA-UMP_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33589QQitemZ8013941712QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

    sq.jpg
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Yes, I would like to see info on mounting one of these....
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    Super Dave. The parts book shows that LHD cars have 2 different parts for the LWB & SWB centre steering pivot, and one set of parts for the outer steering arms.



    RHD cars do it differently and have two sets of outer steering arms for LWB & SWB cars, both of which are different to the LHD ones.



    It may be that with the right combination of centre steering pivot and steering arms you can achieve the required steering changes.



    I'll measure steering parts in the next day or two.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Bob,

    I see what you are talking about. I would like to know the difference in the SWB and LWB center "Arm & Pivot" . The PN for the LWB is 300595 and SWB is 303039. If the SWB car has a quicker steering, I wonder if it's because of a shorter arm or because of a different ratio in the box it's self ? Since the outer steering arms are different on the SWB vs LWB. I can only assume, the Hudson engineers adjusted the length to adjust ackerman for the shorter Wb. Mixing parts could open a can of worms. IE, a strange car to drive! Maybe the racers of yesteryear were on to that too! Racing on dirt has different ackerman requirements than on pavement, since the wheels are often turned in the oposite direction of the turn...... No need to go there, this isn't a stock car. I just wanna make this car turn a bit quicker without hacking into the steering column and instaling one of Speedy's IMCA quick steers. If anyone has a SWB center arm to measure, I would love to know the dimensions. Center to center of the drag link arm to pivot pin center and center to center of the two steering arms to the pivot pin center. A bit awkward to do "on the car".. Thanks for all the input. Someday i'll understand it all.
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    bob ward wrote:
    I'll measure steering parts in the next day or two.



    Super Dave

    The outer steering arms on a RHD Wasp are around 75% of the length of those on a LHD stepdown, so installing the RHD parts in your power steer Hornet will definitely speed up the steering.



    What the change would mean in terms of good/bad to the overall steering geometry I don't know. It is probably easier to do the experiment and see what happens.



    Let me know if you want me to organise you a pair, coldesig@gil.com.au
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