From: Henry Schleimer [mailto:henry.schleimer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, 27 April 2023 2:25 AM
To: 'James Douglas'; 'John Grady'
Cc: 'Dave Dumais'
Subject: RE: {Chrysler 300} Idle arm and other delights...
If you are worried about having an elongated hole, you could fit tight clearance washers to the top and bottom, tighten the assembly in the right spot and weld the washers to the bracket. One of my old jobs in government was to approve steering conversions from left to right hand drive. This modification is nothing compared to the modifications we approved, including cutting and re-welding asymmetrical drag links.
My first Valiant used to drive sideways on hard braking. Found the idler rubber bushing was worn and would let the idler end move up/down giving me toe out on braking. After wearing out another idler in short time, I fitted a roller bearing kit and never looked back. Improves the steering feel 100%. Have one on my current Valiant and fitted one to my 300C.
Henry
From: 'James Douglas' via Chrysler 300 Club International [mailto:chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, 27 April 2023 1:55 AM
To: Henry Schleimer; 'John Grady'
Cc: 'Dave Dumais'; 'Chrysler 300 List Server'
Subject: RE: {Chrysler 300} Idle arm and other delights...
Henry,
You may have hit onto something. When I greased the idle arm bushings there was some give on the bolt to bracket. The bolt had a little bit of wear. I wonder if on straightening it down it got skewed in the wrong direction. A very small change at the bolt could lead to a large change at the end of the idle arm.
I purchased a new bearing kit off ebay to get a new bolt. I may have to look into this more. One thing I thought of when looking at the set up was that a replaceable bushing in the bracket where the bolt rides is not a bad idea.
I will have to get the car back on my rack and see if the tie rod bar is in fact level. I did check the torsion bars and the passenger side of off. I raised it so both sides check out at 2 inches. I did place my laser level on the bottom the drivers side tie rod and shot it across and it looked like it was high…but holding the level was not the perfect way to check it.
Great though on the bolt-bracket.
James
I might have missed some of the correspondence so please don’t shoot me.
First I’d suggest finding out what dimension is out. Get the chassis level or equal distance to a straight edge on the ground and then measure the height to both torsion bars and then to height of the drag link ends.
If the drag link is tilted to the chassis there may be a fix remembering something I read many years ago regarding Mopars in general. That is, elongating the holes for the idler arm pivot bolt to allow the end of the idler to move up or down to get the drag link level. I don’t remember if the idea was to weld up the holes and redrill in the new positions to ensure it doesn’t move again or just to retighten the bolt.
Anyway, disregard if this is too extreme for you or doesn’t suit your model.
Henry
from quick description ,? not adjusted right , —-as you could still get correct wheel alignment readings but tie rod itself not in center of adjustment range ? if understanding right, and alignment right ?
see if equal exposed adjuster threads ?
otherwise ? ?= a bent spindle arm
piece —but doubt that , a rugged piece ?
admittedly not a specialty of the house …
If stud hits grind clearance , live with it if alignment ok , maybe frame welding issue or control arm location forced “end of range“ adjustment . I think there are end stops somewhere , maybe it is going too far , ?
Maybe stud projection varies by mfg?
How about this one ? ! drum mount surface of front hub apparently not orthogonal to spindle axis ? Makes drum wobble in and out if spun on turning machine , can’t grind drum . does it on car too . If you do grind on wrong (slightly tilted ) center, trying to take out eccentricity (essentially,), pedal pulsates . Gets complicated what goes on.
Can’t be bent — it is 1/2” thick solid steel ring that studs press into . Made wrong ? Why all this weird stuff lately . Cosmic misalignment —
Hi Dave,
The idle arm bearings are new and greased. All the tie rods are new.
I have all the parts for the control arms and struts to replace.
I was under the car on the rack and could see where the tie rod had contacted the torsion bar. When I stuck my finger up there, I noted that the distance on the idle arm side was less than the steering arm side.
On an extreme right turn the tie rod of course goes up and on the right side that ¼ of an inch matters. This distance is fixed and is not subject to the springs (bars) other than if the front end moves due to worn bushings.
I measured them and the distance on the steering side was 1-1/2 inch on the steering side and 1-1/4 inch on the idle arm side. From the bottom of the torsion bars to the center of the tie rod stud.
I would like to see what someone else gets when they measure these distances.
James
James,
The 64 suspension members are available
NOS at the Virginia warehouse.
There is a 64 N Yorker currently on the rack
Not able to access measurements until next week.
Went to Carlisle swap meet last Saturday.
Obtained idler. Pitman, drag link and upper control arms.
Check the lower control arm bushings for play
D
On Tue, Apr 25, 2023 at 7:06 PM, 'James Douglas' via Chrysler 300 Club International
*** I am still hopeful that someone can measure the distance from the bottom of the torsion bars to the center of the tie rod studs on a ’63 or ’64 for me so I can see if my idle arm is bent.
*** I sent an email to the Detroit Public Library asking if they had the AMA sheets for 1964 Chrysler in the National Automotive History Collection at the Skillman Branch Library where it is housed. Turns out that some billionaire is building some big thing in downtown Detroit, and they closed the branch until it is near completed due to parking and other disruption. The real burn is that the Detroit Public Library reference librarians do not have access either. So, anyone wanting or needing information from the National Automotive History Collection In Downtown Detroit… is screwed until some rich guy gets has edifice built.
*** We ran the 300K hard for the first time these last 10 days. From our place in San Francisco up to our place near Lake Berryessa a 160-mile round trip plus a lot of drives down to Vacaville and back to Winters for runs to Home Depot. The car is running ok. Not perfect, but OK. I need to sort out what is wrong with the steering geometry, I think is may well be the idle arm. It could also be a lower control arm bushing or a combination. I need to get into the brakes. I also heard a small ticking-rumbling sound and I think it may be a universal joint or a wheel bearing. I plan in replacing all of them soon.
*** Door Panels. On my car the driver’s door top is through the upholstery. Other then that the door panels look fairly good. I know that if I want to replace the vinyl on the panel, I will have to do them all to get them to match. I really do not want to go there as getting new panel material and tearing into them is a long job to do correctly. I know as I have done them twice before on a ‘64. I did have a thought and would not mind people’s thoughts on it. There is a stainless strip the wraps around the top of the panel. The inside belt whisker attaches to it and then it wraps just around the top to cover the top edge of the vinyl. I wonder about making up to replacements for that strip that wrap around and down past the level of the two outboard panel screws. Say 1/8 inch below the screws. These would then allow me to keep from having to rebuild all door panels. It would also help with the fact that this is the spots that always wear through. Of course, on a hot day it would get hot!
*** Power Master wrote be back in the subject of the 90 AMP round bottom early 1960’s Alternators that have the “correct” case. I sent them all my data and findings and they confirmed it. The larger the output beyond 40 AMPS and the sensing circuit using the MECHANINCAL voltage regulators causes the system into an overvolt situation. They made a change in their catalog suggesting that people should use an electronic VR with it. Company double speak as opposed to just admitting that it may not work correctly with a mechanical VR. I would like to talk with someone who is an EE with a background in alternators and generators to understand exactly what is going on. I suspect that as the current levels go up the magnetic field becomes more sensitive to the voltage sensing circuit or something along those lines. By the way, the Transpro V1200 electronic adjustable voltage regulator I set for 13.8 volts (shows 13.7 at the cigar lighter gauge) has been dead steady. Interesting in that the brake lights use .2 volts.
*** I purchased a set of those new (eBay) ’64 circuit boards for the dash. With the 90 AMP alternator putting out about 50 at idle and those board the lights in the dash at idle at night with everything on is great! I recommend them.
I hope all are having a good spring.
Best, James
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