1947 Dodge D24 Steering Improvment?

[SaberMike]

Wife and I just got our first Dodge and we picked a wonderful almost factory original survivor. In the last two weeks we have put nearly 100 miles on it in tooling around and after getting used to the three on the tree and drum breaks again it is a wonderful and fun vehicle to drive. However I would like to make it easier for my wife to steer, we want to keep it as original as possible but also making it as safe and drivable as possible without changing it to a modern resto mod. I don.t want to add power steering but is there a more modern manual steering box that people have swapped in? Any other suggestions are welcome, the only real change the car has had is new 235 75 r15 with steely rims have been installed. 

[Adam H P15 D30]

Some time ago a member posted about adapting a Mustang? steering box but I cannot find it anymore.  

 

Is you steering box full of oil?

pump the front tires up higher.  I set mine to 40 PSI but they are much smaller than yours

Thinner tires, 235 is a wide tire for the front

King pins, bushings and thrust bearings all good and lubed?

Tie rod ends lubed? 

[knuckleharley]

Quote

Wife and I just got our first Dodge and we picked a wonderful almost factory original survivor. In the last two weeks we have put nearly 100 miles on it in tooling around and after getting used to the three on the tree and drum breaks again it is a wonderful and fun vehicle to drive. 

LOVE hearing that!

Cars are meant for driving,and old cars need to be driven in order to enjoy the uniqueness they have in them.

Edited April 15, 2021 by knuckleharley

[Andydodge]

NIce to see another old mopar going strong....but I also think 235's are a little too big on the front......I ran 195/65 x 15 and 235/65 x 15 with 6" and 7" chrome steelies on the 1941 Plymouth.....what size front rims are you running?............195 or 205 tyres would be my selection for 6" rims .......also what air pressure , as mentioned at least 35, up to 40psi will help...........has the steering box been adjusted properly? .....also these should use oil as mentioned NOT grease as some use..........also have all tierods, king pins and upper/lower bushes been greased and checked..........and if the car has a steering box rubber isolator between the box and frame what is its condition like?....these get oil/grease soaked and degrade allowing the car to wander and should be replaced...........there is no "bolt in" steering box upgrade like that for 55-57 Chevs etc and as the car has the stock column change any replacement steering box will entail column modification, as well as various other mods..........anything can be made to fit if need be......my 1940 Dodge has had a 318 Poly/auto, 4 wheel discs , rack & pinion etc etc since 1973 or so but I did all this when young & silly..............for now I'd be making sure the original steering/front end is up to spec and replace those 235 front tyres and then give your wife a go at the car, the original steering was heavier than what people are used to now but its not that hard to adjust to....................and Welcome Aboard from Oz.........Andy Douglas.  

[Merle Coggins]

I run 235/75R-15's on my truck too. The trick is to only steer when moving. It will be very hard to turn the steering wheel when sitting still. But just ease forward, or reverse slightly and it'll turn. We're used to power steering where you can turn the wheels stationary without any effort. You just need to re-learn how to use the steering when parked, or when parking. Plan ahead a bit so that you can inch ahead slowly while turning the wheel. You'll be surprised how much easier it turns when the wheels are rotating.  

[SaberMike]

On 4/15/2021 at 6:33 PM, Adam H P15 D30 said:

Some time ago a member posted about adapting a Mustang? steering box but I cannot find it anymore.  

 

Is you steering box full of oil?

pump the front tires up higher.  I set mine to 40 PSI but they are much smaller than yours

Thinner tires, 235 is a wide tire for the front

King pins, bushings and thrust bearings all good and lubed?

Tie rod ends lubed? 

Thank you I will look at all that, I just received my service manual and that should help. Thank you for all the suggestions. 

Edited April 18, 2021 by SaberMike

[1949 Wraith]

I think 205 or 215 would make it a bit easier to steer. As stated just turn  steering wheel when moving slightly.