steering effort

[tcmgb]

I am in the begining stages of installing a ls1 t5 combo into my new rdster. I have made a full frame am using a custom crossmember with mustang11  parts. What i would like to know is how steering effort it is to park and drive.I am currently using a stock mg rack. I used to have a red 2.3 ford turbo powered b. however the combo of cool temps and high boost sent the car into a light pole.Needless to say it was a wild ride and destroyed the car.

[Moderator]

When you installed the MustangII parts, I expect you probably changed caster angle. You may have also changed kingpin angle, scrub radius, steering arm length, etc. All these design parameters affect steering effort. Tire size, tread pattern, and sidewall stiffness are big variables. The amount of wear in your rack and whether or not it's been lubricated... and on top of all that, steering effort is a subjective thing. There's often a tradeoff: some people have worked to reduce low speed steering effort and ended up with cars that wander at highway speed. If I were you, I'd just wait and see.

[classic conversions]

One simple rule, light car more caster, heavy car less caster, narrow track more caster, short wheel base more caster.

Reason why the MGB came with 6-7 degrees of caster.
Adapting geometry from other cars is not as simple as just installed and drive, there are many variables to deal with when swapping steering parts. Yes they will work and look simple to do.

[rficalora]

Hey Jim - great to see your name again.  I've posted pics of your red car a here a few times in the past when folks had questions about rabbit vs omni flares.  Glad to see you are doing another!