Tighter Turning

[USMC6062]

The other day I had my truck on jack stands test fitting some bigger tires, I was turning the wheels all the way left and right checking clearance. I noticed the outside tire turns sharper than the inside tire, oposite of what it should do. I think it's because the tie rod being behind the axle. I know on a rockwell you can swap the knuckles side to side and put the tie rod in front, I'm pretty sure by doing this, it will make the inside tire turn sharper than the outside one like it is supposed to do. The way they are stock, the tires fight each other in a turn. The only down side of this is the tie rod would be more easily bent if you ran into something, but no more than any pickup. If you want to visualize what it would do, turn your wheels all the way to one side, then imagine turning the whole frontend around and picture how the tires would be. Of course I will leave my frontend alone and just swap knuckles side to side.

 

[USMC6062]

This link definitely doesn't support what I'm saying, but it is what I'm talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackermann_steering_geometry

Here are some pics I took of mine turned both directions.

 

[cbvet]

Sorry, but I just don't get it.
Can you make changes that will really make a significant reduction in the turning radius?
Eric
CBVET

 

[Recovry4x4]

What you are referring to is the Ackerman angle. This is accomplished by the angle of the steering arm part of the knuckle that the tie rod attaches to. If what you are saying is true, the outside tire is turning tighter, prepare to replace fronts in 500 miles and you won't be coasting through turns. In my humble opinion, what you are seeing is an optical illusion possibly caused by near negative caster. It would be nearly impossible to drive and something would have to be really bent up to be that way.

 

[USMC6062]

It's just an idea, but if the tires are fighting each other, and you can stop it, it would have to make an improvement in turning and tire wear. I went out and looked at the ackerman thing on my truck, and drawing a line through the king pins and the tie rod ends, it does point at the center of the rear differential. So there has to be other factors at play.

 

[ford381stroker]

I agree. I played with my axles both ways and it seemed as if I did get tighter turning by flipping the knuckles from side to side and put the steering in the front.