Looking for some help....decided to try to drive my 65 Mustang more (it has been getting alittle neglected by not driving it around regularly). Driving around slow in the neighborhood is fine, then get out on the highway and it feels like a wheel is ready to fall off. Steering wheel shaking, some pulling to the side, etc. After awhile it smooths out, then comes again...all at about the same speed. I took it to a mechanic in town and he said it would be best to do a front end job. He's good at the high performance cars and knows his stuff. But, should I have other things to be concerned about? The tires are okay, but have sat for awhile

Thanks for any tips (and what $$ I should expect--I am no mechanic). Great site, here!

 

You need to get it to a front end alignment and balancing place who knows about old Mustangs and the shims that are used to align the front end. You have two separate problems. One is the alignment that causes it to pull to one side, and the other is the balancing which is where you are getting the shaking/bouncing effect.
On edit: Where in Texas are you from? If you are anywhere near Austin I can suggest a place to get her fixed.

 

After tires have sat for a while, they will square out on the bottom. After driving on them for a while they will get round. Thus the cycle continues.

A "loose" front end will agrivate this situation of course.....

 

Yeah, I used to come home from Germany after spending 10 months over there teaching to find Ol' Yeller's tires damn near flat. I would air them up and take it for a 5 or 6 mile drive to get the square spot round again. It was really bad in the old days when we ran Rayon belted tires. But with steel belted radials, it only takes a few miles. Now if it isn't better after a few miles, then take her to a shop who understands how to align old Ford Mustangs.

 

Thanks for the quick answers, Soaring and JMD. I live in the hill country about an hour from San Antonio. As far as the Mustang, it does have a loose tie rod or something. Plan on getting alignment and new tires as well. An suggestions on tires--it's a "week ender", driving 20-25 miles one way tops... thanks again for the tips.

 

Those old Bias Ply Tires were realy, realy bad about that. I can remember the thumpity thump from my youth.....

 

I took my 65 Mustang to a shop in our town--waiting to put in a new front suspension kit when the parts come in. Meanwhile, it is due inspection so I drove out this morning to the nearest town (13 miles) to get it inspected. Halfway there, the shaking and wobbling began again and now I see smoke coming out from the left side. I stopped to check it out and the left front rim was really hot to touch. Limped it back to town and found out the caliper was stuck or frozen. Now going to change the front two out.

Hoping that the combo of these two corrects the problem (prob was just the calipher doing the effects, but the front end needs some newness anyway.

Thanks for the tips and if you have anything to add, I would appreciate the info.

 

Yeah..it's bad enough to let the smoke out of those wires... but when you start letting the smoke out of cast metal components... that's gonna be hard to get the smoke back in.

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Jack up the front end and try to wiggle each tire back andforth. There should be little to no play. If play, probably a tie rod but crawl under and you should be able to see easily

 

Thanks, quinchem...

We did do that and there was a little play, but also there was some worn place or alot of play on the tie rod. And the previous owner kinda pieced some stuff together, so I want to get it back to the way it supposed to be.

Also, on the left front wheel, when jacked up, we could hardly turn it. Was really seized up. Figured that was the caliper?