Front end shimmy AND a bounce.SMH

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73CobraJet

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Well a guy just had the vert out for first test hop after fuel make it happener and steering. Engine and trans and brake fine but….. Around town the is a shimmy and the right side feet’s like it’s hopping! Above 45 mph there is a very noticeable shimmy. Assuming front alignment for the shimmy but the hop!? Help me understand!!! Thanks was always fellers!
 
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Did you check to see if your shocks are in good condition? A single bad front shock could cause the hopping sensation. Worn rear shocks usually give a springing sensation.
 
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check the dates on the front tires. mine steered to the right and did the alin and tech found a bad tire. cked the dates and all were 25 yrs old. all new now. i also had the complete front susp changed. wow what a difference.
 

73CobraJet

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Well fellers a guy found the problem! Turns out the right front tire carcass seems to given up the ghost. Getting ready to go to show, found tire flat, inflated and roof da may! Couldn’t believe but was looking right at it! Season done but now have a excuse to go to Coker for some wide ovals like it should haveIMG_3022.jpeg IMG_3019.jpeg
 
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Glad you found that now rather than after a blow out! BTW, the factory aluminum wheel looks great. I had them on my 73 Mach. We see plenty of the Magnum 500s (which I really like) but we don't see enough of the 73 factory 'mags'.
 

73CobraJet

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Well fellers. A guy has been told these might be retreads and that’s why they failed. My take is no as there is no market for them because who in their right mind would spend years and tens of thousands of dollars restoring these cars and going retread! Thoughts 💭?
 
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Well fellers. A guy has been told these might be retreads and that’s why they failed. My take is no as there is no market for them because who in their right mind would spend years and tens of thousands of dollars restoring these cars and going retread! Thoughts 💭?
The tire in the pics don't look like retreads and the tread is Radial T/A pattern. Looks like classic tread separation to me. Like @Hemikiller asked, what are the date codes on the tires?
 

73CobraJet

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Another update gang. Talking to my local cruise night group I was able to determine the following. There is a code 026094. According to them it decodes as made on the second day of the sixth month of 94! Can’t believe it but looking right at it. What my gang here says makes sense. A guys shutting her down for the season. Bummed, but I’m not wreckin my going ta town rig or any one else’s for that matter. Thanks
 

73CobraJet

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Glad you found that now rather than after a blow out! BTW, the factory aluminum wheel looks great. I had them on my 73 Mach. We see plenty of the Magnum 500s (which I really like) but we don't see enough of the 73 factory 'mags'.
Love them too, and they’re original to the car!
 

steves73

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I posted this picture of my 73 Cougar front tire on the Fbook page as a reminder for people to check their tires. I remember buying the tires new, so I didn't think of them as old. Date code was for 33rd week of 06, making them 17 years old.
 

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My all time favorite vehicle is our 1969 Shelby GT500
I echo the sentiment re: being glad you found the tire issue before having an accident, or worse. I am not sure what kind of tire, or size, you are looking to get. I can tell you this, in my humble opinion it is better to get radials as opposed to bias belted tires. It is possible your Mustang had radials on them when you got it, and maybe even originally from the factory. But, our 1969 Shelby GT500 originally came with belted bias play tires. When we purchase dit the prior owner has a nice set of Mickey Thompson radials on it, and a decent, reasonable size as well (P235R60 x 15 mounted on Magnum 15 x 7 wheels). Bet, despite how well the Shelby handles and felt I just had to outfit it closer to what it originally came with rE: tire brand and model. So, I ordered some reproduction Goodyear PolyGlas GT F60 x 15 bias ply tires. When it comes to how the tires look on the Shelby I am very pleased. But....

One afternoon, not long after putting the Goodyear tires on the Shelby (and inflating them to 30 PSI cold) I happened to be out tooling around with my son. We were heading out somewhere together, and I had opted to take the Interstate, just because i wanted to "blow the carbon out of the engine" a little bit. Nothing too far over the top. In time our exit came up and I took it at a speed I had taken it at in the recent past with the radial tires on the Shelby. Nothing too wild, and nothing it could not have taken - or so I thought.

Whoa! Those bias ply tires did not stick to the pavement anywhere nearly as well as the radials had previously. I did not lose traction, but you can believe I put the tranny (C6) into second gear pretty quickly to help bring the speed down without risking locking the tires due to heavy braking. By feathering the brakes and throttle during gearing down, and running the outer edge of the turning radius along the edge of the pavement, I got lucky and managed to not spin out or go off the pavement, and had plenty of time to slow down even further once out of the turn I had been on. And, it was not really that severe a turn, nothing like a hairpin turn.

Anyway, the PolyGlas GT tires have a lot of life in them still, given how seldom the 69 Shelby gets out onto the road. But, if I am still around when they need to be replaced I will be looking for some OEM-ish look high quality radial if such an animal exists. Otherwise the next set of tires will be some contemporary high quality RWL radial tires for sure. I share this in order to underscore my suggestion you get aset of radial tires, as there is definitely a difference. And, yeh, do not get retreads! heh heh... FWIW....
 

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73CobraJet

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I echo the sentiment re: being glad you found the tire issue before having an accident, or worse. I am not sure what kind of tire, or size, you are looking to get. I can tell you this, in my humble opinion it is better to get radials as opposed to bias belted tires. It is possible your Mustang had radials on them when you got it, and maybe even originally from the factory. But, our 1969 Shelby GT500 originally came with belted bias play tires. When we purchase dit the prior owner has a nice set of Mickey Thompson radials on it, and a decent, reasonable size as well (P235R60 x 15 mounted on Magnum 15 x 7 wheels). Bet, despite how well the Shelby handles and felt I just had to outfit it closer to what it originally came with rE: tire brand and model. So, I ordered some reproduction Goodyear PolyGlas GT F60 x 15 bias ply tires. When it comes to how the tires look on the Shelby I am very pleased. But....

One afternoon, not long after putting the Goodyear tires on the Shelby (and inflating them to 30 PSI cold) I happened to be out tooling around with my son. We were heading out somewhere together, and I had opted to take the Interstate, just because i wanted to "blow the carbon out of the engine" a little bit. Nothing too far over the top. In time our exit came up and I took it at a speed I had taken it at in the recent past with the radial tires on the Shelby. Nothing too wild, and nothing it could not have taken - or so I thought.

Whoa! Those bias ply tires did not stick to the pavement anywhere nearly as well as the radials had previously. I did not lose traction, but you can believe I put the tranny (C6) into second gear pretty quickly to help bring the speed down without risking locking the tires due to heavy braking. By feathering the brakes and throttle during gearing down, and running the outer edge of the turning radius along the edge of the pavement, I got lucky and managed to not spin out or go off the pavement, and had plenty of time to slow down even further once out of the turn I had been on. And, it was not really that severe a turn, nothing like a hairpin turn.

Anyway, the PolyGlas GT tires have a lot of life in them still, given how seldom the 69 Shelby gets out onto the road. But, if I am still around when they need to be replaced I will be looking for some OEM-ish look high quality radial if such an animal exists. Otherwise the next set of tires will be some contemporary high quality RWL radial tires for sure. I share this in order to underscore my suggestion you get aset of radial tires, as there is definitely a difference. And, yeh, do not get retreads! heh heh... FWIW....
Most definitely staying with radials as a drive mine. Not sure what brand yet. A guy wants the Coker Tire Firestone Wide Oval radials but off da may they want $1600 for a set! Not on this guys wages!
 
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