Steering - How Many Turns Lock To Lock

[Bib_Overalls]

I'm working on the steering for my Model T project.  The 46 Buick steering gear I'm using came out of a heavy car.  And this is reflected in the size of the stock steering wheel and the number of turns, five, lock to lock.

I will be running a 14.5" diameter steering wheel.

I have a Speedway hairpin steering arm.  If I use it my drag link will be lower in front.  And I don't think that will look good and may induce some bump steer. So the plan is to fabricate a new steering arm that steps up a bit.  

I can make this arm any length.  With the positive stops on the Ford beam axle I can use effective steering arm length to reduce the number of turns lock to lock.

My T will weigh about half of what the donor Buick weighed.  Given all of this, what should I shoot for in terms of optimum turns lock to lock?  Five may be OK.  But I suspect it will be to slow.   My 32 Ford roadster with the Vega box is about 3+ turns lock to lock.  Should I shoot for this or something a little slower?

Does anyone have a suggestion?

[enjenjo]

I would say 3 to 3 1/2 turns. Anything faster make the car feel twitchy.

[C9]

Fwiw, my 32 w/ Vega box in a cross-steer setup has 4 1/2 turns lock to lock.
Turns fairly sharp all things considered.

Pitman arm is an aftermarket one from SoCal that ended up 5" eye to eye after bending.

The car steers easily and handles well in town, on the highway and on very twisty mountain roads.

You really don't input too much of a crank on the wheel most times.

It recovers nicely if the car gets out shape - almost 90 degrees sideways on the first drive - and parking is easy as well.

A lot of folks like faster steering and it's nice, but faster steering is more for the world of race cars where a lot of rapid wheel cranking in both directions can be required.
Not necessary on the street imo.

It's all a compromise, whether you want quick steering on the highway or easy low speed handling.


Fast steering is not always where it's at in the race car world.
I understand that the main reason for rear engine dragster success is when Don Garlits realized that slower steering could calm down some handling problems.
Up till then, the rear engine dragsters had used the same quick steering the front engine cars did and success in handling didn't happen until Garlits slowed down the steering.