The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk turning radius

My 56 needs the entire block to make a u-turn. Is there a fix for that?

What size truck?
Original or aftermarket wheels and or anything else steering related?

1956 3600?

145" radius (24' diameter) in a 3600 vs 115" radius in a 3100" (19' diameter)

I have a 1956 Chevy 3600 with 16" rims. 256/75/16

A "typical" city block is 264' to 352' long.

Is it the same turning left and right?

Yes, the same.

All stock? (Turning radius is what is, in my opinion not bad)
Non stock; what parts? (Could cause reduced radius?)

Its all stock. I have owned a 47 and a 53 that turned much better.

I bet these old trucks could turn inside my 2006 Toyota Tundra. First thing I noticed after I bought it. Brutal turning radius in that truck.

Did your other trucks have same wheelbase, were they also 3/4 tons? The longer the truck the longer the turning radius given same front axle and steering stuff.

When you turn it hard one way or the other what limits the wheel cut? Are the spindle stops on the axle there as original or installed wrong, adjusted wrong if adjustable?
On my 1 tons I always thought they turned quite nice. Even with larger tires that at max turn just wanted to rub the back of the front springs.
If your tires are close to rubbing the springs as max turn that's best you can do. Assuming original type and size wheels and not aftermarket ones extra wide or with to much inset.

I'm assuming that tire is a 265 width, WAY wider than stock and you are rubbing the frame. Reduce width of tire, reduce turning radius.

Many steering geometry's' are set up to turn slightly tighter to the right. My '46 was that way. I measured it. An old timer/rod builder buddy told me it was to accommodate the fact that making a right hand turn at a corner called for a few more degrees to clear the other lane. When I replaced the steering with an Isuzu hydro set up, I set it up as close as possible to what the original had been...which was just a bit tighter to the right.

"Right" or not, it seems to work well.

Tango, I think your on to something.
Not trying to be cute here but have ya'll noticed your lawn mower will turn sharper one way than the other.
...I give engineers credit when credit is due, and there are some engineering feats out there that some pretty slick folks figured out and when we "discuss" things we usually have a better understanding of "why".

I think the sharper to the right is plausible but unlikely.
If the amount of steering is before tires hit frame, springs, or what not.. then the truck being built symmetrical left and right should turn same either way. No reason to give up turning radius on either side just to say the truck turns more to the other side.

My Kabota UTV turns much sharper left than right. Go figure!

I built/modified a truck with a different front axle and a big steering box outside the frame in front of the axle. It would turn to the left seemingly with the left rear wheels stationary (but not quite). It'd easily do a U-turn within 3 lanes, a truck with same wheelbase as a modern crew cab with long bed.
However to the right the tire hit steering box and turning radius was just adequate, nothing special. A compromise to get that axle and PS in there.

The truck came with 17 1/2 rims but the tires were narrow. I'll bet you are right. I'll have to check that out.