Steering help please!
07-22-2006, 09:40 PM
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Location: santa clarita ca
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Steering help please!
My wife has owned the 1976 Corvette since new. The car was hit in the left front fender 18 months ago. The left upper & lower control arms, the relay rod, the steering box, the tie rods & ends & the idler arm were replaced. We have had it aligned & measured till the cow come home. The frame measures ok.
The problem is the steering is slow to return. I have read Jim Shea’s papers (Thank you Jim!) & the steering is straight the box is at 12:00 and the pitman & idler arms are straight ahead. The steering box has been adjusted. We even loosened the box adjustment some.
When I looked under the car recently I noticed a couple of possible problems.
1) The right tie rod needs to be 1” longer then the left side to center the wheel.
2) When the tie rods are centered the right inner tie rod is about a ½” lower then the left side. (Could I have the wrong idler arm installed?)
3) It seems that Corvette wheels move further then our turntable will allow so I could not get an accurate reading. Is this typical? Would wheels with less backspacing work (for the alignment only)?
I have been a mechanic for years but I am stumped. When I tried to check the alignment on our new Snap-On aligner at work I had trouble with the turntables. If anyone can help I would be grateful. If anyone knows a C3 alignment expert in the Los Angeles area please let me know.
Thanks,
Walter
The problem is the steering is slow to return. I have read Jim Shea’s papers (Thank you Jim!) & the steering is straight the box is at 12:00 and the pitman & idler arms are straight ahead. The steering box has been adjusted. We even loosened the box adjustment some.
When I looked under the car recently I noticed a couple of possible problems.
1) The right tie rod needs to be 1” longer then the left side to center the wheel.
2) When the tie rods are centered the right inner tie rod is about a ½” lower then the left side. (Could I have the wrong idler arm installed?)
3) It seems that Corvette wheels move further then our turntable will allow so I could not get an accurate reading. Is this typical? Would wheels with less backspacing work (for the alignment only)?
I have been a mechanic for years but I am stumped. When I tried to check the alignment on our new Snap-On aligner at work I had trouble with the turntables. If anyone can help I would be grateful. If anyone knows a C3 alignment expert in the Los Angeles area please let me know.
Thanks,
Walter
