Always looking to learn. My 66 convert is a manual steer ride, all steering linkage and the box are new. Car steers well and turn effort at slow speed is acceptable. What could I expect from relocating the outer toe rods ends to the forward quick steer hole. Obviously the ratio changes but does she become twitchy and does it result in a meaningful increase in slow speed turning effort? For those who have done it, what is your impressions?

 

gonna be harder to turn steering wheel at low speed; "I" wouldn't do it
Bill

 

I agree.

Like the "fast" clutch pedal setting its one of those options that sounds better in theory than the results in actual practice....

 

same thing with the same options on a C1

Bill

 

I agree. Don't do it. That other hole is for power steering cars. If you use it with manual steering, you're gonna get a workout every time you turn the wheels at low speed.

 

Lastly, if you move the tie rod ends to the inner holes you're gonna need to have your toe in reset to specs. Been there . . . . .

 

Well, I'll be the contrarian here.

My '63 coupe came to me with the tie rods in the quick steering position and I drove it like this for 12 years. At first I didn't know any better; I was new to C2 Vettes and didn't initially realize there even was a quick steer position.

It was fine.

No doubt the steering effort was greater but you get used to it and don't even notice. It wasn't twitchy at all. If I had another '63 with manual steering, I'd relocate the tie rod ends to the quick steering position in a heartbeat.

Jim

 

Get a bunch of guy's together, ya get a bunch of differing opinions. Just came back from about a 50ish mile ride in her, longest since I got her off jack stands. I can not honestly say the steering offends me. My first 66 did and I just assumed I would go the R&P route but will all new parts, the center feel is pretty good, some slop but that's baked into the engineering. So rather than beat my new tie rods apart I'll take the advice of the majority, at least until I am fortunate enough to drive one that has been converted over, and focus on other wish list things for now....like drive her. My last project was a Healey replica conversion, I like the twisties. On public roads, that has to be done with an eye for public safety and the cops. Within those considerations she handles real well. No doubt I can spend time and money to make it measurably better but that added performance may only be useful under track conditions and with a convert, it does not look likely any track will let me so much as tune and tweak her without a roll bar and 3-4-5 point harness. I have limited funds for her so I appreciate the different points of view and the been there,done that experience.

 

Does the quick steer setting affect the turning radius?

Regards,
Jerry

 

Sounds like you've convinced yourself to leave things alone - I wholeheartedly agree

 

It appears you are happy with the slower steering in the outer holes. Good.

If you do want less turns of the big steering wheel, lock to lock, changing to the inner holes will provide that result with a slight increase in effort.

I ran my 63' in the inner holes for decades with no problem. I initially made the ratio change for autocross events, and it along with 1/2 degree of caster and near zero toe-in helped the initial turn-in response at low speeds. The result was quick off-center steering, what many consider twitchy or quick to initiate oversteer. I later added toe-in and reset the caster to 1 1/2 degrees for better highway speed behavior, keeping the inner hole position. The caster change created a greater impact to steering effort than the ratio swap. The benefits were good for handling at all speeds, except parking, with a side consequence that my wife would not drive the car.

With the Borgeson power steering, and the inner holes, I run 2 1/2 degrees caster and 1/8 total toe-in with ~1.5 degrees negative camber, and the steering is better everywhere, with a smaller 13 inch steering wheel. The Borgeson box is variable rate, but much faster off-center than the manual box with the inner holes, and there is none of the claimed ill effects on the handling to cause twitching or darting (and the new consequence of the wife liking to drive the car, except for the heavy clutch in traffic).

 

I agree the quick steer setting takes a little more effort when going slow, but how often is that. I think it gives a better feel for on the road driving.

I set my clutch to quick throw shortly after bringing it home. I believe it helped in faster power shifts for the frequent midnight drags but I broke two gearshifts going from 2nd to 3rd and still have a scar on my right knuckle from hitting the radio buttons. Moving the clutch to quick throw also put it even with the power brake pedal.

 

I have my BB set on the quicker steering ratio positions and it's been fine for me for 30 years. I have to do a tight 90 degree turn from my drive into the garage for parking and that does take some definite effort to crank the wheels around for that. But for normal driving I like the tighter feel. It's kind of an individual preference thing and may depend on your age and shoulder strength. In a few more years I may have to consider going back.