How does your Vette drive??
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
As the steering box on your C3 wears over the miles, you will get some play in the steering wheel. I have some in mine, even with a new rag joint, rebuilt suspension and new tires. If you look up Mike Shea's papers, he lays out a procedure for adjusting the lash on your box to take out that play, assuming you have any adjustment left. If the box is so worn that all of the adjustment has been taken up, you need your box rebuilt. In other words, play in the steering is not some special part of Corvette design, just the inevitable wear that happens from decades of use.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: Near Round Top (pop. 90) Texas
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Go with poly bushings everywhere!
They breakdown over time at a much slower rate than rubber, 1% per year as compared to up to 10% per year for rubber.
They significantly reduce the slop you will find with rubber, especially aged rubber.
I'm not saying this will fix your problem, but if you are planning to replace components anyway, poly will help.
I will add this for the purist,
If you plan on having a NCRS car go with rubber.
Go with poly bushings everywhere!
They breakdown over time at a much slower rate than rubber, 1% per year as compared to up to 10% per year for rubber.
They significantly reduce the slop you will find with rubber, especially aged rubber.
I'm not saying this will fix your problem, but if you are planning to replace components anyway, poly will help.
I will add this for the purist,
If you plan on having a NCRS car go with rubber.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,039
Likes: 62
From: Kona Hawaii
Borgeson Box!
My 76 was all over place until I installed a borgeson box and changed the rag joint with a u joint.Also put on a new set of 255/60/15 Firehawks and its like driving an almost new car with tight steering and great handling.Alohas
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 2
From: Eagle River Alaska
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Two different animals!My coupe is pretty tight, tracks & stops straight, handles well on curvy roads. It's got a composite rear spring but it's hoppy compared to a modern day car. Very comfortable on a smooth highway.
Glenn
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 352
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis Minnesota
'70 coupe- I basically replaced all suspension components. I think I put in the equivalent to a F41 suspension. I can feel every crack in the road (my wife not a fan of it). And I can do a cloverleaf exit at 60 mph-though it wants to break loose-and has. I'm losing my steering box so I do have a little play in it. It can be as tight and responsive or as comfortable as you want it. Mine drives like a go-cart. It's so much fun to take it out on those rare occasions when I'm not working on it.
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
The bigest improvement I made to my 79 was the install of a 330 LB TRW rear spring. Did away with 90% of the rough banging and the constant rump - rump - rump as you went down a concrete road. Next was a rebuild of all the bushings, nothing special, just plain OEM or Moog replacement bushings. I did it over a span of about two years, with a litle better ride each time I replaced a set. I also did away with the old calipers and put in a complete set of VB&P stainless slieved calipers. That put problem brakes to bed permanently !
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,691
Likes: 833
From: WI
My vette had about an inch of free play at the wheel. I had to remove my steering column for some access under the dash and at one point I had it up on jack stands and happened to turn the rag joint by hand. I could feel a lot of roughness in the bearings by hand turning the box. I eventually removed the box and disassembled it. The top bearing was completely corroded at the outer and inner race. The bottom bushing was worn enough that I could feel play at the shaft with my hand. I completely rebuilt the box according to specs and the play has completely gone away.
I would definitely encourage you to look at your steering box. Personally, if you aren't set up with all the right tools, I'd just order a rebuilt box because when you factor in all your time (even if you DO have the tools), it's going to take as much to rebuild the one you have. ...so just buy a rebuild. I haven't installed a borgeson steering box, but it came out right about the time I re-did mine. It might be worth a hard look. No matter how tight your steering bushings and ball joints are, a loose box will still not give you the feel you are after. If you are lucky you can adjust yours.
Mark G
I would definitely encourage you to look at your steering box. Personally, if you aren't set up with all the right tools, I'd just order a rebuilt box because when you factor in all your time (even if you DO have the tools), it's going to take as much to rebuild the one you have. ...so just buy a rebuild. I haven't installed a borgeson steering box, but it came out right about the time I re-did mine. It might be worth a hard look. No matter how tight your steering bushings and ball joints are, a loose box will still not give you the feel you are after. If you are lucky you can adjust yours.
Mark G
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
I've had a new '74 and a 5 year old '68, not to mention the [38 year old] '71 at present. There does not need to be any 'slop' in the C3 steering system; when new, it was tight and comfortable to drive. My '71 coupe {with over 200K miles} is about as tight as the 5-year old '68 was. But, this car has alway had good maintenance and has had worn parts replaced with OEM stuff. If you have looseness in the steering of your C3, you have worn and/or misadjusted components in it. I would suggest that you take it to a good...and highly recommended...alignment shop and ask them to do a full check out of the steering and front/rear suspension components. For just a few bucks, you can know exactly what components are in need of adjustment and repair.
P.S. The 'ragjoint' is not loosey-goosey by design; it merely provides the ability to absorb a bit of misalignment between the steering column shaft and the input shaft of the steering box.
P.S. The 'ragjoint' is not loosey-goosey by design; it merely provides the ability to absorb a bit of misalignment between the steering column shaft and the input shaft of the steering box.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale FL
It looks like the culprit may be the steering box as just about every other component has been replaced. I'll have it checked out. Thanks to all for all the great suggestions. 
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
When I bought my 74 and drove it home it scared me to death. I rebuilt the front and rear suspension co,mpletely, put new SS o-ring brakes on it and then ried it. The steering was really sloppy. Put a Steeroids kit in it, now its right. Straight and narrow, no lean, a little rough due to stiff springs and sway bars, but I love it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 4
From: Regina Saskatchewan
My steering has been slightly squirrely for the last couple years. Bought new BF Goodrich tires which solved the problem.
I've been thinking about replacing the upper A arms. Tech articles say that our vettes have about 2 deg camber and
replacing the A arms can give us 9 deg camber which is comparable to modern vehicles. I don't autoX but the advantage
would be on the highway. The car would come back to centre easier.
I've been thinking about replacing the upper A arms. Tech articles say that our vettes have about 2 deg camber and
replacing the A arms can give us 9 deg camber which is comparable to modern vehicles. I don't autoX but the advantage
would be on the highway. The car would come back to centre easier.
Last edited by couperdecar; Aug 25, 2010 at 02:11 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
I do have a little play in it. It can be as tight and responsive or as comfortable as you want it. Mine drives like a go-cart
I love pinning my son to the door panel on 360degree hiway onramps
Mine tends to wander on roads with ruts in them but is great on good pavement. I have all new shocks, springs, ball joints, tie rods etc but when I rebuilt the steering box I neglected to change the shaft bushings (rookie mistake) I will rebuild it again this winter properly!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
If the car 'wanders' on rutted roads, your toe-in [front wheels] may be set improperly. Some shops think that dead-straight (0 deg. toe-in) is the ideal setting. But, for a Corvette, about 1/16" to 1/8" toe-in will help to prevent that wandering problem on well-driven roads.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
If the car 'wanders' on rutted roads, your toe-in [front wheels] may be set improperly. Some shops think that dead-straight (0 deg. toe-in) is the ideal setting. But, for a Corvette, about 1/16" to 1/8" toe-in will help to prevent that wandering problem on well-driven roads
I'll check that out
Pro
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 507
Likes: 5
From: Seattle WA
Last edited by 66L36Coupe; Aug 27, 2010 at 10:58 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 0
From: staten island new york
St. Jude Donor '10