1980 Steering Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Griffith Indiana
1980 Steering Help
I am having issues with my 1980 pulling to the right. I am attempting to review everything I can right now and I have a possibly crazy question to ask, but I need to ask it....
When I had the front of the car in the air today, I had my son turn the steering wheel so that wheels were pointing straight and down the road, when he let the steering wheel go, the tires took off and they turned right away to the right with no assistance.. Is this ok or is there something that needs to be replaced or adjusted to possibly correct my pulling to the right issue and does this possibly add to my pulling issues?
Thanks,
TTERZ
When I had the front of the car in the air today, I had my son turn the steering wheel so that wheels were pointing straight and down the road, when he let the steering wheel go, the tires took off and they turned right away to the right with no assistance.. Is this ok or is there something that needs to be replaced or adjusted to possibly correct my pulling to the right issue and does this possibly add to my pulling issues?
Thanks,
TTERZ
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
Likes: 479
From: OK
Not sure what was happening with your car in the air..
kinda vague and hard to grasp.
Anyway....pulling to the right sounds like an alignment issue....maybe wore parts or just out of adjustment. Does your steering have "play" in it or is it pretty responsive......lots of dynamics that could effect your car pulling to the right....including road surface.....need more info.
kinda vague and hard to grasp.
Anyway....pulling to the right sounds like an alignment issue....maybe wore parts or just out of adjustment. Does your steering have "play" in it or is it pretty responsive......lots of dynamics that could effect your car pulling to the right....including road surface.....need more info.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Griffith Indiana
The front end of the car was on jack stands in the air so that I could replace trans gasket, filter and oil. I have a few other cars and when I put them up in the air, the tires do not right away turn to the right all by themselves like my corvette does and I was just wondering if that could possibly be an issue, etc. Not sure if it could be something with steer box, adjustment needed or what...
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,687
Likes: 833
From: WI
Your power steering assist valve needs to be adjusted. It is the bulky thing on the end of your steering center link that hoses go into and out of. It is located directly below the steering box and connects to the pitman arm. If you remove the driver's side wheel you will have a good view of the end of it. There is a cap on the end about the size of a quarter. This pries off (with gentle prying) and once off, there is a screw (or maybe it's a small nut, I can't remember) that you can adjust. Put it back up on jackstands and adjust it until the wheels stay in the center.
Either someone replaced it and didn't adjust it, or there are leaky seals internally and it needs to be rebuilt (easy to do). If it doesn't leak, it's probably ok. They all seem to leak a little.
Let us know how it goes. Best of luck.
Mark G
Either someone replaced it and didn't adjust it, or there are leaky seals internally and it needs to be rebuilt (easy to do). If it doesn't leak, it's probably ok. They all seem to leak a little.
Let us know how it goes. Best of luck.
Mark G
Last edited by Mark G; Apr 22, 2012 at 08:01 PM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
This doesn't happen often but tires belts do break down inside and cause a car to pull one way or another. Before you spend a lot of money put the front right tire on the left and visa versa. I personally went through a bunch of money with the exact same problem to find out an expensive Michelin tire's steel belts broke down inside. I would take Marks advise as fare as the front wheels turning on their own. I actually saw a youtube of a C3 doing the exact same thing. I'll look but at least try the tire switcheroo.
If all 4 tires and wheels are the same and you do have a bad one just put it on the rear where it can't affect the steering but only temporally. A tire could come apart and do lotsa damage or worse.
I found the youtube with the wheels turning on an 81 C3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oSbBKExtZQ
If all 4 tires and wheels are the same and you do have a bad one just put it on the rear where it can't affect the steering but only temporally. A tire could come apart and do lotsa damage or worse.
I found the youtube with the wheels turning on an 81 C3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oSbBKExtZQ
Last edited by boeing46; Apr 22, 2012 at 09:24 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
Your power steering assist valve needs to be adjusted. It is the bulky thing on the end of your steering center link that hoses go into and out of. It is located directly below the steering box and connects to the pitman arm. If you remove the driver's side wheel you will have a good view of the end of it. There is a cap on the end about the size of a quarter. This pries off (with gentle prying) and once off, there is a screw (or maybe it's a small nut, I can't remember) that you can adjust. Put it back up on jackstands and adjust it until the wheels stay in the center.
Either someone replaced it and didn't adjust it, or there are leaky seals internally and it needs to be rebuilt (easy to do). If it doesn't leak, it's probably ok. They all seem to leak a little.
Let us know how it goes. Best of luck
Mark G
Either someone replaced it and didn't adjust it, or there are leaky seals internally and it needs to be rebuilt (easy to do). If it doesn't leak, it's probably ok. They all seem to leak a little.
Let us know how it goes. Best of luck
Mark G
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 5
From: Middleburg Florida
Mark's right, the problem is the control valve isn't balanced. The balancing procedure is in the service manual, just in case you don't have one:
Raise the front wheels off the ground, remove the left wheel and disconnect the power steering cylinder from the frame bracket. Remove the dust cover from the control valve.
Start the engine, the power steering cylinder rod will likely move but it will be fairly slowly, this will verify that the valve isn't balanced correctly.
If the rod moves in and is retracted, turn the nut on the control vavle clockwise until the rod begins to move out. Then turn the nut counter-clockwise until the rod just begins to move in. Then turn the nut clockwise again to exactly one half the rotation needed to change the direction of the rod.
If the rod is exctended when the engine starts, begin with turning the nut counter-clockwise until the rod begins to retract. Then turn the nut exactly half a rotation needed to change the diretion of the rod movement. Don't turn the nut more than is absolutely necessary to balance the valve.
Once the valve is balanced, it should be possible to move the rod in and out manually, with the engine running.
I've done this procedure myself, and it's really very straight forward and easy to do.
Let us know if this works for you!
Raise the front wheels off the ground, remove the left wheel and disconnect the power steering cylinder from the frame bracket. Remove the dust cover from the control valve.
Start the engine, the power steering cylinder rod will likely move but it will be fairly slowly, this will verify that the valve isn't balanced correctly.
If the rod moves in and is retracted, turn the nut on the control vavle clockwise until the rod begins to move out. Then turn the nut counter-clockwise until the rod just begins to move in. Then turn the nut clockwise again to exactly one half the rotation needed to change the direction of the rod.
If the rod is exctended when the engine starts, begin with turning the nut counter-clockwise until the rod begins to retract. Then turn the nut exactly half a rotation needed to change the diretion of the rod movement. Don't turn the nut more than is absolutely necessary to balance the valve.
Once the valve is balanced, it should be possible to move the rod in and out manually, with the engine running.
I've done this procedure myself, and it's really very straight forward and easy to do.
Let us know if this works for you!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,298
Likes: 1,580
From: Western NY
Mark's right, the problem is the control valve isn't balanced. The balancing procedure is in the service manual, just in case you don't have one:
Raise the front wheels off the ground, remove the left wheel and disconnect the power steering cylinder from the frame bracket. Remove the dust cover from the control valve.
Start the engine, the power steering cylinder rod will likely move but it will be fairly slowly, this will verify that the valve isn't balanced correctly.
If the rod moves in and is retracted, turn the nut on the control vavle clockwise until the rod begins to move out. Then turn the nut counter-clockwise until the rod just begins to move in. Then turn the nut clockwise again to exactly one half the rotation needed to change the direction of the rod.
If the rod is exctended when the engine starts, begin with turning the nut counter-clockwise until the rod begins to retract. Then turn the nut exactly half a rotation needed to change the diretion of the rod movement. Don't turn the nut more than is absolutely necessary to balance the valve.
Once the valve is balanced, it should be possible to move the rod in and out manually, with the engine running.
I've done this procedure myself, and it's really very straight forward and easy to do.
Let us know if this works for you!
Raise the front wheels off the ground, remove the left wheel and disconnect the power steering cylinder from the frame bracket. Remove the dust cover from the control valve.
Start the engine, the power steering cylinder rod will likely move but it will be fairly slowly, this will verify that the valve isn't balanced correctly.
If the rod moves in and is retracted, turn the nut on the control vavle clockwise until the rod begins to move out. Then turn the nut counter-clockwise until the rod just begins to move in. Then turn the nut clockwise again to exactly one half the rotation needed to change the direction of the rod.
If the rod is exctended when the engine starts, begin with turning the nut counter-clockwise until the rod begins to retract. Then turn the nut exactly half a rotation needed to change the diretion of the rod movement. Don't turn the nut more than is absolutely necessary to balance the valve.
Once the valve is balanced, it should be possible to move the rod in and out manually, with the engine running.
I've done this procedure myself, and it's really very straight forward and easy to do.
Let us know if this works for you!
While I agree that this is the "correct" procedure, I've made the adjustment with the car idling, and on the ground. Drive the car a bit, and see which way it pulls, then adjust the pre-load on the nut as necessary. Drive a little bit, adjust, etc. As mentioned, you don't make big adjustments. Turn in "1 flat" increments of the nut at a time.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Griffith Indiana
Eeryone,
Wanted to report back that this instructions and suggestions that you all offered me relative to the Control Valve were "dead on". I must say this is a bit of a tedious task to complete because you have to adjust, then drive, adjust, then drive, but I think I am close to having it back driving down the road straight. I am noticing however that now since it is closer to being "balanced" I am having some issues turning the steering wheel to the right. It is harder to turn and I am going to need to look at the power steering fluid levels to make sure that they are correct. If fluids are correct, not sure what the next course of action will be. Any thoughts??
TTERZ
Wanted to report back that this instructions and suggestions that you all offered me relative to the Control Valve were "dead on". I must say this is a bit of a tedious task to complete because you have to adjust, then drive, adjust, then drive, but I think I am close to having it back driving down the road straight. I am noticing however that now since it is closer to being "balanced" I am having some issues turning the steering wheel to the right. It is harder to turn and I am going to need to look at the power steering fluid levels to make sure that they are correct. If fluids are correct, not sure what the next course of action will be. Any thoughts??
TTERZ
