Steering control valve balancing
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Oita, Japan
Steering control valve balancing
I am having trouble with my wheels not wanting to return to center after a turn and I think it is related to the control valve. In the GM Shop manual where it describes balancing the control valve, it states that when the control valve is balanced, you should be able to move the rod in and out manually. With my control valve balanced, I connot make the rod budge.
My steering was pulling to the right so I followed their procedure to balance the control valve. I had to turn the adjusting nut a few full turns to balance it. After balancing it, I was not able to manually get to rod to move at all. With everything back together, it doesn't pull anymore but the wheels will not return to center after a turn.
Does it sound like a problem with the control valve or cylinder (or something else)? I read some threads talking about too tight of an adjustment on the steering box keeping the wheels from returning to center but that wouldn't explain the resistance of the steering rod so I think I may have a different problem. Any ideas?
My steering was pulling to the right so I followed their procedure to balance the control valve. I had to turn the adjusting nut a few full turns to balance it. After balancing it, I was not able to manually get to rod to move at all. With everything back together, it doesn't pull anymore but the wheels will not return to center after a turn.
Does it sound like a problem with the control valve or cylinder (or something else)? I read some threads talking about too tight of an adjustment on the steering box keeping the wheels from returning to center but that wouldn't explain the resistance of the steering rod so I think I may have a different problem. Any ideas?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
Normally it's the caster in your steering that causes the wheel to center after turning. I rebuilt my control valve some years ago using the little instruction sheet that came with it and it didn't say anything about pulling the rod in and out after centering the adjusting nut.....you may want to check your front-end alignment.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
From: Naperville IL
did you have the steering ram disconnected from the frame when you were balancing it? If it is hanging free and still won't move in either direction I think you can rule out an alignment problem or steering linkage binding. can you get the piston to move in and out by turning the balancing nut(on the cv)? if the piston isn't physically frozen and the lines are still good, it would have to be the control valve.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Oita, Japan
The ram was disconnected from the frame. I can get the piston to move by turning the adjusting nut on the cv so its not physically frozen.
I'm not sure what all the previous owner had done. When I got the car the steering column was bolted directly to the steering box (no rag joint) but I did think it was strange that I had to back the adjusting nut off so far. Maybe I need to rebuild the cv.
I'm not sure what all the previous owner had done. When I got the car the steering column was bolted directly to the steering box (no rag joint) but I did think it was strange that I had to back the adjusting nut off so far. Maybe I need to rebuild the cv.
