Steering Issue
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 22
From: Norwalk CT and Boynton Beach FL
Steering Issue
I have all new front suspension (springs, ball joints, tie rods, bushings, etc) and last year I replaced the power steering control valve, PS cylinder and PS pump. Both front and rear wheels have been balanced and aligned. I still find that when I'm doing highway driving that I need to be constantly moving the steering wheel back and forth to keep the car centered in my lane --- much more steering wheel adjustments than any other car I have ever driven. It makes for a very nervous drive. Any ideas what to look for next?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,741
Likes: 1,383
My 68 was acting like that a few years ago....
turned out to be my rear tires. I ended up getting a rear flat while still trying to figure this out, changed both rear tires and the whole dartiness went away....might want to look into rotating your tires and see if it has any effect. I was having a h*ll of a time trying to figure this out...good thing I got a flat.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
What size tires are you running? My steering stability improved quite a bit after going with slightly more narrow tires - I now have 225/70, but of course if everything was "perfect" I would be ok with the wider tires.
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 3
Originally Posted by BerniesVette
Install a Jeep steering box kit and get rid of all that sloppy power steering valve setup. The jeep box has the valve mounted internally so there is no slop in the system.
Bernie
Bernie
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 3,982
From: Connecticut, USA
Originally Posted by StickShiftCorvette
The Jeep box has an internal ROTARY valve that can also be sloppy if all is not right. The stock system CAN be as slop free when all is right.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
The first things I'd look at with the symptoms you describe would be common to any car with recirculating ball-type steering-
(1) Check for excessive toe-out
(2) Check for insufficient or possibly even negative caster angles
(3) Check the adjustment on the steering box- it may be too loose or the box itself may be worn out.
Also, if your rear spring is worn it would aggravate the toe-steer problem common to C3's (car sits too low resulting in toe-out)- you may be able to band-aid this condition by dialing in more negative camber but a replacement spring would really be necessary. Good luck.
(1) Check for excessive toe-out
(2) Check for insufficient or possibly even negative caster angles
(3) Check the adjustment on the steering box- it may be too loose or the box itself may be worn out.
Also, if your rear spring is worn it would aggravate the toe-steer problem common to C3's (car sits too low resulting in toe-out)- you may be able to band-aid this condition by dialing in more negative camber but a replacement spring would really be necessary. Good luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
There is one very basic reason why a power steering gear with an integral rotary valve has less apparant lash than the C2/C3 linear valve and booster power steering.
The integral gear rotary valve is mounted on the input side of the steering gear. When you rotate your steering wheel, you act directly on the rotary valve (you loose a slight amount of motion in the flexible coupling and any other joints in the system.) But essentially you are moving the rotary valve and causing power assist in the direction that you are steering.
The linear valve on the valve and booster type steering is mounted between the pitman arm and the relay rod. Now any motion of the steering wheel has to be reduced by the ratio of the steering gear (C2/C3 manual gear ratio is 16:1) as well as steering joint lash and any steering gear lash before you get an equivalent movement of the linear valve.
You just can't get around the physics of the two different systems.
Jim
The integral gear rotary valve is mounted on the input side of the steering gear. When you rotate your steering wheel, you act directly on the rotary valve (you loose a slight amount of motion in the flexible coupling and any other joints in the system.) But essentially you are moving the rotary valve and causing power assist in the direction that you are steering.
The linear valve on the valve and booster type steering is mounted between the pitman arm and the relay rod. Now any motion of the steering wheel has to be reduced by the ratio of the steering gear (C2/C3 manual gear ratio is 16:1) as well as steering joint lash and any steering gear lash before you get an equivalent movement of the linear valve.
You just can't get around the physics of the two different systems.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Nov 10, 2006 at 07:35 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
The control valve adjustment that affects slop is not the external stud/nut.
The control valve "slop" adjustment is on the inside of the control valve... you have to disassemble the valve to make this adjustment.
The ball-stud sits inside two half shells that can be adjusted for tightness via a threaded retainer. When this wears and/or loosens up, the stud (connected to the pitman arm) floats before it engages the valve.
The stud/nut is just for centering the mechanism so that the assist is balanced and on center... not pre-loaded left, not pre-loaded right.
The steering gear itself can be sloppy as well.
One Vette I worked on had a loose rear trailing arm... the whole back of the car was swishing back & forth because the front of the TA was loose (shims fell out). Felt like something was wrong with the steering, but it was the loose TA.
Lots of possibilities.
The control valve "slop" adjustment is on the inside of the control valve... you have to disassemble the valve to make this adjustment.
The ball-stud sits inside two half shells that can be adjusted for tightness via a threaded retainer. When this wears and/or loosens up, the stud (connected to the pitman arm) floats before it engages the valve.
The stud/nut is just for centering the mechanism so that the assist is balanced and on center... not pre-loaded left, not pre-loaded right.
The steering gear itself can be sloppy as well.
One Vette I worked on had a loose rear trailing arm... the whole back of the car was swishing back & forth because the front of the TA was loose (shims fell out). Felt like something was wrong with the steering, but it was the loose TA.
Lots of possibilities.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 22
From: Norwalk CT and Boynton Beach FL
I put the front tires on the rear and the rear tires on the front. It's now 90% better ---- but not 100%. I'm going to have one questionable rim now on the front reworked/refinished (straightened and trued) and then get the front and rear wheels realigned again by a different shop and see how that works. I wonder if a capable tire shop can identify what is wrong with the rear tires and why they won't hold the road when they are on the front --- these tires are only one year old and maybe have 4,000 miles on them. I could buy two new tires to replace the ones which are now on the rear ---- use one or the rear tires I am replacing as a spare. My current spare now is the origional spare (1975 tire snd used only once) and I'm sure it's no longer a safe tire. Is this tire worth any $$$$ to those trying to do a perfect restoratiion? Anybody know?