Ok guys help me diagnose my steering problems:

It boils down to the car is squirrelly at freeway speeds -

Symptoms:

1. Wanders
2. Requires constant input to keep on straight line (brakes do not pull nor are they dragging)
3. Sensistive to even the slightest change in road texture - its a struggle to keep it going straight if I'm riding on OR NEAR a ridge in teh road

Condition:

1. New(ish) poly bushings in control arms
2. new Vb&p power steering control unit
3. Ram is about 9 years old (ram cushion to frame is poly and new)
4. Original (i believe) idler arm
5. unknown age of ball joints, tie rod ends, steering box (box has been adjusted for lash)
6. 17x8 rims w/ 245/45-17 khumo ecsta
7. been about 5 years since last alignment

The car is an absolute joy to drive on city streets because these issues dont seem to manifest at lower speeds, the car would be an unparalleled joy to drive if freeway driving wasnt so stressfull trying to keep the car on line.

any suggestions would be gratefully accepted

Cheers

 

After you install new control valve you need to adjust it.
When you take out the left front wheel and look at the control valve
you will see round cap that you need to take out and you will see a nut.
With this nut you need to adjust the steering wheel.
Avner

 

Have all parts that control steering and suspension checked and replace those that are worn. Then go for a good wheel alignment.
I had the same issue even after the align so I had them take the front toe to 0* and now it drives like a dream. 110 mph ....No Drift!

 

Control valve was adjusted...Good idea though

 

Some thoughts...

Don't think it is control valve as it would tend to steer in one direction if adjustment off.....you can check this buy jacking front wheels up and chocking rear wheels...center steering wheel,and start engine...if steering wheel moves to left or right,then your control valve is out of adjustment...I'd do that first just to eliminate that as a factor..

I would re-align front/rear and check for play in idler/ball joints..tolerance for ball joints should not exceed .060"....you can check idler by pushing on it....mine use to "wander" somewhat especially where the freeway surface is
grooved...aligned front to "0" toe,and that went away...(78 btw..)

I use Truline alignment just off Bradley/Maganolia in El Cajon...

 

If everything else checks out....check your trailing arms for slop.

 

It sounds like it needs a good 4 wheel alignment at a shop familiar with Corvettes.

 

As much positive caster as you can get. This will help the wheels correct to center.

The cars were designed for narrow tires. The modern wide tires don't like to self correct to center. I use the VB&P alignment specs vice the factory. Running 2.5 positive caster with stock control arms. VB&P arms allow 4.5 degrees.

Also, tie rod ends and idler arm are an easy replace.

VBP specs:
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htm

 

This is as simple as I can make it!!!!!

 

You didn't mention the condition of your rag joint. Has it been checked or replaced? That can cause a lot of slop in your steering if worn out. It is something frequently overlooked. Check alignment - front and rear.

 

UH, you mean 110 at the track right? None of us would ever do that on the street.

 

Check rag joint first. Check alignment second.

 

OK problem solved and yes indeed it was alignment - Caster to be specific.

The tech put it up on the machine after doing a quick settling drive - came in and told me...you have 0 degrees of caster!!!! ok well that would explain that and that puts the final nail in the coffin of the alignment shop that for over 20 years has been treating me right and doing (what I thought) was good work.

It goes something like this...I take the car into the alignment shop to have my falling apart original rubber bushings with a VB&P poly kit...they give me a call to tell me one of my lower control arms is bent and needs to be replaced.

Well I was able to produce a lower control arm from an E-bay purchase quite quickly take it to them and they install the bushings and mount the arm to the car.

The car seemed ok to me, a tad darty (not as bad as it was) but I chalked that up to the poly bushings...a few months pass...

I go to get my custom exhaust installed...so the car is up on the rack and while I'm discussing the design of the exahust I notice something interesting about that new control Arm...the cross shaft - is bolted on upside down!!! WTF!!!

Take a look at one of those...the side that is supposed to be bolted to the crossmember has machined flats.. the other side is a rounded part of the shaft - but in my case the rounded part is against the crossmember...well F!k that.. I get it home, flip the cross shaft.. and the car is even more squirrelly...

Grrrrr..

Time passes and the car isnt driven....So I'm at top flight Corvette to have some work done, basicly I take it there to get it smogged... anyway.. while he has it I ask him to get under the car and reconnect the parking brake that I had disconnected at some point...

He calls me on the phone "Hey eric, who put these bushings on your front suspension... cause they crushed your arms!!! basicly they didnt put the spacer between the two bushing points when they pressed the bushings in - so now I got control arms moving around on the shaft...

AHHA - theres my steering problem... he fixes it...says to me..theyre perfect.. shouldnt effect your alignment...well steering was helped a little bit but not much....

Anyway, make a long story short... I will no longer patronise Bee-Line automotive in San Diego and will instead deal with Tru-Line (kearny mesa).. who not only told me exactly what the issues were they also ASKED me first what settings I wanted before I could even mention that I had settings I wanted used...The counter guy told me "We normally dont ask, but you are clearly a Car guy so I thought it best to see if you had settings you preferred"

Settings were pretty much VB&P settings except we got 5 degrees positive caster in, 1/4 degree neg Camber and 1/32 toe. which is a combination of the driver and advanced street settings posted at the VB&P site...

All for $29 (they checked and rear alignment was fine)

The car drives like a dream now Thanks for the recommendations guys

 

0* caster? No wonder it felt bad.

 

UUUUHHHHHH............right