Hey everyone. I'm currently driving my yellow 1977 since it's restoration and there is something wrong with the steering. It's very tight and it doesn't return well. After a turn I have to pretty much return the wheel back to straight myself. Plus too I'm constantly having to give little left or right corrections just the keep the car going in a straight line, at neighborhood speeds; However it does get more noticeable at higher speeds (40 to 60 mph), noticeable enought to not feel safe. It's a 47,000 mile power steering car with both a rebuilt power steering control valve and cylinder. I balanced the new valve exactly how the GM shop manual said to and the car just got a front end alignment.
I've just recently been told that a new (not rebuilt) valve and cylinder are better because over time the castings wear out about .003".004" and when the companies rebuild them they put a stock seal kit in the castings, so nothing takes up that wear in the bore causing a lazy power steering assist. Let me hear your thoughts and possible experiences with a problem like this, because I'm not sure where to start.

 

The steering gear adjustment might be too tight.

 

I did consider that, and it's still a possibility. However, when I changed the power steering valve and cylinder, I turned the wheel with the pitman arm disconnected, wouldn't that let me feel the only the tightness of the gear? It felt okay when I did this months ago, and nothing has changed since.

 

You may actually have two problems interacting.

The first is your alignment. The wandering you describe is a classic symptom of insufficient caster. Frames in C3's temd to losr caster adjustment. What was the caster set at in your recent alignment?

The second problem may be that your power steering is not really operating. Low caster makes your steering feel really light. What you may have right now is a light steering "manual", which is still heavier than a ps car.

 

You can always mark the adj screw,back it off and see if driving changes,if it doesnt change put it back where it was.

 

Steering feels tight and dose not return to center on it's own in my experience is the worm gear lash is too tight. Sounds like some tried to adjust the steering box to get the play out and went to far.

 

I've been having problems with my steering similar to yours, I replaced my valve and ram with new lone star units centered correctly, and found I now have no return when I make a turn left, tried the lash adjustment just made steering sloppy, alignment checked the guy said ball joints were tight, changed them same thing , then thought to take the ps belt off to eliminate the hydraulic assist, drove aound the block and although damm hard to steer it return really well from making left or right turn! I put the belt back and living with it no one has an answer for that , also it likes to follow worn ruts in the roads

 

Have you checked and/or regreased the steering box. If not, the box may be totally dry or caked-up with dried up grease. It's tough for the gears to work freely with no lube.

 

maybe your power steering pump is not working?

 

Did you disconnect the valve from the steering when you adjusted it?

Did the valve move if you had to change the centering screw???

Re-check to see if the fluid is thru the whole system ... with the wheels in the air, supported by the frame with jack stands, all parts connected, turn the steering wheel full left and right and re-check the fluid level.

The steering valve must have equal pressure on both sides to give the power assist...

Good luck...

 

I'm having similar problem, and also have lonestar valve and slave cylinder/ram.
I just installed this as part of PS conversion kit from MidAmerica which came with the Lonestar parts.
Haven't gotten aligned yet, so we'll see if that does it.
If not, I did notice that there was tension on the slave cylinder/ram when I installed it, as if the frame mounting bracket wasn't quite right. In other words the relay rod end of the cylinder stood an inch or so off its connection when I attached the cylinder to the frame mount. I loosened the frame end of the cylinder (the one sandwiched between the rubber bushings) and had to slightly force the cylinder over to the relay rod and bolt down. Then tightened the frame bracket end.
I'm wondering if this could be causing binding in the system. Perhaps the frame bracket casting isn't quite accurate. I may take of the cylinder and file out the center hole of the bracket to get some play.

Fred

 

Ditto, I'm with Roger

 

Do You have tilt steering or standard? If its not the steering box to tight It could be the nut on the center of Your steering column. I had a similar issue with mine were it tightened up as I turned and wouldn't return. The only thing I could find was I loosened the nut slightly and it started turning freely. Just My 2 cents.