Drove home a new to me '73 t top yesterday, 350- 4 speed. Needs quite a bit of TLC. Did a quick search, did not really find an answer. Am in the process of ordering/finding maintance manuals, in the mean time can somebody post the instructions for taking the play out to the steering wheel, I probably have about 6-8" of play, car is really tough to drive. I haven't been under it yet, view from the top shows some fluid leakage, can't tell from where yet. Doesn't feel like it is the suspension/ball joints. The steering wheel can be turned quite a bit before any movement of the tires.

 

There is no single answer to this question... could be: steering gear box, steering adapter, tie rod ends... idler arm... all of the above.

 

Jim has the answers.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?cat=5

 

Rag joint

 

With that much play, it is likely that your ragjoint (flex coupling between steering wheel shaft and steering box) is almost gone. If it is in as bad shape as I'm thinking it is, you should not drive the car until it is repaired.

P.S. I'm surprised that you didn't know the condition of the steering before purchasing the car. If you did an inspection of the car, it must have been for appearance, rather than a check of mechanical condition. I hope the rest of the mechanicals are not in similar condition.

 

Yeh, unfortunately.....

 

Thanks for the responses. I'll take a look at the Jimshea site. Still building a library of good corvette sites.

I did do a prepurchase inspection, knew of the steering issues. It has new tires and a recent alignment so I'm assuming at this point it is the steering not the ball joints. Will get it on jack stands tonight and confirm.

Been maintianing BMWs and MBs for decades, first american I've worked on in a long while. Be fun to get back into a basic machine without all the electornics.

Good thought on the rag joint.

 

Open the hood and look around as someone else moves the steering wheel gently back and forth (engine off, key turned enough to unlock the column).

You're looking for things that seem "sloppy" as in one side is moving with the steering wheel, and the other is not so much. get under the car and look too. its not scientific, but if something obvious is there, you'll see it.

Like everyone else, my first guess is the rag.

 

My steering wandered all over the road. I'm in the process of rebuilding front suspension and steering. I found that almost everything was worn out...bushings, ball joints, idler arm, etc... In my case I don't think there was any one thing causing the crappy steering, it was a combination of worn out parts.

 

Also,
Don't forget the lower steering column bearing. This usually shows itself post rack and pinion install, but can still be a contributor to steering play in an otherwise healthy stock steering system.
Good luck!!

 

I'm in the middle of installing PS in my C3 and I'm trying to see how a bad rag joint could have 6"-8" of play in the wheel? The rag joint is a safety device and it has pins that would keep everything together in the event the bolts or rubber deteriorated. With the bolts totally removed from my rag joint, the play is no where near 6"-8"?

My money is on slop in the box, center link, idler arm or tie rods.
Do you have PS or manual? Any clunking when you turn the wheel?

As others have mentioned, the easiest way to see what's happening would be to put the car on ramps and watch how the box and linkage react as someone turns the steering wheel back and forth.
I've found that on most cars of our vintage that haven't been well maintained need every suspension component replaced in the front end (IE ball joints, bushings, tie rods etc). Just because it has new tires and had an 'Alignment' (did they provide the alignment specs?), you can't assume the condition of anything.
Just my .02
Elm

 

Plus the rag joint, of course. I don't know what you plan for the car, i.e. absolutely original or an unoriginal but safe cruiser. Find out every part in the steering that needs attention and let us know, we will guide you.

If you find that the steering box is kaput, you should consider a Borgeson integral power steering box, www.borgeson.com, that will give you the steering feel of a modern car, because it is a modern box. It has both the power ram and the control valve inside the box and gives variable boost, depending on the position of the steering wheel.

If your car has factory power steering, you eliminate the factory control valve and power ram, both of which are sources for leaks. You also eliminate four hoses that hang under the engine and use just two hoses between the pump and the steering box.

Several Forum members have fitted these Borgeson boxes, including a few Down Under, and I have not heard a bad word said about them. As a bonus, the new 12.7:1 ratio gives you fewer turns LTL, which makes driving easier, without any sacrifice to bump steer or turning radius.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn

 

looks almost as bad as mine did 240k n no maintenance at all really looks horrible. when u think ur corvette is in bad shape just remember mine was worse.

 

I had the same symptom when I bought my '76 over the summer. Looks like it had the original rag joint and it was literally falling apart. replaced it and all is well. I hope yours is that simple.

 

Hey Ken,
Your '73 sounds very similar to my '73. I was looking for a project car and didn't mind that the steering needed work. The previous owner drove the car like a mad man during the test drive. When it came time for me to drive it, I got it up to about 60 in 2nd gear and got scared and had to back off because the car was jumping around the road so much. I've had this car for two years now and have replaced or rebuilt the entire suspension system. Of all the things I found bad with this car, the steering rag joint was not one of them! The steering column had a little play from a bad lower bearing, the steering box was very loose, the power steering cylinder was leaking oil badly. The wheel bearings were not tight. The ball joints, idler arm, and tie rods were just fair.

Then there was the rear suspension. The trailing arm bushings were ok, but the the wheel bearings and strut rods were loose. The half shafts also had lots of end play, but I'm not going to stir up that hornets nest at this time

All these bad components combined to make this car steer very sloppy. On the other hand, after driving it for 90 minutes to my home, it didn't seem so bad


So, what I'm saying is, look at everything that moves between the frame and the road. Expect that all the suspension parts are guilty criminals until you prove them innocent.

Hang in there,
John

 

 

The rag joint is original, but intact. The steering box need tightening. The power steering actuator? Ram? (the long cylinder) is leaking. Don't think it is loose hoses, but need to get a hose wrench of the right size to check. The car is still on jack stands, but i am seeing movement in the wheel with much less steering wheel movement.

Yes I got the alignment sheets, all were in spec. The ball joints are old, don't think original. Seem tight though. The comment about rebuilding the suspension is probably on target.

At this point, there is so much non original on the car that I will probably go with the Borgeson upgrade, I like the simplicity, as well as rebuild the front end.

Rotten vent hoses were leaking gas, can't believe they didn't replace them when they put the new gas tank in. Once I get it all back together I'll report back.

During my searches yesterday I remember somebody saying something about selling back used parts. Is that different than a core charge? Or is there a company out there that buys them to rebuild?

 

do the borgeson/jeep box up grade. get all that old leaky stuff out and it will be much better...

 

Do you need to remove the steering column shaft in order to install new bearings?

 

No Jim you don't have to take out the steering shaft, you just confirmed this in the garage