Who built the box you had a problem with?

 

I know your being sarcastic but my last vette was an 84 z51 and the steering in that was great, night and day different than my c3. Until it developed the very common "morning sickness" failure that they encountered because the early rack and pinion design they used had incorporated an aluminum part where a different metal should have been used the different metals had different expansion rates which cause excessive wear. The later replacements used on newer c4s did in fact use the redesigned rack and pinion that didnt have that common failure.

Its no big secret that the c2 and c3 corvettes were basically the same car with mostly minor or cosmetic changes in the 20 year lifespan making it a very obsolete design sportcar by 1982 (or 81 by that matter). Its fine though because we all get different things out of owning one. The c3s were known to be more of a grand touring car than a sportcar by the mid 70s if you look at the reviews of the time and the options chosen and dropped.. it is what it is. I just want mine to steer and handle better than it does so its more fun to drive. I'm not knocking those that prefer it the way it is. afterall I have a c3 instead of my old c4 for a reason myself.

 

My fork lift used the same steering as these as do smaller tractors. R&P all the way.

 

First off......I think there are TWO different issues here. One is the tightness or integrity of your existing steering system.....as well as the design. If all the ball joints in the steering system are NOT worn out, as well as the idler arm.....and the rag joint and steering box also have to be NOT worn out. On cars with power steering you have the inherent freeplay that is unfortunately part of the design, in that the control valve connection to the steering joint moves a little first before it begins moving the steering system......I found that play to be the source of the freeplay in the system. Even with a Gary Ramadei built steering box, all new joints, and rebuilt power steering ram and valves........every turn on the road, both going into the turn and out of the turn, there was lost motion in the steering wheel before the car moved. I found that unacceptable and removed ALL the original power steering nonsense, and converted the car back to Chevrolet's other option.....which was manual steering. And guess what......NO FREEPLAY. The car drives like a go-cart with immediate action between the steering wheel and movement of the car. And the effort to move the wheel, while heavy in a slow speed parking lot situation, the effort going down the road to drive it is absolutely a non-issue. It is one of the best mods I did on the car. And it proves the problem is NOT the steering geometry, ......its the power control valves lag.

The SECOND thing about this subject relates to alignment issues on front and back, and in particular, front wheel caster. Most cars have way more caster in the front wheels than the C3, especially the manual steering C3 option. I have my caster set at 2.5 degrees, which is pretty low compared to most,....and less than what is set with C3 power steering cars. Tires also have a hand in this, particularly tire width also play a part in stability and tracking. But the more caster you have, the more stable it will track..

In my 77, with manual steering, the car steers fantastic....i.e. no freeplay between the steering wheel and front end movement. I will say that on the rutted roads of Pennsylvania, that there is some "tramlining", where the road moves the car. Honestly, it is NOT significant, and it is in no way a safety issue, but it is there. I love the road feedback and feel, and when driving either normal,...or "sporty" I find it fun to really have to "drive" the car and not just sit there with a finger on the wheel moving the car through turns.

I own a 2006 Corvette......you can drive it on those same turns, and push the wheel around with a fingertip. Its less fun. I think its just too easy,......and boring. People here have recommended I increase caster on my 77.......and for me...its not worth my time. I like the car the way it is.....which is THE MOST FUN car I have ever driven. This subject, as well as other "upgrades" come up in discussion.....and for those regulars here, you know me........I embrace the car the way it was designed, and the joy of owning and driving it, is related directly to the character of the car.....which is different than modern machines......and thats a good thing for me.

As for Borgeson, rack and pinion......just another rabbit hole of changes that IMO take away from the character of the car. If you want modern steering, etc......just by a later model Corvette.....or a Camry......or a Prius. All the same.

 

So its ok that you removed your 180hp 350 and swapped in a 406cu powerplant (an engine that gm never installed in a corvette) with practically all aftermarket components and a roller cam to replace the original flat tappet, installed an earlier year t10 transmission the an aftermarket header exhaust and removed the 15" bias ply tires and installed completely different 17? 18? tires all of which completely transform the ride and performance of the c3....
Those weaknesses are ok to change but a newer improved bolt in saganaw gm steering box somehow robs character? Seriously? Dont getme wrong, I love what youve done to your car. But dont you think you might be a bit hypocritical here?

 

Correct...

 

Direct, to the point, and passionately expressed. I like it.

 

I also run manual steering and find it perfectly acceptable as long as all components are in good condition