guys,
i fitted new control arm bushings a few months ago and it drove the same, ok,
just changed the power steering valve and now it wants to pull to the right,
i just screwed the valve all the way on and backed it off a touch so i could get the bolt through,,,,was this the right way to do it?????

i'm gonna take my vette to a tyre place this morning and get them to check the front end, hopefully they can tell me something, but with me being in the north of the uk no-one here specialises in vettes,

i will post back and let y'all know what they say, if they'll check it,

neil

 

well,
they said the front was +2.5
and the rear flag drivers side is 8 degrees
and the rear flag pass side is 0 degree

any ideas what to do next????

thanks,
neil



[Modified by camaroneil, 5:45 PM 11/22/2003]

 

Cameron, you may need to balance the new power steering valve to get it to drive straight. Putting on a new valve should not have changed the alignment unless you did not put the valve back to the same spot where it was previously. http://www.corvettefaq.com has a few articles on balancing the new valve.

 

do i just need adjust the shims at the front of the control arm for the rear issue????
neil

 

Bleed the valve. Jack up the front end so both fronts are off the ground. Start it and slowly go from stop to stop on the turns. This should get the air out of the pump and piston. Check your fluid and see that it is all the to full when hot. Let it sit and bleed again and that's should do it. Then hit the alignment shop and get a good 4 wheel with someone that has done C3's. Your car is not the one to learn how and follow the book.

 

thanks bigvette,
but been driving it for over a week since i fitted the valve, the steering feels fine, it just pulls to the right,

unfortunately, i don't know of anyone in the country who does 4 wheel alignment on vettes, just have the usual alignment garages which do the kakky cars we have over here in the uk,
there may be one company down south but they are not an option as they are so far away,
is there any home way i can get it somewhere near?????
neil

 

First thing you should do is jack up the front end remove the wheels, and start the car, if the steering pulls to one side or another by itself, you need to neutral balance the valve....meaning the dust cap on the end of the valve covers an adjustment/balance screw...you turn that screw untill the steering is no longer pulling to one side, no matter where you put the wheel....

then for fine tuning, you could disconnect the assist ram from the bracket on the frame near/under the steering box....and adjust for neutral ram action with that adjustment above....

another lazy way is to just get a 'feel' for it's range and set it in the middle with everything connected up...car still in the air....

it's possible you have the valve on the drag line too tightly, thereby interfearring with it's operation....so I hear that is possible...but never did it myself....

GENE

 

You can get pretty close by eyeball and using a level. get a 2 foot level and tape a piece of wood on it that is the same size as the ID of the rims. You can set the camber for zero degrees both front and rear this way. Shims in front and the strut rods with the cam in the rear.

For toe, roll the car forward and back on a level surface to straighten ou tthe front tires and see if the tires look straight on. Now measure the distance from a reference point like an inner tire groove on both the back and front of the tires. Adjust the tie rod ends for equal distance between the marks. This is a theoritical zero toe. Trying to get the fractional toe in or toe out figure is pretty hard. Have at it. Call around to the Goodyears and Firestone tire shops and see if someone has aligned a C3 Vette before. The front end is not tough, it is the rear that experience is needed.

For the rear toe on the T-arms if you have a long level (6') go from the rotor to the under edge of the frame and adjust by adding or subracting shims. This is really a stop gap measure if you have just rebuilt the t-arms. If they have not been touched, don't mess with them.

 

BTW where are you located. I see it says Washington uk. Is this Uk like in England?

 

hi,
yeah, it's the washington in england,
i have no one anywhere near me that specialises in anything american never mind vettes,

thanks for all the help guys, will give that a go and see how it feels,
thanks again,
neil

 

VanSteel in the US has a super VHS video on brakes and suspension. Covers disassembly, reassembly and some basic alignment tips. It retails for $20 US. There web address is
http://www.vansteel.com

The owner is Art and is a sponsor. Log on and send him an email about the video, well worth the price.

 

thanks, will do that,
i actually got my rear bearing assemblies from them, i picked them up in texas a few weeks ago while visiting a frined,
thanks for that,
neil