Power steering effort feels heavy
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,218
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
Power steering effort feels heavy
Got no response in General discussion, so i thought I'd try here too.
My PS seems to not add much to my efforts especially at low speed & low rpm parking lot speeds. It feels like a loaded truck! I saw a post that you can replace the pump with one from an LT1 Caprice station wagon and the only difference is the pressure regulator in the Vette is set to higher effort steering. My car has a huge PS cooler, but I'm wondering why if it doesn't seem to add a lot of help to my input. Do I maybe have a weak pressure regulator? Can they be adjusted or just replaced? Anybody ever lighten up the feel of theirs when it felt heavy?
My PS seems to not add much to my efforts especially at low speed & low rpm parking lot speeds. It feels like a loaded truck! I saw a post that you can replace the pump with one from an LT1 Caprice station wagon and the only difference is the pressure regulator in the Vette is set to higher effort steering. My car has a huge PS cooler, but I'm wondering why if it doesn't seem to add a lot of help to my input. Do I maybe have a weak pressure regulator? Can they be adjusted or just replaced? Anybody ever lighten up the feel of theirs when it felt heavy?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
Before you accuse the pump, note that your problem could be binding in the linkage, or a tired rack assembly. Of course, we know the fluid is topped off. Does ambient temperature affect the problem? A bad rack is most noticeable in cooler weather and also when the car is first started in the morning.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
When mine feels heavy the FIRST thing I check is the fluid level.
Bringing the level to the correct line returns the steering to normal.
I need to get the turn 1 pump, new line so I quit puking fluid out the tank.
Bringing the level to the correct line returns the steering to normal.
I need to get the turn 1 pump, new line so I quit puking fluid out the tank.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
If the steering gets heavy and then goes back to normal...plan on replacing the steering rack...the internal seals are leaking.
Not hard to do at all....EXCEPT getting the hose fitting at the rack off. Easy way is to just cut the two hoses and buy new hoses....probably should replace them anyways.
Afternoon job...if you have the new hoses before you start.
Not hard to do at all....EXCEPT getting the hose fitting at the rack off. Easy way is to just cut the two hoses and buy new hoses....probably should replace them anyways.
Afternoon job...if you have the new hoses before you start.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,218
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
The effort is OK when driving, but then almost everything is easy when it's rolling. When the car is just at idle or a little above it's a lot heavier. I can feel it get a little better when I get the rev's up a bit, but at "putt-speed" in a parking situation it's pretty sad.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 111
From: Cherokee National Forest TN
Factory PS cooler? If so you may have the Z51 option which uses a faster rack & requires more steering effort.
Excessive positive caster will also cause more steering effort.
Excessive positive caster will also cause more steering effort.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,218
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
Yes. LT4 With Z51 suspension option. The P.S. cooler is huge on that thing! The steering seems slower than my Mustang, which is really fast steering and easy too, too bad it just lays over on the door handles while the Vette drives circles around it though.
I wish I had that steering feel in the Vette, but then it might be so quick it would be jumpy or darty.
I wish I had that steering feel in the Vette, but then it might be so quick it would be jumpy or darty.
