I have a 1996 LT4. I have done a ton of work to this thing over the past 2 years.
Car is running really well and stopping really well but the steering feels a little weird at times. It seems to wonder around and grabs every crack in the road and kind of dart around.
I am wondering if I need my rack rebuilt? It did sit for 11 years, 9 before I got it and 2 more before I had the money to pour into it.

I have replaced all of the bad bushings front and back with polyurethane, including the dreaded bat wing bushings. The sway bar bushings as well.
I have replaced the upper and lower ball joints.
I have replaced the tie rod ends front and back.
I have new shocks, belsteins all the way around.
I have replaced the rear leaf spring with a new composite one.
New u-joints all the way through.
New brakes, rotors, pads, MC, and booster.
New tires.
Once I got all that installed along with the new tires I took it to my local corvette shop and had them 4 wheel align it.
It drove really nice for a long time but now recently, past few weeks, I can feel it pulling right pretty hard for no reason. I had to take my column out for an issue with the ignition and ever since then the wheel when held straight the car pulls right. I know I have the wheel back where it goes because I marked it. But even then if the alignment were still good and wheel off center I should be able to let go and it go straight for a while. Or just very light pressure to hold it straight. I need to take it back to the shop to have them check it but I wanted to see what you guys thought about it as well. Is the rack going out?

Thank you for your input.

Doug

 

With that much work done to it I would suspect something in the suspension/tie rods etc coming loose. Can you get the front and back wheels off the ground and move the tires by hand to feel for play? Is there play in the wheel at rest with engine off (ie moves freely for a little bit before feeling firm)?

I would find it unlikely the rack would cause a consistent pull…could have something bent, loose or broken (such as the transverse spring)

 

Yeah, I doubt it's the rack or even the power steering equipment. My guess is you have a tire whose belts have shifted if it just started suddenly. Also, what are your alignment numbers?

 

When I get a chance I will put in the air and see if there is play. Looking at the suspension from the top everything appears to be tight. Nothing is loose to the touch or missing.
Here are the alignment numbers. It was aligned on 2/4/2021.

I bet I have put about 1500 miles on it since then. I just drive the car for fun. Errands, cruising, fun stuff and it's fun with the 6 speed!

 

Looks reasonable on the alignment. Right rear camber is a little off compared to the left, but that shouldn't cause the issues you're having. I'm back to thinking it might be a tire with a belt shift. Perhaps you could swap front right with front left and see if the pull goes away or changes direction. That would tell you a lot.

 

Bingo! Always do this when you are getting a strange pull. Sometimes it takes a little before a belt shift shows up. We had a new car that
had a bad tire from the factory, and I am currently dealing with the same issue on a new set of Goodyears.

 

Many high performance tires are directional. Swap front to back.

 

Directional tread patterns only matter if it's raining (or snowing). And the carcasses will be symmetric (no dedicated inside and outside halves). Therefore, there is no reason someone can't run them backward in the dry.

 

Update:

I jacked up the car and visually check all of the bushings, the spring, sway bar, tie rod ends and all looked and felt correct.

Then I pulled on the font tires top to bottom, no play. I pulled on them side to side like steering and there is a little tiny bit of play. I mean really small amount.

Then I switched the tires and drove the car. It pulled to the same side. Sounds like some sort of alignment issue.

 

I had a pull to the Right. Even when I was on the left side of the road crown. Had the Alignment shop re-align it again. But same issues, just a bit better. Then had them dismount and swap left and right sides. It's not perfect but it is much better now.

As posted, You can't just switch directional tire and wheel to the other side. You have dismount and swap the tire.