Does your C2 take a lot of effort to turn steering wheel
 

I know it's a subjective thing but it just seems like my car takes more effort then what I think it should. (This is the only C2 I have driven). I had been debating installing power steering but it seems like they should steer easier since the cars were made for men and women. The box was restored by me so that might be the problem but I used past threads to go by in adjusting. My restoration consisted of cleaning out box, new grease and gaskets. Everything else seem OK. It's a little snug when wheels are pointing straight but I think it is suppose to be like that so car will not sway. If I send it off, any recommendation who to send to, thanks

Where are you located? Do you have anyone locally that has C2 experience that can drive the car? This shouldn't be a tough one to diagnose, but the subjectivity of "a lot of effort" vs "normal effort" will be hard to sort out without being face to face.

No P/S on mine and it steers just fine. Now my last C-1 was like driving a tractor while sitting still!

If you run modern radials it takes more effort than original bias-ply tires IMO. When I had bias ply tires on the car for judging it steered so much more easily it was pretty significant. I have a new steering box and coupler and the car is greased properly and is a bit of effort to steer but not unacceptably so. Some of it is technique. Trying to muscle the steering wheel around when stopped is not good - even a slight "roll" while turning makes things a lot easier.

If you are dry steering they take a ton of effort. People used to know the car had to move before you can turn the wheel and it was just wired into our brains back in the day. Now with modern cars they steer easy all the time so we forgot. bump the clutch a bit in gear while turning and it should be pretty effortless.

Also... the power steering they had back then isn't all that great, it's great when barely moving like parking the car in the garage but the rest of the time it's overkill and way too assisted. You lose a lot of feel for the car with it IMO.

once your rolling its fine

Frankie,
Does you SW not have PS?

:iagree:

Getting settled in the garage or at a show getting into a space is difficult. Agree, once moving it is much easier. We are spoiled with our modern cars!

Edit - that's with non-power steering. Power steering should act pretty much like today's cars

It does not, but after moving to it from a '61 it sure feels like it:D

I added power brakes to the 63, using factory original parts though..

Caster alignment can also effect the steering effort. The original manual steering caster spec is a very light 1/2 degree positive with bias ply tires. Low caster provides low effort, higher caster provides more driving stability and self-centering effect. Caster is a personal preference, to balance low speed effort with self-centering stability. In the past, the advice was to increase caster with a switch to radial tires, so your alignment may be an unknown angle contributing to the effort required.

The other effort consideration is to assure the tie rod ends are in the slow steering holes in the spindles.

Have you looked at where the tie rods ends are mounted in the steering spindles? If mounted to the inner (towards spindle) holes for the fast steering rate - it will take noticeably more effort at low speed than in the normal steering rate position. I suspect Frankie is right about the radials - even a cross over sized radial puts more rubber on the ground than the old bias ply tires. But yeah, at a near stop it takes some effort to crank the wheels around tightly.

Manual steering with proper alignment,box condition, rag joint, tire inflation, and tie rod location should not be very drastic. Certainly no issue once moving, turning in a tight spot will require some effort but not a lot. Tire size is important. With my manual 69 I went from old G60's to 225-70 x15 and with all the above correct the car was perfect.

Now you said you rebuilt the box, a lot depends on just how that was done and what parts were used. You say it snug on center, that is correct, however if you did not set it up with a 0-30 in/lb dial you may be over tight on center, plus there is center and there is high lash. In theory they should be the same, in reality most are not and that applies to 50 year old untouched boxes. If you set the box up on center and the high lash was off you will be overloading the center tooth of the sector. The amount of threads showing over the nut is a fast check but not absolute. Many times I find the setting way off and the center tooth worn.

The best way to know if the box is correct or not is to remove it and check it with a dial TW to see where the high lash is, if there is preload on the bearings, and where the center is.

hard at a standstill just fine when driving. would certainly be better to have power steering though. Should also have power brakes. AND radial tires!

When I first got the car it had radials on it. I put original type bias-ply and was pleasantly surprise how much easier it was to steer. You said you have a new steering box. Do you mean a new reproduction box or a newly rebuilt original. And if it is a repo what was the reason for not having your original restored.

If I was sending mine off I would send it to Gary (GTR1999). I believe he still has new original GM parts for those.

I went from a ‘31 Model A Cabriolet to a ‘54 F100 to my C2. It’s easily the easiest steering of the lot.

It is a rebuilt original A 63 only piece.

It is probably a good thing many of you don't have to parallel park these cars anymore.

Where I live I do often. That is why I have PS on the 65 and will eventually have it on my 57. :thumbs: