Steering Question

[Gerald C.]

I just purchased a 1967 327/350 non power steering car. The test drive went fine on the open roads.

However, when I got it home, I realized it turned to the left further than to the right.

I jacked the car up and tested the steering wheel's revolutions. The wheel turns about 2 X's to the left, but only a little over 1 revolution to the right.

What is causing this and how do I fix it?

[Mike M.]

Re: Steering Question

adjust the tie rods. mike

[William C.]

Re: Steering Question

To elaborate on Mikes answer a little more, you need to disconnect the linkage at the arm coming out of the steering box, then find the center point of the arm movement between the farthest left and right turns with the arm disconnected from the linkage. Once you have found the center, the linkage needs to be adjusted to the position of the steering arm at center position.

[Jim S.]

Re: Steering Question

The C2/C3 steering gear should have 3.56 turns from full lock to full lock. Rotate your steering wheel to full lock (in the direction that you say you have 2 full turns.) Now come back exactly 1 3/4 turns from full lock. This should place your steering gear on center. It is very important that you start with your steerng gear right on center. I would place a dot of white paint or whiteout on the gear input shaft right at 12 o'clock so you will have a reference as to the gear being on center.

Now I am sure that you will find that your steering wheel is no longer centered. Remove the pinch bolt from the flexible coupling. (Note, that when the pinch bolt was originally tightened the flex coupling flange actually "wrapped" itself around the gear input shaft and took a set.) So after the pinch bolt is removed, you may need to drive the blade from a large screwdriver into the pinch bolt slot to spring open the flex coupling flange and loosen it on the gear input shaft.)

Now you have to unfasten the steering column (underdash capsule bracket mounts as well as the firewall clamp.) IMPORTANT do not allow the steering column to hang unsupported under the dash when you remove the three capsule bracket fasteners. Now pull the steering column back into the driver compartment about 2 inches. This should be sufficient to pull the flex coupling flange off of the gear input shaft.

Rotate your steering wheel so that the center spoke is at 6 o'clock. Insert the flexible coupling flange back onto the gear input shaft and push the steering column back into the dash to its original location. Now your steering gear is on center and your steering wheel is centered as well. Reassemble the steering column to the dash structure and retighten the firewall clamp. Insert the pinch bolt and tighten.

Now you will find that your car will not be heading straight when your steering wheel is straight. Assuming that your front end toe was correct, you will now need to rotate your tie rod sleeves (the exact same direction; the exact same number of turns) to align your front wheels with your steering gear and steering wheel. If you need an alignment, take it to a competent shop who will align the front end to the correct straight ahead steering wheel position that you have already set.

Please note that the above procedure is correct for a Corvette before 1969. Starting with the locking steering column in 1969, the steering column has a defined 12 o'clock position as well as the steering gear. So with locking columns you cannot just reindex the flexible coupling flange to the gear input shaft as I have described above.

This link will take you to a more detailed paper that concerns centering the steering system on 1969-1982 Corvettes and other rear steer General Motors vehicles.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/steeringsystemcenteringc3pddfrev28jl2009.pdf

Jim Shea

[Gerald C.]

Re: Steering Question

What could have caused the misalignmnet? Could the car have been hit and the front suspension redone (poorly?)?

[Jim S.]

Re: Steering Question

It could have been an accident. It also could have just been sloppy reassembly of the steering column and then the "fix" at the alignment booth was to adjust the tie rods that resulted in unequal lengths.
jim

[Gerald C.]

Re: Steering Question

Jim,

After reading your comments and looking at the steering mechanism, I was wondering if I could accomplish the same result by centering the mechanism as you indicate, but instead, remove the steering wheel hub and centering the steering wheel in the car? If I have to remove the steering shaft from the flexible joint and there is no flat spot at the steering gear, would it matter how the shaft is adjusted?

Just a thought.

Jerry

[Jim S.]

Re: Steering Question

The gear set inside the steering gear was designed with a slight interference in the gear mesh exactly on center. It was also designed with a slight amount of clearance either side of center in order to improve steering returnability after turning a corner.

If you steering gear is not centered (along with the front wheels) you will have sloppiness on center when driving down the road. If you try and eliminate the off-center clearance by adjusting the gear, you can damage the gear set mesh when it tries to traverse past its true center.

With the gear on center; you then install the flexible coupling. (i.e. stop pins at 6 & 12 o'clock and the pinch bolt vertical, passing through the 9 o'clock input shaft position with its head sticking straight up.) Assemble the steering column and flange to it. Then install the steering wheel and hub to the column in the straight ahead position.

So it is very important to start with the gear exactly on its design center; then make sure that the flexible coupling is installed correctly; then center the steering wheel to it; then set the toe and center the front end to the gear.

I'm sorry that someone seriously screwed up the assembly of your steering system in the past (i.e. two turns one direction; one turn in the other). Now it takes a serious repositioning of your steering components to get it back to its true design state.
Jim