Hard Steering
- Thread starter Walt Ebie
- Start date
SeaSlugs
Well-known member
agreed 100%. Think about just how many pivot points and wear points are just in the connections from the steering wheel to each spindle. A 1/64" here or 1/32" of slop there adds up. Same can be said for things not greased - if you have one bushing thats not getting grease you may never know it but if each one has just a bit of drag it all adds up.
Same exact reasoning can be said about the brake system. - thats another whole thing that you cant just slap shoes on and go...
treat it like a modern car when looking for steering slop (same principles havent changed) lay underneath the car (not running in gear parking brake set etc) and have someone else sit in the car and rock the wheel back and forth just enough to feel resistance - you will see parts moving and can tell exactly where the slop is. Also jack up the front end, check the spindles over really good and try to rock the top and bottom of the tire in and out. ideally it shouldnt rock. If it does you may need 2 people and a bright light to see where the slop is. (one rocker one looker)
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Quigley,Bill makeout tell me you never drove a bench seat car with at least your arm around your sweetie
Sewall
You'd be AMAZED at the things I HAVE done in a car
Bill Flirt
Walt Ebie
Senior Member
Okay...got it up on jacks and, as you might expect, it steers like a dream with no weight on the wheels. Checked the kingpin bearings and both are easy to finger-turn with no weight and when the wheels are back on the ground they are tight - can't turn with your fingers, so I guess that means the weight of the car is on the bearings and not on the pins. In the 'DUH' department, after one of your reminders about tire pressure I remembered I had not done that since back in the hot weather days. Today, now that cool weather has set in, all four were about 6-7 pounds low. So they got pumped up to 35# and a test drive showed a good bit of improvement in the hard steering. While I had it on jacks I lubed everything in the front end so that should help a little, too. I guess one day now I'll have to look at those steering balls and make sure they are 'balls' and not 'eggs.' Thanks again for the help.