AZDoug

My completely rebuilt front suspension has about 3K miles on it. I know everything is new because I put it on my self. The drag link is adjusted properly.

Driving down the street, it takes about 4-5 inches of radial steering wheel movement to make the car go from ever so slight left to ever so slight right turns and vice versa. There is no obvious slop in the steering box , as I can ever so slightly turn the steering wheel, maybe an inch or so,and see the drag link move fore and aft a bit.(though I have not gone in and checked the worm bearing tightness etc., since I put in a new worm and sector back in 1976)

It this all the better it gets? It this 4-5" of wheel travel just all the tiny tolerances adding up throughout the steering mechanism? I am running 225/60-15 tires up front, which probably puts more load on trying to turn.

I guess that C6 spoiled me for a while...

Doug

kabong

Well, I'll throw my 2 cents in on this one. I fought this problem for 33 years. I came to the fact that my sector gear was worn out. These things, in most cars through the years, were all adjusted wrong or too tight. A few thousand miles adjusted wrong were worse on them then 100,000 miles adjusted right. So, I opted for the Jim Meyers front end. Not sorry I did. Anyway, getting back to the original post, I'm sure if you check your sector gear, it's worn. Just my opinion. Modern day rack and pinion and power disks have us all spoiled!

JohnFromVentura

I rebuilt mine with the Corvette Central kit. You might be able to adjust yours by turning the steering box adjusting screw inward using 1/4-1/2 turn increments. Steering wheel play shouldn't exceed 1" and should not have any "notchy" or detent feel as you go through center.

splidecision63

I just had my entire steering replace in my 59 about 500 miles ago. My steering is starting to get 4-5'' of play in it also. I am going to try and adjust the steering box, It has me wooried too.
George

K2

The stock steering gear is designed is so that when adjusted properly it will take about 3/8 to 5/8 lbs, with drag link disconnected, measured at the steering wheel rim, to pull it through center (Use a fish scale). The worm is engineered to be tighter in the center(straight ahead position) and clearance increases as you turn it off center. Presumably it was designed that way so that it could be adjusted tighter as wear took place. In reality the gears did not wear but would spall as they were very hard. This made them notchy and rough feeling. The only cure is to replace the worm and roller (both together). With new gears and bearings installed the worm preload must first be adjusted with the big cup adjuster and lock nut on the end of the box. After this is properly adjusted the roller shaft preload can be adjusted. Follow the procedure in the ST-12. Even when everything is in good shape and adjusted correctly the steering will never compare to the later ball screw type gear or rack and pinion. The weaknesses of the old box will be accentuated by wide tires and wheels that move the track wider. Another area that I have found can cause a lot of excess steering wheel travel is the third arm bearing. If it is worn or loose in its housing the third arm will move up and down instead of left and right. Just a very slight looseness can give you a couple of extra inches of wheel travel. To check this, have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth a 1/4 turn while you watch the third arm movement. If it moves up and down at all, the bearing is either worn or the housing is loose. Naturally any looseness in the draglink (worn ***** or out of adjustment), tie rod ends, king pins, or wheel bearings, will also correspond to more steering wheel movement. When everything is in good shape and adjusted properly, they really drive pretty well comparatively speaking. Most folks took advantage of the C-1 power steering option - engaged with downward pressure and modulation of the right foot.

Cruiser62

Your note re 4 to 5 inches of steering play caused me to check my 62, and I found the play to be about 1 inch with the smaller 15" steering wheel (all steering components were restored last year, with about 1500 miles to date). As you can expect the play was significantly larger prior to the resto, possibly near your experience of 4 to 5 inches with the original steering wheel. It appeared that the steering box had not been touched for many years, if ever (the car has about 65k miles). You can get decent steering play with restored components, but nothing near current vehicles or aftermarket steering. Good luck. Let us know what you decide to do, and the improvement obtained.

AZDoug

Thanks. I will check the third arm adjustment, everything up to there is OK, and I can feel slight up/down movement on the thrind arm at it's pivot..

You are correct about the spalling of the worm, the one I replaced way back when seemed like the steering fell into a hole that was hard to get out of when making a left hand turn, probably due to the previous owner that managed to hit something and bend the lower A arm and spindle , which I replaced (I think he clipped a guard rail, based on the 'glas damage). The worm had a big ol' chip in it on one spot. I knew somethign was wrong with the car for many years before I finally rebuilt the front suspension, it had a 102" wheelbase on the right side and a 101" wheelbase on the left

Throttle steer works too, aim car, hit gas, car settles in quite well.

Doug

PS: if you want C1 Corvette suspension parts CHEEP, go find a complete front cross menber off a '49-52 Chev passenger car (maybe able to add a year to that either way). Most of the parts are identical,and you could even use the cross member frame if you drilled a few holes for the license plate brackets.

Ferry

Hello, (Sorry for my english)
I have also bought a CC Kit lately... I have followed carefully all the instructions and also the videos of Mister Joe Calgano. But when it comes to find the high spot (middle 2 1/4 turns) which “normally” is also a hardest spot, I have realized that the very high spot (I mean hardest) wasn't in the middle... but half turn before. So I decided to open again the gear box and here is what I have found out (please see image).
For instance I recall to have read a post about the same issue (harder spot not in the middle) but no solutions where told.
Thanks for any help!
Ferry

GTOguy

My '61 has about an inch, if that, of free-play. The box and front end look original and un-messed with. I greased everything when I got the car last April, and have no idea the mileage on the car. Car had been sitting for 25 years or so. Drives and steers great down the road. Skinny stock tires. I did re-pack the bearings when I rebuilt the brakes, and I have a very slight amount of kingpin slop on the driver's side that will need to be dealt with eventually....but it drives very solid and tight. Anything over 2" free-play in any car is not good and should be addressed.

Ferry

Hello,
Mister Joe Calgano says that there will be no play at all when rebuilt. In my case this is all new stuff and in my opinion those scratches are due to the high spot (I mean hardest) not being in the middle which is normally at 2 and 1/4 turns (full turns 4 and 1/2).
My point is to found out if there is a solution to get the high spot (again hardest spot) in the middle and also can I file the scratches or is there a treatment on top of the material. I am hesitating to put back the old one (worm gear) that is almost perfect.

But maybe I wasn't clear enough...
Mister Joe explains how to find the middle which “normally” is also a hardest spot, my issue is not finding the middle... but that the hardest spot is almost 1/2 turn before the middle.
I am assuming that this is why there are now scratches on the shaft.

SDVette

I have a rebuilt steering box... and everything else in the front end (except shocks) is 55 years old.

Steering is very precise - I would say *NO* play at all when centered and straight.
When turned, there is quite a bit of slop (2-3 inches).
I am running 215/75-15 radials.

So I think your problem lies in the steering box.

Ferry

Thank you.
Yes for sure, but knowing that the worm gear and the roller are new this means that the rebuilding kit has a problem... my point is to find out someone who crossed this issue and knows how to fix it.
All the best.

Plasticman

Might want to read the below thread, and pay attention to post #95 on up (starting on page 5).

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-and-box.html

Plasticman

Ferry

Thank you Plasticman I have already read the post. But now I had an answer from Mister Joe Calgano (the big boss to me) and he says not to worry about the scratches. Also about the hardest point not being in the middle like in my case almost 1/2 turn before.

Nonetheless if someone has experienced this problem I would be glad to share...

All the best and again sorry for my english, I have learned it watching TV.

rich5962

Actually, this is the one that should help....

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-problem.html


Post #84 and #95 is the result of days, or maybe it was weeks, of diagnosis that many people were trying to understand regarding the reproduction worm gear issues.

Every reproduction worm gear is different and will have a different center. That is why no center "notch" is marked on the top ends of the reproduction shafts. Yes you can set the worm as center of the steering wheel Lock-To-Lock as original, and leave a little extra freeplay(I certainly would), or you can do what I do and find center of the worm and deal with the offset LTL at the Pitman Arm and beyond. As you will read, once the front suspension steering hardware is connected, you will never reach steering wheel LTL. This is because the steering arms will stop it well before the steering box wil go LTL.

I always set worm and sector preload at the center of the worm, regardless if it is a original or reproduction worm.

Also....Yes, I agree those scratches are not a defect. They are far away from the sector roller contact area.

Ferry

Hello Rich,
Thank you very much for your link and the explanation. I am going to study that. Finally I can see that I am not alone with this issue.
Have a good day, cheers.
Ferry

maguet11020

hi,

back to this issue :

i changed my worm, found the center , and adjusted the box without play.
after 50 kms, i noted that a play appeared ( one inche )
now, i'm unable to remove this play .
is this normal ?
thanks
Pascal

68hemi

You responding to a 4 year old thread. However to answer your question I was told that when standing outside of the car and moving the steering wheel the very slightest you should see the wheels begin to move so there should be little to no "play" in the wheel. After rebuilding the ENTIRE front suspension including the 3rd arm I had trouble with the 3rd arm bearing staying tight in housing and finally had to have it tack welded to keep it in place. If it tries to raise out of the bearing housing you will have play in the steering.

jimh_1962

Mine is at 1" of play with the regular steering wheel size.

maguet11020

hi,
thanks for your answers
my wheel has 1 inch play. the thing that seems strange is that i'm unable to reduce the play when i tighten the screw !