Play in Front End AFTER New Parts

So, anyone with power steering knows how much play is in the wheel when the car is off and the steering isn't locked, about 2-3 inches before it gets real hard to move, right?

Well, after putting all new tubular control arms, all new ball joints, all new springs and shocks, new idler, drag link and swap bar bushings and a new/reman close ratio steering gear box last year with a performance alignment 2 months ago, it doesn't feel as tight as it should be.

Going down the road at slower speeds it feels like it is wandering, like the gear box is worn out or the idler is shot. They feel good as individual parts but it still seems to have play at center around 25-45.

The alignment was +4 caster, -1 camber and 1/16" toe in total. Could my toe need adjustment? Would I need to go closer to 0 or closer to 1/8" to make it more stable?

 

Make sure that the steering is centered. Jack the car up and turn the wheels all the way to left or right lock. Then count turns to the other lock. Go back half that number of turns and see where the steering wheel is. It is possible with that many parts replaced that the worm gear is not centered on the sector gear, especially if there is a lot of difference in the tie rod adjustments or the pittman arm was removed and ended up off a tooth. I've seen it happen, and the result was incurable road wander, since the worm gear wasn't on the high part of the center of the sector gear.

 

Those specs for alignment ( +4 caster and -1 camber ) sound WAY OFF. 1/8 toe is better than 1/16

 

OK, I'll check that but it is not a variable ratio box, it is a quick ratio 12:1.

I put tubular control arms on it that had significant positive caster for better handling. They also have greasable bushings that are much more solid than factor rubber. I like to go around corners so the +1 camber goes along with it. With this setup, the tires lean like a motorcycle instead of the backwards way the A-body goes from the factory.

No, I do want lots of positive caster and I want a little negative camber. My tires dry rot before they wear out and with a factory alignment, I wear the outside of the front tires out WAY before the rear tires are burned off and I burn rubber a lot!

The front end has about 1/4" of shims per side front and back so it isn't really a whacked install.

I should probably go to pro-touring.com or laterl-g.com since this is not a factory setup.

 

Sounds like you are looking for euro feel in the wrong car. A full frame car will NEVER be as tight as that euro feel. Body mounts, control arm bushings etc all come together to give that "loose" feel. Plus, this is not a unit body car. Everywhere there is isolation between the wheels and the driver is a place for "looseness" to be intensified. Every rubber/poly mount or bushing is intended to allow a certain amount of flex. Add them all up and presto...loose feel. Now that you tightened up the front end, you need to weld the body to the frame. And adjust front to rear weight ratio. And move the engine back and lower, fiberglass bumpers and hood, battery in trunk, etc... That new steering box is trying to make up for all that, as it is the only direct link you have to the wheels. My .02

 

OK, maybe you guys are reading too much into it. First, I've owned this car for 30 years and I know what the worn out steering gear box feels like and I know what the worn ball joints and idler arm are like, all at the same time.

I know it will never be a BMW Z4 but I know it should be better than what I'm feeling now. I really think a little bit of toe change will help out. I just want to know if I should go closer to 0 or add a little more toe to it

So, this is just a stock 70 with a few goodies.

 

Again, tire wear is not a concern. With a factory alignment for the previous 29 years, I devoured front tires because I live in the hills of Kentucky and don't use my brakes as often as most people. The outside edge of the front will scrub off well before the tire is worn out. I know every back road and all the good corners. I routinely take people on demo rides and scare the living crap out of them and not for busting triple digits in a little over 10 seconds.

A factory alignment does everything wrong. The inside tire leans in at the top and the outside tire leans out at the top, just begging to roll the tire off the rim. Now, my car does the opposite, planting the outside tire, as if bracing itself for the corner, like a motorcycle rider. It does handle much better, just that little skitter in the center.

 

pitman arm new also?

 

Pitman arm is not wear item on a '68 - '72 at least. Not sure about others.

 

I've noticed that with the changes I've made sofar that the car does have that "skittish" feeling you discribe when you drive, like the front end is looser, even though it handles better. It became much more pronounced when I went to a 275/40-17 front tire from a 235/70-15.

One thing I think makes this happen is the power steering units themselves. They have that "one finger" power transfer to the steering box, and I think when everything gets tightened up, it intensifies the "feel" even when you swap in a 12:1 box. Was your reman'd steering box built using an original steering unit? I've heard that using the steering box from the Monte SS firms up the feel quite a bit and gets rid of that "loose" feeling you describe. My car has a stock alignment but it's got 2" drop spindles. Once I install the new upper and lower control arms and tie-rod bump-steer kit I imagine I'll run into a similar situation as you.

I know none of this probably helps answer any questions, but you're not alone in looking for answers, if that helps.

 

This is not my own experience. I changed one wth 49K because of play which you could feel by hand once it was removed.

 

I have a GN box on mine with the Lee's adapter fittings. It has a bit more feel to it than the stock one finger box but not much. I'd call it increased effort power steering. I thought it would have more feeling but at this point, I'm thinking I need to kick the toe in or out to see if it cleans up the darty feeling.

I don't follow you. The pitman arm is literally a big chunk of steel with a splined end for the gear box and a tapered hole for the drag link. I've replaced the drag link. Where can the pitman arm wear to such a degree? The drag link has the joint.

Here's what mine looks like: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...ories&fits=Model:Chevelle&hash=item43a99ba36a

 

I ran into a similar issue. I purchased a rebuilt pwr strng unit from NAPA, for a 69 SS 396 (that's the only way I knew I'd get the 12:1 box. :TU:

Direct replacement, but the "return to center" that I used to have with my original box was gone, I literally have to return the wheel to center manually. I do not know why this is and do not know if there's an adjustment you can make to the box to firm up the 1 finger lightness and get that return-to-center that I lost. Car is aligned stock, all new front end suspension, all components tightened up properly.

 

too much air pressure also makes the front end skittish..

 

The "return to center" comes from caster. But if you tighten up the preload on the sector gear too much, to gain "firm" road feel at center while at highway speeds, you will lose it that way, too.

 

mine had some wear also 66 uses the same arm

 

it can wallow out over time also the spline can wear and wallow too

 

I crawled all up in and under it this weekend. I could find nothing loose. As a matter of fact, I can see the tire move when I wiggle the wheel so I am REALLY leaning toward not enough toe or something along those lines making it skittish.