Steering Question

[ROOK1]

When making left hand turns I have a slight hesitation in the steering, usually when returning to straight. This only happens when turning left.This hesitation is nearer to the center position than it is to the full turn position. When I purchased the car, the steering dampener was ripped from the car due to what I believe was a run in with a curb. I replaced the dampener and have since rebuilt or replaced all of the suspension components, but have not replaced tie rods. I suspected the tie rods were bad, but I would think that I would have this issue turning left or right. My other suspicion is that it is the classic steering box play at center. Is it possible that my steering box is not centered when the wheels are pointed forward? Maybe due to a tie rod issue because of the curb incident? How do I know if my steering box is centered?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[ROOK1]

How do I know if my steering box is centered?

Anyone?

[azruss]

You are seeing early symptoms of steering box failure. I have had 2 boxes do this to me. Its like they bind up just on either side of the center. The probem will get slowly worse and will being to happen on the other side of center as well. Adjusting the center play will not make this go away. The swing arm on the steering box has stops on the casting to limit travel to each side. find the middle of the swing and you are there. now you can look at the steering wheel and see if it is TDC and if the car drives in a straight line.

[ROOK1]

Thank you!

[domenico105G]

I know this has nothing to do with your problem but thought I might ask this question ( already posted on electrical issues) to you guys who probably know much more than me about the steering..........
My 1969 spider steering has locked and I have completely removed the ignition barrel and steering lock ...... But it still does not move.?
Nobody seems to have any ideas or answer -so am beginning to suspect some kind of failure /break in the steering box.
( it really just feels like the steering is in the normal locked position when the key is normally removed - ie no unusually noises, grinding or otherwise)
Any suggestions - if only to eliminate all possibilities so that I can work out what to concentrate on.?

Thanks
Dom

[maytag]

Jack up the front so the wheels don't touch the ground and then see if they'll move.
Otherwise; undo one of the joints in the seeing column so that the steering wheel is no longer connected to the steering box. See what you get.

[domenico105G]

.....yep already done first part and wheels don't move
Will disconnect Steering joint in column during the week and let you know
Thanks

[azruss]

with the wheels off the ground, take each one of the steering links and twist them back and forth to see if you have play at each one of the ball joints or if one is frozen. if those are ok, then you need to look at the steering box and the idler box on the other side. I've never seen the steering column locked up, assuming the key lock is not engaged.

[domenico105G]

..actually couldnt wait till next week so have just been out and disconnected the column linkage.
-steering wheel shaft is completely free now and rotates fully but amazingly the wheels are still locked!
-will need to investigate further this week.

[vandor]

How do I know if my steering box is centered?
Anyone?

Turn the wheel all the way to the left, and all the way to the right. It should turn the same amount form center to left or to right.
If it's not centered then you will have excessive on-center play (what is now the center) as the more you move off center the more play there is (that is a design feature).
Also make sure your alignment is correct.

[ROOK1]

Thank you. I will try this tonight. The alignment is as correct as it can get, but it may have aligned off center due to the PO's curb accident.

Speaking of alignment. Where can I get some shims for the A-arms? My tires lean top in. The alignment shop couldnt correct that but they did everything else.

[focodave]

ROOK1,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but what you have is negative camber (top of wheels tilted inward) and there are no shims that are going to help that (unless shims are removed from the lower control arm mounting points).
The shims are added to the bottom control arm, which would only make the negative camber situation worse.
There are no locations to add shims to the upper control arms mounting points.
It could be that the shock towers have, over the years, become closer together at the top due to things just getting old and bent over time.
To fix the problem, I am pretty sure you would have to find someone who can "spread" the shock towers with extreme force, at the top of the shock towers, in order to get things back in line like they were when new.
This might even require removal of the engine, in order to get something in the engine compartment too perform the "spreading".
I would also check the control arm bushings, though.
My car had severe negative camber because the bushings were worn very badly. I put new control arms on it and the camber problem went away.
Dave

[mPedro08]

I do have a steering box and other steering parts from a '71 I'd be happy to take apart and send to you if you need them. Let me know what and make me an offer via PM. Pics available of course. Pretty soon I'm going to send the shell to scrap, not much left of her anymo!

[81SPIDERMATT]

ROOK1,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but what you have is negative camber (top of wheels tilted inward) and there are no shims that are going to help that (unless shims are removed from the lower control arm mounting points).
The shims are added to the bottom control arm, which would only make the negative camber situation worse.
There are no locations to add shims to the upper control arms mounting points.
It could be that the shock towers have, over the years, become closer together at the top due to things just getting old and bent over time.
To fix the problem, I am pretty sure you would have to find someone who can "spread" the shock towers with extreme force, at the top of the shock towers, in order to get things back in line like they were when new.
This might even require removal of the engine, in order to get something in the engine compartment too perform the "spreading".
I would also check the control arm bushings, though.
My car had severe negative camber because the bushings were worn very badly. I put new control arms on it and the camber problem went away.
Dave

i also chased neg camber issues.... ended up finding a body shop and setting up the car on the frame machine.... with the specs from alignment... the frame guys bent my car back to what it should be..(no engine removal required)... also i have read that some of the shims that focodave spoke of are actually washers and it is more involved to get them out... if they are there... taking them out would help you... that fact that they are washers instead of shims may be why the alignment guys did not remove them... or they just dont know...

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 14&t=13419