C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

[Brad Kasten (18060)]

Here's one for you C1 steering experts. I just rebuilt my '59 steering box and connecting rod. I setup the high point at 1 1/2 pound pull on the tangent on the steering wheel and pointed the wheels staight ahead. With the objective of staight ahead steering at the high point of the steering box, I then measured the centerline distance from the pitman arm ball to the ball on the third arm (7 1/2") in order to determine the length of the connecting rod. Lo and behold the MINIMUM length of the connecting rod is 8 1/2". I put it together anyway, with the result being that I did not achieve high point steering with the wheels straight ahead. The pitman arm swings and stops about 1" behind the forward stop and about 1" behind the rear stop.

What am I doing wrong? Has Bubba made my connecting rod too long by installing the wrong parts? Or am I not seeing the forest because of the trees?
Brad

[Roy Braatz (182)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Wheels straight a head, third arm steering rods two holes centered ,install steering rods.
Steering wheel centered , pitman arm installed aligning key slot correct, adjust drag link to connect both pitman arm and third arm.
Is that how I did it???

[Mike Ernst (211)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Brad--the drag link ends (connecting rod is the term you used) should be of different lengths--one longer and the other shorter--I've never seen one with both pieces longer, but passenger cars had the double shorter. I'm not at home, so can't measure the length--but would check that--also check how the drag link is put together--you can install it with many threads showing where the ends thread into the center piece, or with fewer threads. The other possible concern is the pitman arm being from a passenger car rather than from a Corvette. Those are the only two options that come to my mind.
Mike Ernst

[Roy Braatz (182)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

By the way some people install the drag link in back wards and it hits the radiator shroud.

[Richard Eaton (1104)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Brad - I'll ceawl under mine tomorrow and take some measurements. Your mention of the pitman arm being about 1" off at the stops almost indicates that the worm/sector gear is not at high center. How did you establish high center? Did you use the reference mark at the wheel end of the shaft before you hooked up the drag link? I just did my box rebuild per the ST-12 and didn't experience the problems you have. Interesting problem to watch. Hang in there...Dick

[Brad Kasten (18060)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Thanks for the responses, guys.....but no help yet.

The draglink/con rod is correct as per the assembly manual...big end to the rear, small end towards the front. Have the proper length springs on both ends. One short spring and a stud on the small end, two longer springs and a stud on the big end. All springs are seated with the balls slid toward the narrow portion of the slot with the screw-in pieces on each end turned in about 1/8" below the end of the drag link.

When I setup the steering box, to find the high point, I counted total turns lock-to-lock (about 5 1/4), split the difference (with the end mark on the shaft to the top), brought in the lash adjustment slowly, built up the pull tension to a pound and 1/2 and tightened everything down.

I still think my drag link is about an inch too long....If somone could measure their overall length ??? Mine is 12 5/8" total length (not center-to-center) at it's shortest.
Thanks again,
Brad

[Brad Kasten (18060)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

I forgot about one other thing. Before I installed the gearbox and draglink, I installed and setup the toe-in and the tie rods/tie rod ends as well. The procedure I used was to statically set and hold the wheels straight ahead and then an additional 1/8" toe-in. I then made both tie rods and their ends equal length and installed them. I THOUGHT this was the correct way.....

There's no such thing as un-equal length tie rods to place the third arm a greater distance from the pittman arm is there??? I just now thought of that......
Brad

[Richard Eaton (1104)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Brad - Not that I know of. The position of the third arm relative to the high center of the pitman arm, is in a sense, independent of the tie rod lengths. The third arm should be aligned straight ahead, that is the middle of the the tie rod end holes on the centerline of the car. Then with the steering box on high center, set the drag link accordingly. Probably not explained very well, but the ST-12 identifies it. I did the tie rod adjustments last to get an approximate wheels straight ahead position before alignment. Hang in there..Dick BTW I tried to get a ROUGH measurement of my drag link from the top of the car and came up withe about 13". I'll get a better one this afternoon.

[Ted Stock (30057)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Brad, The drag link on my '58 measures 12 3/4" from end to end, so it sounds like your pretty close there. Are the tie rods out of adjustment? I can measure mine if that would help. My '58 has the bare body sitting on the frame/suspension at this point so things are pretty easy to to get to.

[Roy Braatz (182)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

With wheels and tie rods adjusted to third arm + turn wheels right till spindle hits stop, then turn steering wheel right till pitman arm hits stop= then adjust and install drag link= then turn steering wheel left and see if the pitman arm also hits stop.Then your drag link lenght will be correct??

[Theodore Von Kampen (9402)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Brad -- Not to be the bearer of bad news but I had and still have the exact same problem on my 57. I have changed the pitman arm, and the third member arm and still cannot get the drag link short enough. I finally got things settled down by setting up the steering wheel on TDC, shortened the drag link to minimum, Wheels straight ahead and 3rd member positioned correctly and then had the alignment shop adjust the tie rods to different lengths. I was lucky they could adjust enough. After lots of correspondance on the subject I came to the conclusion I should just cut down the tie rod threaded ends about 1/2" so they did not collide in the center of the threaded connector tube. That was what was happening. I still had about 3/4" of thread on the draglink end when the center pieces touched. If I ever had occasion to have it apart again I am going to do that. However it works okay now with the offset tie rod lengths and I think it best to let the dog sleep.

It did make a world of difference when driving. My steering box rebuild finally met its promise. Now it will hold the road straight ahead without wandering all over the road.

If this is not clear send me a private email with your phone number and I will call you to explain further.

Ted

[Richard Eaton (1104)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Likewise Ted _ My 62 drag link is 12 7/8" LOA with 1-2 threads still showing at each end of the tube. Tie rod tubes are both 18 1/4" long, with each tie rod end having between 1 - 2" of exposed thread. These will be adjusted better when I do the alignment next week. Regards...

[Brad Kasten (18060)]

Re: C1 - Steering Setup Malfunction

Thanks to each of you for the data and the encouragement. I have resolved the issue...... Where I went wrong was in the setup of the tie rod adjustment before I even started on the gearbox. I was mistaken when I said earlier that I had adjusted the tie rods to the same length. I REALLY had them set to different lengths with the wheels staight ahead. I only THOUGHT I had them set to the SAME length with the wheels staight ahead.

I then started over on the drag link by lengthening it out to about 13 1/2" inches in order to give myself more adjustment later when things begin to wear out. Things began to fall into place after that. I now have straight ahead steering at the high point with some adjustment left in the drag link.

What did I learn (or RE-learn)? That you must do things CORRECTLY in the proper ORDER because tolerances CAN and DO stack up.

Thanks again,
Brad