The cars do not self center as much as moderns. Mostly due to the caster (I
believe). My steering rack started getting stiffer and I was having trouble
keeping oil in in, so I decided to use Corn Head Grease. It has only been in
there for a day, but it seems to have loosened things up and the car wants to
self center again.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark <mark@nashvilletn.org>
Date: Tuesday, July 4, 2006 15:36
Subject: More Steering Rack Questions
To: Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> I put the rack back in the Bugeye, lined everything up, and I
> still have a
> stiff steering problem. It still won't return to neutral
> when making a
> turn. I pulled the pinion out of the rack and see no
> substantial wear on
> the rack or the gear. The pinion end float is a tight fit
> but seems not to
> bind. The spring loaded copper plungers that hold the rack
> against the
> pinion were worn but not too bad. I filed off the groove
> and polished it
> up. The manual says that I should *just* be able to pull
> the rack back and
> forth while on the bench. Well what is "just"? I can
> move it from one end
> to the other but it requires a fair amount of muscle. What
> the heck does
> "just" mean? Was the writer a wimp or built like Charles Atlas?
>
> The felt bushings in the steering column are solid. I
> cleaned some rust off
> the steering shaft and oiled the felts. Not sure it should
> be done but the
> shaft turns with minimal drag inside the column.
>
> I checked the end play in the king pins, new tie rod ends,
> wheels move easy
> on the bushings.
>
> I have played with the toe in and have set it - 1/4. -1/8. 0.
> +1/8, +1/4
> inch with no change. I would have thought a little toe out would
> have made
> it feel loose.
>
> Tire pressure is at 30 lbs. Can tires make a car do this?
>
> I have run out of ideas!
>
> Mark
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