[Spridgets] Tight Steering

Guy Weller guy.weller at tiscali.co.uk
Wed May 14 15:22:51 MDT 2008


Marc,
That does seem to be quite a lot.
It may be OK to continue to add more shims.  But check that someone hasn't
attempted a "fix" previously by adding an extra washer between the correct
phosphor-bronze one and the trunnion itself. Someone might have thought this
was a good idea!

Guy

-----Original Message-----
From: spridgets-bounces+guy.weller=tiscali.co.uk at autox.team.net
[mailto:spridgets-bounces+guy.weller=tiscali.co.uk at autox.team.net]On Behalf
Of Marc
Sent: 14 May 2008 21:10
To: Spridgets
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Tight Steering

I am installing the missing shims in my kingpins. So far I've put .045
worth of shims on the left side, yet it still binds when you tighten the
nut down. Is there a usual range of shims normally required? Could I
have damage in the "seat" area on the trunnion that bolts to the damper
lever?

I have no idea what's normal here; I've only installed rebuilt units in
the past that were set up properly.

Marc



Marc wrote:
> I need  some advice to work out the tight steering issue with my 73
> midget. The car had sat for at least 5 years before I got it. Maybe
> more... I got a bunch of receipts with it, someone spent a lotta bucks
> on it.
>
> Among the items were rebuilt kingpins, which clearly have been installed
> in the car. I have no idea who rebuilt them, but they look nice anyway...
>
> With the front wheels off the ground, it took much force to spin the
> steering wheel. I spent a while (hours!) flushing out the rack, and
> refilled it. Now you can turn it from lock to lock with one finger. It
> moves smoothly.
>
> When driving, it still feels tight, and will not self-center. The wheel
> will just stay in a turn. A while ago, someone  mentioned that sometimes
> a washer or bushing is left out of the kingpins, and I should loosen up
> the kingpin nut to see if that helps.
>
> I went to do that and found the kingput nuts were already loose. Way
> loose, actually. There's no way that they should be that loose.
>
> I was also told to check/loosen the large nut on the rack, and also to
> check the shims. This I could use a little guidance with.
>
> But it seems to me that if the steering is still tight with the kingpin
> nuts so loose, maybe it's not a kingpin problem. So I'm going to torque
> those nuts to spec (40 ft/lbs I think).
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