Hard Steering

[Walt Ebie]

Any tips - or previous threads - on how I can make my 30 coupe a little easier to steer. Doesn't seem to have much play in the steering so it isn't hard to keep it where you want it. I know we're all spoiled by power steering but my steering is hard enough to require both hands to turn a corner even when you're moving at a normal speed. Tires are up to pressure and have like new treads. Does this sound normal for this car or are there some/any steering adjustments that would help. I do keep the box full of 600# oil.

[quickchange]

Try the short pitman arm , it helps. That's why we have just had produced the Right Hand Drive version ,

[Tom Wesenberg]

If the balls are round and well greased, and the kingpins in good shape and well greased, then it should steer fairly easy.

[ian Simpson]

I think power steering has a lot to answer for. Me and the missus have owned more than a few vehicles without power steering and all of them have been more than a little heavy at 'normal' speeds. Our current MGB steering is almost immoveable at less than 10 mph. The Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes were all similar. But all have more than made up for it by giving wonderful direct and controlled steering at all speeds up to and beyond legal limits. Our 1928 Tudor is similar.

Handraulic steering is to be savoured and understood.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

YES, they're HARD to steer, use BOTH hands, they're NOT a "make out" car, unless you're PARKED!!
Bill Makeout

[larrys40]

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Walt,
As The guys noted some of them there are a number of issues that can cause hard steering. Steering balls worn and/or overtight. I like the Steer-Eze kits and use them whenever I do a front axle rebuild. You must have good round steering balls. If they are oval shaped at all you will have issues. New balls and an steer eze kit the the end plug will be about flush with the tie rod/drag link. Personally I'm not necessarily a fan of the shortened arm but some are on here. I have driven them both ways and personally can't tell any difference in eaze of steering.

Also, it is imperative that you spindle bearings be loaded/shimmed properly if necessary. The load of the car is to be on them, if worn and or not correct you may have a load issue on the spindle which can cause hard steering as well. Yes more uncommon but is an issue once in a while. Additionally the box of course makes a lot of difference. Quality of rebuild/lube and adjustment.

Also tires do make a difference as well along with proper alignment/toe in.
Garfield tires which were popular back in the days wear like iron but steer like a truck,

If you need to service your front steering arms you can remove the tie rod/steering arm assembly along with drag link and all in one piece by lossening the front steering arm nuts at the spindles and giving them a wrap with a brass drift/hammer and then removing the steering arm of the sector shaft and pull the whole assembly out for bench repair. Install same way. best and easiest way.. I have done a ton of them.

Keep us posted on your outcome.
Larry Shepard

[mshmodela]

As mentioned grease the baby... And remember these are old cars --they will teach you to drive them... With time.

[JBill]

See the thread on steering box adjustment. It's possible to get the adjustment too tight and thereby cause hard steering. Sometimes it takes a lot of fiddling to get it just right.

[Mike V. Florida]

Every part that joins another part has to be clean, smooth, of the correct shape, and adjusted. Do you know when the last time all the old grease was removed, the balls and sockets checked and replaced?

[Walt Ebie]

Thank you all! Since the car was restored from the ground up in 1983 and only has about 1200 miles on it that the balls and sockets could be very worn but I will check and lube everything again - just did that last fall and drove only a couple hundred miles since then. Yes, that was 1200 miles - two previous owners bought it for looks but never drove it. I've had it now about 2 yrs and drive it once or twice every week.

[Keith True]

A ground up restoration from 1983 will most likely have egg shaped steering balls,bad brake tracks,and overtightened worn out steering box parts.With a few exceptions cars done back then got parts cleaned,painted,and put back together to run around town at 35 MPH.They were made to look pretty,not restored to original specs.One easy thing to look for on yours are the kingpin bearings.Grab the bearing with your fingers,if you can rotate it the weight of the car is riding directly on the spindle,not on the thrust bearing.That makes for a hard steer.There's a couple of dozen things in the steering that can cause hard steering,and I don't believe I've ever found just one or two things causing it.It usually seems to be 8 or 10 things combined.

[C26Pinelake]

Grease it properly, proper tire pressure and install a shortened pitman arm and you will think you have power steering. Wayne

[Charlie Stephens]

They are definitely not power steering but it sounds like your is too hard. Try driving another one for comparison.

Charlie Stephens

[C26Pinelake]

[QUOTE=Charlie Stephens;1377800]They are definitely not power steering but it sounds like your is too hard. Try driving another one for comparison.

Charlie Stephens[/QUO

Always a good strategy! Wayne

[TerryH]

Make sure your tires ar also fully inflated to 35 lbs.....low fire pressure Will also cause harder steering. My 1930 Town Sedan steers what I think is quite easily at speeds over 10 mph. I run newer Goodyear tires and have almost no play in the steering wheel.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by TerryH

Make sure your tires ar also fully inflated to 35 lbs.....low fire pressure Will also cause harder steering. My 1930 Town Sedan steers what I think is quite easily at speeds over 10 mph. I run newer Goodyear tires and have almost no play in the steering wheel.

He did mention the pressures were set to spec...I would try steering it jacked up under the axle, just to see f it is tight without the tire resistance. Yes the pressure won't be on the king pin bearings but it's worth a shot for diagnostics if it has abnormally tight steering

[Kevin in NJ]

After tire pressure....

How about starting with does it have the correct type oil in the steering box? Is it full?

You really need to verify the balls are round too.

As pointed out, often the cars are not mechanically restored. You must verify everything.

Personally I would start at the steering box and work my way out in logical steps.

Oil in the box, how tight is the sector shaft?
Are all the balls round? Is there all repro springs and such which have been compressed down too far. Some repro springs do not do very good from what I have heard.

How tight are the king pins.

Well you get the idea. My idea of a properly restored to factory A is one you have no problems jumping in and driving all day at 55 MPH. Then get in and do it the next day.

[Quigley1930]

Bill makeout tell me you never drove a bench seat car with at least your arm around your sweetie

Sewall

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by quickchange

Try the short pitman arm , it helps. That's why we have just had produced the Right Hand Drive version ,

The short pitman arm does make it a little easer to steer. But it also makes it so that you cannot turn as short. But still it is worth the shorten arm.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

The short pitman arm does make it a little easer to steer. But it also makes it so that you cannot turn as short. But still it is worth the shorten arm.

With my '30 Town Sedan I find no difference in turning radius. The steering still goes stop to stop...

But regardless of that, you should determine why it is so hard to turn before adding shortened pitman arms and EZ Steer teflon seats.