68 Camaro steering troubles...

[Ralph]

Hi folks
My wife's 68 Camaro with 6 cylinder and power steering steers stiffly, and doesn't "self center". You turn a corner, and you've got to turn the wheel back to center yourself. the stiffness is such that the wheel will stay where it's put, though it still steers easily. Power steering, remember.

The car has a new idler arm, rag joint, and pitman arm, and a fresh alignment to within factory specs. It wandered like a lost soul before, due mostly to the rag joint. I'm thinking steering box now. Anything else that would make it steer like this?

Help save the last 6 cylinder Camaro in existance!

Thanks,
Ralph

[GPster]

I had a '69 Nova that was also built on that rear-steer subframe. I seem to recall that the power steering boxes are all pretty much the same on all Chevys at that time but the Camaro/Novas reguired their own style of pittman arm. If you haven't changed tires or suspension I'd have to say it's in the steering box. Most places I've seen will sell the pittman arm with the box so to get the parts they're going to hang the Camaro name on it. If you change arms you might get a more common box. GPster

[tom]

was it like this before the work was done? did someone adjust the play in the steering box? perhaps they tightened it too much.

[jaybee]

was it like this before the work was done? did someone adjust the play in the steering box? perhaps they tightened it too much.

I did that once with exactly the behavior described.  It would be quick and easy to check.  Just a tick off the adjustment and everything was fine.

[Ralph]

Well, you guys got it! I guess the last owner tightened the steering box instead of fixing the rag joint. I loosened the play in the steering box, and it's much better. I may even back the play off a touch more. Too bad he didn't have the RRT to help! thanks guys.

The stock alignment specs for caster are 0 to 1 degree, which doesn't sound like much. Also, I realized that I dropped the front end about 2 inches (cut springs) AFTER I got the alignment done. Probably lost my positive caster right there. Would there be any harm in getting the alignment set to , say, 3 degrees caster, to help the self centering?
Ralph

[enjenjo]

Nope, it won't hurt a thing.

[Ralph]

Nope, it won't hurt a thing.

Thanks Enjenjo. What I'm really wondering is whether adding 2 degrees of caster will help much. I see so much talk of Mustang II casters in the 5 to 7 range (I think - might have been solid axle specs.). Your (or anybody's) thoughts on what I should shoot for?
Ralph

[enjenjo]

Well, 3 degrees is well within the ball park. I tend to change the factory settings a bit to make a car steer the way I like.

[tom]

you can run the caster fairly high, it is camber and toe in you have to watch.