Stiff Steering

Archives of Cosworth Vega Club

Moderator: Moderators

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:39 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=dstevens2356&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_493997_THIS_@yahoo.com

I'm now the owner of #1625 and only have really driven it once. Is
the steering on all the Cosworths very stiff, or have I've been
spoiled by too many years of power steering? I had several Vegas
twenty or so years ago, and don"t remember the steering being this
difficult to turn. Is this normal or do I have a problem?

Thanks
Dave




[This is message #10713 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=dstevens2356&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace


Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Mon Mar 24, 2003 11:43 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=hammerdown7&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_818386_THIS_@yahoo.com

Dave, First off, how many turns do you have lock to lock? Stock is
about four turns. Your car may have been converted with a fast ratio
box which would give a little less than 2 1/2 turns lock to lock.
Also the box may have been adjusted to remove "play" and adjusted
incorrectly, binding the gearing.
Dick

--- In <a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=219233066105193209050199029077192253163098100009128121188190230091025019053061151110147">cosworthvegas@yahoogroups.com</a>, "dstevens2356" <<a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=114059114056017198172021203004129208071">dsteven6@h...</a>>
wrote:
> I'm now the owner of #1625 and only have really driven it once. Is
> the steering on all the Cosworths very stiff, or have I've been
> spoiled by too many years of power steering? I had several Vegas
> twenty or so years ago, and don"t remember the steering being this
> difficult to turn. Is this normal or do I have a problem?
>
> Thanks
> Dave




[This is message #10714 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=hammerdown7&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Tue Mar 25, 2003 2:51 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=doctorduke&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_401487_THIS_@yahoo.com

The standard 20.9:1 steering gear (22.5:1 overall when the linkage is
taken into account) yields about 4.4 turns lock to lock.

The over-the-counter 16:1 steering gear that was available in the
seventies and eighties will reduce that number (on the car) to about
3.3. Out of the car the limits of ball nut travel will yield about
one more turn than when installed in the car with the steering linkage
attached.

If you haven't driven a vintage car in a while, a CV can appear to
have heavy steering, especially at low speed, and the 16:1 box will
definitely require a lot of effort for parking manuevers. Ain't no
chick car as I like to say! At normal driving speeds it should not be
excessively heavy, but will require more effort than modern power
steering cars, especially in sporty driving where rapid and large
steering inputs may be required.

You can check for bind by raising the front end off the ground and
running the steering from lock to lock. The steering wheel should
rotate freely with no binding at any point.

Low tire pressure can cause heavy steering, and I recommend a minimum
of 32 psi, preferably 36. Also, caster other than zero will increase
steering effort, but within the range of adjustment on the Vega
chassis, this will not result in a major change. One final point is
that wheels with significantly different than OEM offset can cause
increased effort. Offset less than the OEM 0.45" will increase the
scrub radius, which is the lateral distance between the point where
the steering axis intersects the ground and the center point of the
tire contact patch.

An interesting historical note is that standard Vega 5" steel wheels
have 0.20" offset. All optional 6" wheels including the CV wheels
have 0.45" offset, which reduces the scrub radius, reduces the track
measurements by 0.5 inch, and places a premium on inside rear fender
clearance with some of the wider 205/60R-13 tires. My suspicion is
that the increased offset of the 6" wheels was designed in to reduce
the scrub radius for less steering effort.

Duke




[This is message #10716 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=doctorduke&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Tue Mar 25, 2003 3:46 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=cv2037&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_723551_THIS_@yahoo.com

We just put 2037 back on the road. I thought that the steering was
terribly stif when I first drove it but now that we (my son & I) have
been driving it for about one month the steering seems a lot better.
I'm sure we are getting used to it a little but we both think that
the steering is getting looser and easier the more we drive it.

Wendell




[This is message #10717 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=cv2037&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:02 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=doctorduke&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_226230_THIS_@yahoo.com

The steering gear in my '63 Corvette has a 16:1 ratio, and I believe
this same gear carried through all the way to '82, but I don't think
it will bolt in to a CV due to different dimensions.

As a reminder, the CV does not use a Vega steering gear, but the
larger Sagninaw model 525 that is shared with the H-specials.

Duke






[This is message #10720 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=doctorduke&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Thu Mar 27, 2003 5:33 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=redondobeachcacosworth&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_324845_THIS_@yahoo.com

Dr. Duke.

What is your take:

With the idea of installing a early 70's Corvette stearing gearbox
into the first production year of the Cosworth Vega?

Enjoying the sun,
Mr A
<a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=194056080007078154112171163140062187098144234051077195188227025059177178020181073110009204035181">redondobeachcacosworth@y...</a>


--- In <a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=219233066105193209050199029077192253163098100009128121188190230091025019053061151110147">cosworthvegas@yahoogroups.com</a>, doctorduke <<a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=091233212180056219138097203245129208071">no_reply@y...</a>>
wrote:
> The standard 20.9:1 steering gear (22.5:1 overall when the linkage
is
> taken into account) yields about 4.4 turns lock to lock.
>
> The over-the-counter 16:1 steering gear that was available in the
> seventies and eighties will reduce that number (on the car) to
about
> 3.3. Out of the car the limits of ball nut travel will yield about
> one more turn than when installed in the car with the steering
linkage
> attached.
>
> If you haven't driven a vintage car in a while, a CV can appear to
> have heavy steering, especially at low speed, and the 16:1 box will
> definitely require a lot of effort for parking manuevers. Ain't no
> chick car as I like to say! At normal driving speeds it should not
be
> excessively heavy, but will require more effort than modern power
> steering cars, especially in sporty driving where rapid and large
> steering inputs may be required.
>
> You can check for bind by raising the front end off the ground and
> running the steering from lock to lock. The steering wheel should
> rotate freely with no binding at any point.
>
> Low tire pressure can cause heavy steering, and I recommend a
minimum
> of 32 psi, preferably 36. Also, caster other than zero will
increase
> steering effort, but within the range of adjustment on the Vega
> chassis, this will not result in a major change. One final point
is
> that wheels with significantly different than OEM offset can cause
> increased effort. Offset less than the OEM 0.45" will increase the
> scrub radius, which is the lateral distance between the point where
> the steering axis intersects the ground and the center point of the
> tire contact patch.
>
> An interesting historical note is that standard Vega 5" steel
wheels
> have 0.20" offset. All optional 6" wheels including the CV wheels
> have 0.45" offset, which reduces the scrub radius, reduces the
track
> measurements by 0.5 inch, and places a premium on inside rear
fender
> clearance with some of the wider 205/60R-13 tires. My suspicion is
> that the increased offset of the 6" wheels was designed in to
reduce
> the scrub radius for less steering effort.
>
> Duke




[This is message #10719 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=redondobeachcacosworth&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace

Stiff Steering

Postby h-bot » Sat Mar 29, 2003 7:04 am

From: img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=dstevens2356&m=g&t=0" alt=""_REMOVE_327828_THIS_@yahoo.com

Thanks,
The "Ain't no chick car as I like to say!" is a good description of
the steering for my Cos. Had some decent weather and a chance last
week and run her on a challenging road, I don't think I have a
problem. Really wouldn't want any softer steering. It does turn 4.4
lock to lock and am running 60R-13 tires. Now that I think about it
my old mans 69 Malibu, that I learned to drive on, with no power
steering, was this challenging too. I guess I have been spoiled by
all those cars with power steering.

Dave

--- In <a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=219233066105193209050199029077192253163098100009128121188190230091025019053061151110147">cosworthvegas@yahoogroups.com</a>, doctorduke <<a href="/group/cosworthvegas/post?protectID=091233212180056219138097203245129208071">no_reply@y...</a>>
wrote:
> The standard 20.9:1 steering gear (22.5:1 overall when the linkage
is
> taken into account) yields about 4.4 turns lock to lock.
>
> The over-the-counter 16:1 steering gear that was available in the
> seventies and eighties will reduce that number (on the car) to
about
> 3.3. Out of the car the limits of ball nut travel will yield about
> one more turn than when installed in the car with the steering
linkage
> attached.
>
> If you haven't driven a vintage car in a while, a CV can appear to
> have heavy steering, especially at low speed, and the 16:1 box will
> definitely require a lot of effort for parking manuevers. Ain't no
> chick car as I like to say! At normal driving speeds it should not
be
> excessively heavy, but will require more effort than modern power
> steering cars, especially in sporty driving where rapid and large
> steering inputs may be required.
>
> You can check for bind by raising the front end off the ground and
> running the steering from lock to lock. The steering wheel should
> rotate freely with no binding at any point.
>
> Low tire pressure can cause heavy steering, and I recommend a
minimum
> of 32 psi, preferably 36. Also, caster other than zero will
increase
> steering effort, but within the range of adjustment on the Vega
> chassis, this will not result in a major change. One final point
is
> that wheels with significantly different than OEM offset can cause
> increased effort. Offset less than the OEM 0.45" will increase the
> scrub radius, which is the lateral distance between the point where
> the steering axis intersects the ground and the center point of the
> tire contact patch.
>
> An interesting historical note is that standard Vega 5" steel
wheels
> have 0.20" offset. All optional 6" wheels including the CV wheels
> have 0.45" offset, which reduces the scrub radius, reduces the
track
> measurements by 0.5 inch, and places a premium on inside rear
fender
> clearance with some of the wider 205/60R-13 tires. My suspicion is
> that the increased offset of the 6" wheels was designed in to
reduce
> the scrub radius for less steering effort.
>
> Duke




[This is message #10722 by user img width=12 height=12 border=0 src="http://opi.yahoo.com/online?u=dstevens2356&m=g&t=0" alt="" on Yahoo! Group Cosworth Vegas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cosworthvegas ]
h-bot
 
Posts: 53214
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:30 am
Location: cyberspace


Return to Cosworth Vegas

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests