<VV> Steering box question - adjustments ?

[Robert K. Henry]

I stand to the left of the car and watch the left front wheel as you reach
over and gently wiggle the steering wheel back and forth. I see how many
degrees I can turn the steering wheel before the front wheel starts to move.
I was able to turn the wheel quite a bit before there was any motion of the
front wheel at all. That's why the car was wandering, I had to kind of bump
the wheel back and forth to jog the front wheels into the direction I wanted
to go. Just a bit terrifying, actually, on a narrow two-lane road.
Fortunately, the car tracks pretty well by itself, so you really only need
the steering wheel when a course correction is needed. I crowded the pitman
adjuster screw until there was no free play. In tight turns the steering box
firms up a bit but even with the adjuster set to as little lash as I can
manage, on the straight the steering still seems a little vague. I'm curious
just how much more precise steering a Corvair ought to be capable of.

 

Robert Henry
'65 Corsa Convertible Turbo
Knoxville, TN

 

From: Mark Durham [mailto:62vair at gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 1:13 PM
To: Robert K. Henry
Cc: Virtual Vairs
Subject: Re: <VV> Steering box question - adjustments ?

 

You might also want to take a look at your tire pressures, make sure they
are correct front and rear. And, who did the alignment? Someone who knows
corvairs?

Mark Durham

On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 5:25 AM, Robert K. Henry
<robertkhenry at bellsouth.net> wrote:

Thanks to all who replied, both online and off.

For quite some time I haven't worried about the box because...well...it was
working. However not too long ago I took the car out, after new tires and a
wheel alignment, and the car was all over the road. I adjusted the box to
tighten it up (I don't know how it suddenly got so loose.) and it helped a
great deal, but it's still looser than it used to be, and looser than it
ought to be. I'm sure the car is capable of much better. That got me
thinking about taking another look at the problem. After my initial efforts
to find parts years ago I more or less gave up. Apparently the options have
changed since then.

I hadn't seriously thought about a quick box. Would it be that much of an
improvement? One of my mission profiles is to take the car to the mountains.
I noticed I was flailing madly twirling the wheel around corners, especially
on "The Dragon." Otherwise the car performs so marvelously in that role.


Robert Henry
'65 Corsa Convertible Turbo
Knoxville, TN

-----Original Message-----

From: Bryan Blackwell [mailto:bryan at skiblack.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 10:28 AM
To: Robert K. Henry
Cc: 'Virtual Vairs'
Subject: Re: <VV> Steering box question - adjustments ?

On Aug 10, 2010, at 7:04 AM, Robert K. Henry wrote:

> One problem: This car has a telescoping steering column, which appears to
> disqualify most boxes. The worm on that long input shaft seems ok, if I
> could just replace the pitman and nut I think I'd be fine.

Yes, this limits your selection.  Have you tried the Corvair used parts
vendors?  Placed an ad on the CORSA website?  A complete tele column and box
was listed on VV not that long ago, you could have bought both and re-sold
the extra column.
>
> Why can the hot rodders get Corvair steering boxes for their cars but I
> can't get parts for my actual Corvair? Apparently they're selling new
chrome
> plated reversed boxes for more than my car is worth. I don't need chrome
> plate but I guess I could live with it. But I don't think I could justify
> spending $700 for a reversed box that won't really fit my car anyway.

Flaming River also sells a standard box.  You would need an adapter shaft of
the correct length, I'm pretty sure Seth could help you get the parts to
make this a bolt in.

--Bryan=

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