Finally got the car out of the garage for the first time in 3 months after going after a complete front end rebuild and fixing a bad oil pan leak. Now the steering feels like it is binding up every 1/4 turn or so and is hard to use.

Some history: the cars steering was fine before she was parked... just a little sloppy and ever so easy to turn! I replaced all the bushings with poly, added a new 1" sway bar and new end links, new motor mounts, new tie rod ends, idler arm, etc, but NEVER touched the steering box!! I might have added some power steering fluid to the pump, but really don't remember. Could too much fluid cause this?? It really feels like it is the power steering box as it will bind up even with the front wheels in the air!!

I have not come up with an explanation to myself yet, so help me out!! Also, how do I adjust the steering box to make it "looser" so I can try that??

Thanks,
Bill C.

It sounds to me that your steering column may be misaligned to your steering gear. If you have a first generation Camaro, you steering column attaches directly to the steering gear. If the steering column becomes misaligned, the stop pins on the flexible coupling will start rubbing on the window openings that are formed into the flange on the lower end of the steering column.

You should be able to rotate your steering wheel 360 degrees and the stop pins should always remain central within the window openings. Is it possible that your front end sub frame has moved during the installation of your new bushings?

JIML82

Jim,
It is entirely possible that the front sub-frame was moved during the process, 'cause I moved it!!

Had to to straighten the passenger side which had gotten pushed back about 3/4" after appaering to have hit something really hard by the passenger wheel.

I'm not fully understanding what you mean by the stop pins and window openings... is that something that will be obvious by looking at it?? How do I fix it if it's off?

Thanks for the help so far.

Bill C.

PS. It's a 71 Nova... same as Camaro underneath!!

The C3 Corvette and the first generation Camaro have steering systems that are quite similar in that the steering column connects directly to the steering gear by means of a flexible steering shaft coupling. So this paper that is written about the C3 Corvette is still quite applicable to your Camaro.

http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/FlexCplngInstall03JN05.doc

The flexible coupling attaches directly on the steering gear input shaft. It has two shoulder bolts and two stop pins that stick up toward the steering column. The shoulder bolts fit into two precision machined holes that are located in the flange on the bottom of the steering column shaft. When the flex coupling is attached to the steering column flange, the stop pins should sit inside cutouts in the steering column flange with about 1/8 inch clearance on all sides.

If the steering column shaft is not pointing directly at the steering gear input shaft, there will be an offset between the two shafts. The flexible coupling will have to be distorted in order to make up the offset. This will cause the stop pins to be offset in the column flange cutouts. (They will most likely be hard against the edges of the cutouts and can cause the steering to feel lumpy).

You will need to move the cradle (which will move the gear input shaft); or you will need to move the lower end of the steering column; in order to get the steering column shaft to point directly at the steering gear input shaft and get rid of any offset.

Jim

Jim,
Thanks a bunch for the help, was dead on!!

I never would have thought of that being the issue, but it was. I first unbolted the steering box a little to loosen it up and loosened the rag joint, steering got easier but still binding so I knew I was on the right track. Tonight I got under the dash and loosened the sttering column lower section... it immediately moved about 1/4" and felt great!! No more binding!!

Things are much better now that they are back to being way too easy to turn and no road feel!!

Thanks again,
Bill C.