Steering Issue

[steve3050]

I purchased a 53 last November and only drove it two or three times over the winter. I have taken it out a few times and noticed a steering issue. When I turn slightly left, the wheel moves easily from the center position and then I feel a resistance, but it is easy to move past it. It does not happen on turning right. It can also be felt with the front tires raised off the floor—I can feel the slight "catch" by turning the wheel or by grabbing the tire and moving the steering that way. Changing the adjustment of the screw on the top of the steering gear does not change this aspect of it. There was no oil at all in the steering box when I took delivery of the car, so I filled it with gear oil. Any ideas on what this could be?

[TodFitch]

On my older car there are, I think, three adjustments on the steering box that need to be done in the correct order per the service manual. By design the worm and sector gears are such that there is closer fit between the gears in the straight ahead position. If you try to adjust the box with the wheel not centered then you will have binding as you go past the area that should have been in the center when you adjusted it. . . Based on that I am guessing that (1) the design on your later box is similar and (2) that it is mis-adjusted.

 

You probably should get the factory service manual for your car and just follow the adjustment instructions that are in it. . .

[Don Coatney]

Could the resistance you feel possibly be a worn suspension or steering part outside of the box?

[DCurrent]

According to the position of the steering wheel, does the resistance happen just the once when turning to the left or several times? Does it happen at the same position when turning the wheel?

 

Darren

[steve3050]

The resistance happens as you pass through it, then you feel it when coming back towards the center position of the wheel. The wheel is always in the same position when it is felt.

[1941Rick]

My 41 had the same problem. Found that the wrong oil pan was installed, causing the tie rod to contact the oil pan. Could not turn as sharp to the left. Don't know how yours is configured but worth a look.

[_shel_ny]

Does the car track down the road straight with the wheel centered? If not someone may have replaced tie rods and such, and done an alignment without the steering wheel centered. That would cause the the normal wheel centered//high spot///bit of resistance area to be slightly away from the center position, and as Tod said, adjusting the screw on the steering box would only make that worse.

[James_Douglas]

I would pay attention to what Todd said.  He is correct about the order thing.  Go over to the Imperial Club site and read the service booklet online on how to adjust the steering.

 

The quick way to see if the thing you are feeling is in the box or the linkage is to take off the pitman arm and turn the wheel. 

 

James

[steve3050]

Thanks to all for the advice and ideas. It will have to wait until next week, but I will check further.

[steve3050]

I looked at the steering again today. Some of your suggestions were checked out—it is not an issue with the tie rod hitting the oil pan. Also I checked the wheel alignment with a device I've used for years. It is ok.

I looked at a printout of some pages from an Imperial service bulletin as suggested by James_Douglas. The manual says that if you loosen the instrument panel bracket for the steering column, and the column drops down, the steering box is not mounted correctly to the frame. This can cause binding, it said. The column dropped down as I loosened the bracket, although I would have thought it would do that from the weight of the column itself... Anyway, it talked about spacers on the lower two mounting bolts for the steering box, and washers being required there. Has anyone gone down this road, who could walk me through a check on the mounting of the steering box?

[greg g]

There is also a rubber isolator betweent he box and the frame.  If this gwts squishey, it can cause vague steering, delayed response, perhaps some binding as the box moves against either the linkage or the frame.