66 GT350 Heavy Steering & no self centering

Can anyone help me I've got a GT350 with a heavy steering and it won't self centre after turning a coner, I physically have to turn it back to the centre.

I had new tyres fitted and the wheel alignment checked and the castor and camber appears to be ok, the shop did adjust the toe but still no good.

I lifted the front wheels off the ground and the steering moves freely. I've also got a 66 Fastback GT which is fine and the steering feels the same when the front is off the ground.

Any suggestions would really be appreciated. I've hit a brick wall this this issue.

 

Hi Roy,

Thanks for the suggestion. I actaully packed the steering box with Molybond grease today and that seemed to help it return to centre a little, but not as good as antoehr Fastback I've got.

I checked the adjusting screw and realeased by around four turns. The result was a lot of slop but no change in the heavyness.

On turning full lock either side I feel resitance when compared to my other Fastback which goes smothely to each side.

My next step leads me to the stearing linkages.

 

I've only recently acquired the car and I'm going through it from front to back and top to bottom to get it where I like it.

The box is a FoMoCo box which apears to have been reconditioned at some stage.

I hear what you're saying and I guess I should drop the steering linkages on each side to determine if the probelm is isolated to the box.

If the feeling is still there then I know for sure that it would be the box.

Would you agree?

 

Thanks AJD350.

I've tried adjusting the top adjemusment screw and locking nut on the plate with no improvement, but I didn't know of the other adjustment on the box that you menionted.

Do you have a piture or a link that shows where this located.

ross0133

 

Thanks for that info. I'll give it a go.

Incidentaly I found this link that clearly shows the adjusting points.

http://www.stangerssite.com/HowItWorksSteeringBox.html

Thank for your help.

 

You make a good point. No point exprimenting.

I had actual spoken with my mechanic who pointed out the same issues. I'll be taking it to a workshop for the adjustments....not willing to risk the potential disaster.

Got it back from a competent wheel alignment shop yesterday. A good improvement with self centering mostly due to caster setup being negative n the 1st place.

 

Had that checked out by a suspension centre and they thought it looked ok but I still will be having a better look at this. My other Fastback had the same issue and the idler arm fixed the problem big time.

 

The steering has improved considerably but it's sill heavier than my 66 Fastback GT.

Can anyone tell me if the set up of a 66 GT350 idler arm being slightly longer than standard would cause a heavier steering than normal, or should both a manual steering GT setup and a GT350 set up be the same???

 

Thanks for that info, I probably would 've kept chasing the impossible dream in regards to steering weight as I've been compring it to my GT Fastback.

That explains a whole heap to me.

The Shelby self centres with no problem now. I'm happy with the alignment but I will get it checked again soon.

 

No the steering box hasn't been changed and I still need to adjust the box for the end play as it has about 2 inches of play before the wheels stat to move.