68 camaro steering issue

[keith1365]

I have an issue with my 68 camaro. It has been lowered, solid bushings, speed tech a-arms, front sway bar and hotchkiss rear leaf springs. Has teflon bushings on both ends. The steering box has been changed to a third gen. It handles well but seems to have an issue on turn in. You turn it into a corner and once you get in it, it feels like it keeps turning itself into the corner. Once you get into a corner, you have to straighten it out a bit or it feels like it will auger itself in. Any ideas?

[Chevy]

alignment specs? what tires are you running - size/brand? when you say "get in it" do you mean get into the throttle? because that can induce oversteer in a turn, which it sounds like you are experiencing.

give us a little more info and a clear description of what you are doing while driving.

thanks,
Paul

[keith1365]

The tires are Kumho Exsta SPT 255/45 17 rear and 235/55/17 fronts. The camber is -.4 left, -.6 right, caster 5.3 left and 5.9 right. toe is .11" The problem seems to be in the apex of the corner in the between the transition from throttle off to throttle on. If you straighten it out just a bit after turn in it seems to be better, kind of like turning right on a flat tracker to go left, only not near as severe obviously. Seems to be worse on left handers over right handers. The faster the corner, the less you notice it. It never seemed to bother me until a friend who races stock cars drove it and mentioned it and now I notice it all the time. I asked him what to do and he said to turn it a little right and stand on the gas . The back end does not feel like it is loose but just wants to turn harder into the corner on its own. The car also does not have a neutral position and will not return to straight on its own but that does not really bother me. I went with the short steering arms and quick box. It turns good but can get busy on high speed straights. I thought the short stuff would be better for autocross, which I have not tried yet.

[David Pozzi]

It could be a bumpsteer issue. When you turn in to take a corner, do you have to turn more when the car leans and takes a set?
David

[keith1365]

It does not need more turn into the corner when it takes a set. It needs to be turned less and then it seems to be ok. if you turn into the corner then straighten the wheel just a bit and then it seems to be ok and the rest of the corner is uneventful. Once you turn in it feels like you have steered into the corner too much and have to back off a bit. it is easily drivable the rear end is planted enough that the back is not going to past the front. The car has a front sway bar but not rear if that makes any difference.

[JEFFTATE]

My car is doing a similar thing.
I've got the 3rd Gen IROC Z steering box.
Mine only does it on right turns.
I turn in and take a set to go around a right hand curve and when I get about halfway through the curve , the front wheels shimmy back and forth.
The cars starts into the turn ok.
But halfway into the turn , it overteers drastically.
(In other words , it darts to the inside)
I have to correct by turning a little back left to keep from running off the road on the inside of the curve.
I think my problem is inside the steering box.
If I turn the steering wheel to the right ( about 45degrees ) there is play in the box.
If I have the steering wheel centered , there is no play in the box.
I think the steering box has a worn place in it.
It's a reman unit . ( Genuine AC Delco )

This wobble happens at the same steering wheel position to the right every time.
That's why I'm thinking it's a steering system/linkage problem rather than a suspension / bumpsteer problem.
I don't have to hit a bump or go over any road irregularities to cause the wobble.
I don't even have to be cornering hard and shifting the cars weight and causing a lot of suspension compression to cause the wobble.
It happens at very slow speeds ( 25-35mph ) on smooth roads too.