Steering Pull Question

[tlorber]

I recently bought a '73Z and it is a blast to drive. I will be replacing all suspension bushings, springs and shocks.

The car tracks perfectly straight, but in a turn, the wheel wants to pull back to center pretty hard. Is this a castor adjustment, or just how these cars drive?

Thanks for any input or advice.

[Zs-ondabrain]

That's basically the way most cars drive. No power steering so you gotta muscle it.

Check your air pressure in the front tires as well. Low pressure on one side will make the car track in that direction.

Dave

[Walter Moore]

The manual rack and pinion steering takes some getting used to for most people who are used to power steering.

When front wheel drive became popular most cars got power steering standard to help reduce the perception of torque steer. Before then power steering was largely optional, except on the higher end models.

At least that was my perception at the time, thirty years ago.

[tlorber]

Thanks for the responses. Ironically it almost feels like front wheel drive. Could be just getting used to rack & pinion. My 311 and my old pickup are both manual steering, but they both utilize worm gears-totally different feel.

[tlorber]

Follow up to my original post. The front bushings had been replaced with urethane on the TC arms-I put the new ones on anyway-in the same orientation as the prior ones. The thicker bushing was/is in the rear.

My question is-is this how yours are? Also, if I were to reverse them (thereby moving the arm back by around 3/16"), would that effect the castor enough to make a substantive difference?

Thanks.

[Zs-ondabrain]

If you do that, your Torsion bar will not bolt up correctly and your strut will at an offset angle. Don't do it, plain and simple.

Dave

[tlorber]

K, thanks Dave. I'll leave them as installed.

[ajmcforester]

You can add power steering if you want their is a kit out their for that.

Adjusting caster will help with that, but caster also what makes the car track straight, and pull into a straight line, to little caster the car will be drifting back and forth.

The manual setup in the Z, once you are comfortable, it gives great feedback and can help you fell your way through the corners. My first car I converted from power-searing to manual system a lot like the one in the Z I knocked 20% off my tight track time once I got a fell of the system.