This has nothing to do with anything here but I thought I’d share it anyway. Eons ago I used to have a ’73 Maverick that was all optioned out. Like a V8, auto, ps, pb, ac, cruise, leather, buckets, stereo, radials plus those ugly color-coordinated wheel covers. The power steering had no problem self-centering. The wheels were the first things to go so I swapped them with a set of aluminum ET slot mags and new radials. After that the steering seemed easier to turn but the self-centering was totally gone! I can understand the less effort to turn with the lighter wheels, less centrifugal force to fight against. It’s like trying to rotate a spinning gyro, it doesn’t like to change direction. What I don’t understand is the vanishing self-centering, The alignment had not changed, just the wheels.

Anyway, that’s it. No help, just talk.

Barry

 

tim and mike, i'm having the exact same problem w/ my '72. i used a new gearbox when i made my switch to power steering. i had the little sector thingy adjusted while i was having the alignment checked. the man at the front end shop said it was lack of grease in the new kingpins. he added grease and i've done it twice since then but i still have the same problem. if u find a solution, i'd love to hear it.
mike

 

Maybe Barry has something. I put radial tires on my 65 Mustang back in 69 and it felt like I added power steering. Forgot what it did to return-to-center. I remember reading that the tires themselves help return because they flex and want to go back to the normal straight ahead mode. We need a volunteer to put on a set of bias ply tires and give us a report.

My king pins have about 4000 miles on them. I have greased them like crazy. I disconnected the linkage at the spindles and both sides would try easily by hand.

Tim, there are three tapered teeth on the output shaft. As you turn the adjustment screw in, they get less clearance to the piston teeth. If you loosen the screw, you are lifting the output shaft. This would eventually cause play in the steering wheel.

The power steering boxes are kind of interesting. When you turn the steering wheel, you are twisting a torsion bar a slight amount. This changes the relationship between the spool valve and the valve body, controlling the opening and closing of fluid passages.

It would be interesting to compare the torque required to turn the output shaft of a manual gearbox and then try it with a power gearbox full of fluid. Tim's experience tells me the power gearbox would require more torque.