OK, so I finally started my truck, ('53 with the Volare front end, 351W, C6) steering worked fine, left and right. After a few times of starting it and letting it run a bit, the steering automatically turned a hard right and stayed there. I took the belt off the pump and got the wheels back straight and started it again, same thing. Most of the time I can find the answer by searching and reading, but this has me a little stumped. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

 

Does the steering wheel turn as well? My offhand guess would be a sticking valve.

 

Yes, the steering wheel turns, hard and fast. If it is a sticking valve, what is the cure? Thanks for the reply.

 

Is the fluid clean? It's possible you have an obstruction somewhere IE: One of the lines, Pump or steering box. My suggestion would be to drain the system and check the lines, Also there is a valve on top of the steering box (I don't recall the name offhand) you can check just use care removing it. With that said most parts houses carry PS flush which is worth a try after you've done the aforementioned.

 

I have just gone through the Volare front end on a chassis that I bought some time ago and that I am finally building. There are two pressure regulators on the top of the PS box, one regulates input pressure and the other regulates output back into the pump resevoir. I believe that your problem (as has been stated in previous posts) lies in the box itself. The steering box senses the movement of the steering wheel either to the left or the right and applies fluid pressure to "assist" in that movement. For some reason, probably an obstruction, the box is sensing that the wheel is being turned to the right and is applying fluid pressure in that direction. The reason that I started off this thread with my own chassis is that in the process of going through the steering components I found that the power steering fluid had water in it which caused many of the system components to rust and bind. Flushing the system is a good thing to do even if you find that your problem lies elsewhere.

 

I have seen this before on these boxes. I used to do a lot of alignment on these cars and every once in awhile one would go full left or right. There is a valve body on top of the box you can adjust by backing off the 2 bolts that hold the valve to the top of box.Only back off a little. The valve body holes for the bolts are slotted and you can slide the valve body forward or backwards. Start it up and slowly tap the valve ahead or back.( may leak a little fluid as you do this) If you go to far the wheel will turn the other way on its own. You have to keep going back and forth till you get it centred.May take awhile its very sensitive.The valve body may have got knock around before you installed it. If this doesnt fix it you have to get a new box or try to find parts for this one. If the stub on the box where the column hooks up got damaged the torsion rod inside that shaft may have been damaged.

 

these boxes are everwhere and cheap. i would just replace it as i have encountered the same problem and tried to fix it with no sucess. these boxes were cheaply built and were lighter duty.replace it and save having to fix the sheetrock from banging your head into it.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'll try the flushing first as the unit hasn't been used in a couple of years. I put new fluid in it, but it might have had some old in the box it's self.The return line is new, but I used the old pressure line. Both lines seem to be moving fluid, so it might be an obstruction. I'll probably go with just changing out the whole box, after a few more disappointments. LOL

 

I haven't had much luck finding any around here...of course there aren't too many junk yards in SoCal any longer. I need the return line fitting on the top of the box if anyone has one or can get their hands on one.

 

Bobs is where i got a bit of my stuff: Bob's F100 Parts and Restoration - (951) 681-1956 - 9372 Mission Blvd, Riverside, CA 92509

Everyplace i went to around here and asked for Volare parts i got "A What?" out of most of them.

 

I bought a rebuilt box at Autozone for $120 I think.

Sam

 

Yeah, more than likely I'll do the rebuild box from AutoZone. Haven't had time to flush the system yet, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. That's one bad feeling to have the steering wheel jerk out of your hand and steer it's self hard to the right. Glad I'm still in the build mode. Thanks guys (and or gals)

 

Switch the hoses on the box and see if it still turns to the right.......

 

AAAAGGGHHHH....don't do that! The hoses aren't right/left they are high pressure and low pressure.

 

OK, I took the valve off the top of the box and the valve inside was stuck. I took the thing apart and cleaned it real good and replaced the fluid and it seems to be working correctley. Thanks for the help