Steering issues on 81

[94conv.]

Ok, I finally go to drive the newly purchased 81'. It runs alright and is seeming to get better the more I drive it around ( the neighborhood ) but the steering is like trying to steer a boat around a slalom course, it seems to want to roll or bounce around, something seems loose but since it has sat for over a year and only driven 4k miles in the last ten years, it doesnt surprise me but does anyone have any idea how to pinpoint symptom to part? Im hoping idler arm or tie rod ends and not the sterring box or anyhing major. The tires themselves dont rock back and forth or anything so Im hesitating to think bearings or ball joints. Thanks for all the advice so far, Im still unsure what to do with the car, sell it or hang on to it so I dont want to just start throwing money at it.

 

[photovette]

It really sounds like tie end rods and idler arm--I had a scary ride back from VA; the car wondered around and couldn't stay in it's lane just about. So, I got off my lazy butt and changed'em. Now the steering is rock hard and smooth. I got mine off of ebay for about $55 total. They're easy to change, all you need is jack stands, hammer, pickle fork and a good grasp of profanity. Save yourself some agravation and buy new heavy duty tie end rod sleeves too.

Real bad alignment will do the same thing too, but alignment that bad can be seen by eye.

 

[jim's82]

My '82 did the exact same thing. It was actually pretty scary at 50mph or more & in a curve, the car would wander side to side in the turn. Mine sat for a long time before I bought it. The first thing I had done was a complete oil change & lube job. The lube job is what wrecked my steering. The original P/S control valve had a grease fitting on it...... that was only supposed to have a couple of squirts of grease with a low pressure gun. The guys that greased it hit it hard with too much grease & pressure..... blowing out the seals in it. I first tried a rebuild kit. A bit of a pain but the worst part was it went bad in just a couple of months. Then I tried a rebuilt one........ same results....... went bad quick. Finally I put a brand new one on & it's been great for >2 years. I also changed the slave cylinder, after the rebuilt control valve went bad, the slave cylinder sprung a leak.

BTW - The new valves come without a grease fitting...... not to be greased..... ever. I was told that they stopped putting them on since this is such a common problem.

Good luck, Jim

 

[JohnZ]

Don't EVER put a grease gun on the fitting on the control valve - it'll damage the seals; that fitting is for one-time-use only, at low pressure, by the rebuilder. Most of them come with a tag on the valve or a printed warning on the box that says using a grease gun on the fitting will void the warranty; of course, after they're installed, the warning tag/box is gone.