squirrely steering 1982 SC

[wgirardot]

Hello, I have an '82 SC and have a tire pressure situation/question. Since owning it for nearly a year, I didn't check pressure and she rode fine, like on rails. Was a little hard on the bumps, but thought that was just the nature of the beast.

Last week I decided to check the pressure and adjust the pressure according to spec (29 psi in front and 34 psi in rear). I came down to these levels from 39 psi all around. I was excited to see how nice of a ride I would have.

Problem: now the steering seems "squirrelly", I can feel the car oscillating back an forth all the time. Has anyone else had this situation, and any input on this would be appreciated.

thanks,

Bill

[slw911SC]

A couple of simple things first:

1. Check that your wheel nuts are all tight. This is more common than you may think.

2. Because you've reduced the pressure to spec., which is fine, and the size of the fronts/ rears are different, sometimes if you are on a somewhat rutted or ridged road, the car feels like it wants to track off course - mostly in the front because the fatter tires in the back are riding side to side, and up and down over the ruts causing you to try and compensate by oversteering. This is the road, not the car, and is normal. Try driving it on a straight, newly paved section of road and see if the car tracks straight. It should.

3. Align and balance.

4. Suspension and steering components - ball joints, steering rack, tie rods, tie rod ends, sway bar links, etc.

5. Real squirrels in the steering box

Best of luck!

[RWebb]

check your tire pressure first

however, I suspect you have a Red Squirrel infestation problem and they may not be just in the steering box...



a quick test is to see if your carr feels slower than normal.

In contrast, Grey Squirrels are real petrol-heads and love a quick burn. So if the car feels jerky like a teenage kid is burning out all the time, check for them.

They are so fast and unpredictable in cars that it is hard to get a good pic...





Both species are known to cause handling problems.

[stlrj]

Originally Posted by wgirardot

Has anyone else had this situation, and any input on this would be appreciated.

thanks,

Bill

Yes, it's all about alignment.

Soon as you take it in and have it done, the printout will tell you how far out of whack it was.


Cheers,

Joe

[burgermeister]

I like the factory pressures (29/36) on mine. A Porsche shop that put new tires on adjusted them to 29/29, and car got notably more tail happy.

Check your camber settings. A digital angle finder ($20 Harbor Freight, $45 Home Depot) works well. Too much negative camber and it starts wandering.

Check your toe in the rear. Should be slight toe-in. Toe out in back makes the car more squirrely.

Could just be that the fronts were only contacting in the middle 1/2 due to overinflation, and now that the whole tire sits on the road you're getting more steering feedback.

[calling911]

Originally Posted by burgermeister

I like the factory pressures (29/36) on mine. A Porsche shop that put new tires on adjusted them to 29/29, and car got notably more tail happy.

Check your camber settings. A digital angle finder ($20 Harbor Freight, $45 Home Depot) works well. Too much negative camber and it starts wandering.

Check your toe in the rear. Should be slight toe-in. Toe out in back makes the car more squirrely.

Could just be that the fronts were only contacting in the middle 1/2 due to overinflation, and now that the whole tire sits on the road you're getting more steering feedback.

So camber makes no sense to me. If it were camber, the high pressures would cause MORE wondering in my opinion.

Here is what I think.. your tires SUCK. The sidewalls are allowing the car to wonder at lower pressures and your car is tight as a drum.

Age and brand, model of tires? Size?

[wgirardot]

Originally Posted by calling911

So camber makes no sense to me. If it were camber, the high pressures would cause MORE wondering in my opinion.

Here is what I think.. your tires SUCK. The sidewalls are allowing the car to wonder at lower pressures and your car is tight as a drum.

Age and brand, model of tires? Size?

thanks for all the input. i'll report back with brand of tire, condition, age. I also want to add more air and see if this improves as I head back up towards 39 PSI.

I am hoping and thinking my car is tight as a drum. I know the previous owners
"tracked" the car

[calling911]

Originally Posted by wgirardot

thanks for all the input. i'll report back with brand of tire, condition, age. I also want to add more air and see if this improves as I head back up towards 39 PSI.

I am hoping and thinking my car is tight as a drum. I know the previous owners
"tracked" the car

Also.. I just changed my ride height and it seems to have solved this SAME problem.. Maybe the tire pressure changes screwed up your ride height. Check the floor to bottom of fender wells. You should have 1/2" MORE height in the front due to the deeper fender well in the front.. if its not than you are heavy wherever its higher than 1/2".

In my case I has more weight on the front than needed but it still wondered.. go figure.

[kodioneill]

how many miles did you drive with the pressures that high? overinflated tires will wear the center of the tire tread area. the outer edges will not wear as much causing uneven tread wear. a new set of tires may be needed.

[wgirardot]

Originally Posted by kodioneill

how many miles did you drive with the pressures that high? overinflated tires will wear the center of the tire tread area. the outer edges will not wear as much causing uneven tread wear. a new set of tires may be needed.

thanks. no matter how this thing pans out, it looks like I be spending $ on tires
and/or service. maybe i'll fill back up near 39 psi and have it corrected this spring

it sounds like it is indeed tire wear/ride height issue

[calling911]

Originally Posted by wgirardot

thanks. no matter how this thing pans out, it looks like I be spending $ on tires
and/or service. maybe i'll fill back up near 39 psi and have it corrected this spring

it sounds like it is indeed tire wear/ride height issue

What? Are you afraid of a little cold? Pump em back up just to be SURE it does solve the problem.. let us know.. Im curious.

Also measure your floor to deepest part of the wheel well opening on each corner. You do not get to just stop like this.

[gtc]

I like mine at 3-4 psi over the recommended pressure, about 33/40 or so. But I have Toyo T1-Rs, which have a reputation for being a little squirrely.

[porsche930dude]

are you lowered much? You may need rack spacers

[calling911]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

are you lowered much? You may need rack spacers

Yeah but would tire pressure bring this on? It is one of the reasons I asked for his ride height BUT lowering tire pressure will not change geometry, just ride height. However.. if he is below 24.5" he may need to correct for bump steer, agreed. I think he wussed out though.

[wgirardot]

Originally Posted by calling911

Yeah but would tire pressure bring this on? It is one of the reasons I asked for his ride height BUT lowering tire pressure will not change geometry, just ride height. However.. if he is below 24.5" he may need to correct for bump steer, agreed. I think he wussed out though.

I'll collect some data, and report back to the group. Might be a good week or so. I appreciate all the input on this.

thanks,

Bill

[porsche930dude]

Originally Posted by calling911

Yeah but would tire pressure bring this on? It is one of the reasons I asked for his ride height BUT lowering tire pressure will not change geometry, just ride height. However.. if he is below 24.5" he may need to correct for bump steer, agreed. I think he wussed out though.

Wouldnt change geometry but it would expose behaviors that may have been previously overlooked with the higher pressures. On the other hand. I drove around with 10 psi in one of my front tires a couple weeks ago for a week or two without really making much difference it just felt a bit mushy all around. I think its just a case of adjusting to a softer ride. I have a 1946 jeep with 35" tires. I can make it ride like a caddilac or a dump truck depending on tire pressure

[SteveinTO]

1) String the car on a level floor & check rear toe adjustment. Bet you're not symmetrical there, or something is bent/broken.
2) Clearly, removing the squirrels from steering rack will help. Duh! Handle them like mice.