Steering too light?

[chris belyea]

Hello all,

I am new to the 911 world and I have a question regarding how the steering should feel. I purchased a ’70 911E recently and the steering just feels too light to me. There really is very little resistance and I higher speeds (50 mph and above) the steering wheel moves side to side a little. It doesn’t move violently like the wheels are out of balance, it feels like the car want to wander but doesn’t. It feels like the road could be causing this feeling but it’s on any road I travel. I constantly feel that I need to correct the steering but it seems to run in a straight line. I probably need to take it in and have the alignment and balancing checked. Is what I’m describing sound normal?

Regards

Chris

[schumicat]

sounds like an alignment issue...too much toe out.

[Jdub]

+1 on alignment. Be sure to scope out your balljoints, shocks, etc. on the front end as well - if the PO has not already replaced the bushings, etc. you might consider that prior to an alignment. A 911 feels differently with the 20+gallons in the tank as well, but that breadth of feel (Full > Empty) should never make you feel like your car is wandering.

[Craig_D]

It's the Caster angle. It's too steep. When Caster is too "raked", then steering is very heavy. Too steep and it feels very light (like it wants to shake its head or do a tank slapper).

[tobluforu]

Could be numerous things, alignment, ride height, balence, bushings, etc.. Easy things first, like alignment. But if you want to drop it some, now is the time. Does it have a tail, and no front dam?

[chris belyea]

The ride height appears, visually, to be right. It doesn't have a tail but it does have an early 911 "S" front bumper.

Chris

[vintagecarlover]

see, thats ur first problem. get rid of that heavy steel factory 's' bumper. put it out on the curb and watch it till i get there. wait, where do u live?? ( kiddin ). youll get plenty of good advise here and bad jokes from me.

[fbarrett]

Also check u-joints in steering column, inside smuggler's box.

[Marc Bixen]

All of the above are "valid" points, but start with BASICS, have you CHECKED YOUR TIRE PRESSURES? 911's don't like more than 29 lbs in the front, very early cars you can run as low as 26. If you're running anything over 29 it will feel like what your describing.

[chris belyea]

I have them at 32 psi. I'll adjust the pressure and see. It's still probably a good idea to have it aligned anyway.

Thanks for all the advice.

Chris

[RWebb]

32 is fine

but rears should then be at 34

[rnln]

More like toe problem to me. If I am correct, the more caster you have, the more straight it goes, and the harder to turn.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by chris belyea

Hello all,

I am new to the 911 world and I have a question regarding how the steering should feel. I purchased a ’70 911E recently and the steering just feels too light to me. There really is very little resistance and I higher speeds (50 mph and above) the steering wheel moves side to side a little. It doesn’t move violently like the wheels are out of balance, it feels like the car want to wander but doesn’t. It feels like the road could be causing this feeling but it’s on any road I travel. I constantly feel that I need to correct the steering but it seems to run in a straight line. I probably need to take it in and have the alignment and balancing checked. Is what I’m describing sound normal?

Regards

Chris

You may or may not have an issue, by all means check tire pressures and alignment and that all the suspension components are nominal, but in the end a 911 has always had a wheel which feels alive and writhes in you hands, that's part of the mystique. The smaller lighter front wheels used on the earlier cars enhance that feel.

here' s the suspension specs

[afterburn 549]

Maybe one more thing.....................
You know the Prior owner?
He may have it set up for his kind of driving......It may be well sorted.....it may be its just NOT what you are used to?

[chris belyea]

The previous owner basically flipped the car and the person before him monkeyed a lot of stuff up so I've been trying to correct what he's done. Unfortunately., I don't have a lot to compare it to. Afterburn 549 may be right that I may not be used to it but if feels different from any old car I've driven. I own a '59 Porsche 356 and the 911 steering is lighter than the 356 which seamed odd.

Chris

[afterburn 549]

At 60/40 weight ratio there is not a lot of weight on each front tire either