[tcruise]

I recently bought a 1968 Corvair 500 coupe. It has an aftermarket steering wheel that is about the same diameter as the factory wheel.

PROBLEM: This car is hard to steer/fights on turns. When coming out of the turn, it tries like hell to return to the center position.

It drives totally straight and smooth with no hands on the wheel. The steering and suspension parts look clean and lubed (have not tried lubing yet). Swaybar bushings recently replaced.

It currently has P185/80R13's mounted on all four wheels, front tire pressure is 25 lbs (a bit low). Am planning to replace these with a set of 15" mags and performance tires. The Goodyear TA 60-series fit on the back, but the front tires don't clear the wheel well -- will probably try 70 series on the front.

I'd appreciate any qualified advice on getting the steering problem solved before I start tearing into it.

Thanks!

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

Front end alignment is way off. Somebody probably guessed at the specs and used front engine alignment numbers. Won't work

[scholman]

Tcruise,

This is typical for manual steering from that era. Because there is more negative caster the wheels center themself. If you change the caster so it does not do this then the car will wonder all over the road.
Todays cars with power assist steering and small steering wheels have to have US bring them back to center after making a turn.
In the old days you could turn the car sharp and then coming out of the turn just let the wheel go and the car would go straight. Today if you make a turn and let the steering wheel go the car will keep turning and will go CRAZY if you do not hang on to the wheel. And front wheel drive cars are even worse. They have torque steer. So when you hit the gas pedal hard, the car will want to jump to the right if you do not have both hands on the steering wheel.

Scholman