Is there any way to increase how much effort is needed to turn the steering wheel? I am not talking about slop or play, the steering is "tight" in that regard as the box was replaced with a rebuild, all joints and linkages replaced, the dampner is new, the steering shaft is now a universal joint type. What I would like to do is add a few more pounds of resistance to the steering so it is not so easy to turn the wheel, just my personal preference, I like tighter steering. For what its worth, wheels and tires are stock size.
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Increasing steering "tension"
- Thread starter Rvitko
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Barrman
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What tire pressure are you running? Just a pound or two in either direction can really change the steering feel which is what it seems you are after.
Steering feel is controlled by the size of the t-bar/Torsion bar/ metering rod (three different names for the same part. It is a spring steel rod that is inside the splined input shaft. When you turn one way or the other it deflects and that controls the valve that ports oil to one side of the piston or the other. The smaller the rod the easier it deflects and the less steering feel you have. I think the ones in the CUCVs are about .175" in diameter.The t-bar end is that little section of 5/16"ish shaft that is at the end of the splined section of the input. It is held in the input with a small pin that you can see if you clean off the splines. It isn't something you can swap on your own because it has to be installed, held with a jig, and the box has to be put on a hydraulic test stand so that the pin can be centered clockwise to counterclockwise so that you have the same amount of assist turning both directions. Once they get it set right they drill it and pin it in place.
You have to swap it to increase the feel. There have to be some steering shops out there that will still do it. Don't quote me on this, but I think you could swap the entire input assembly from a firebird or Camero that has the larger .210" t-bar yourself. Not all Cameros have the fancy steering box, but I think the code on the end cap is XH or XSomerhing, also it will have the 12.7:1 quick ratio. I have found them in pick-n-pull 1980's V8 cameros and firebirds. The whole input is pretty easy to swap, you just loosten the lock ring. Use a spanner and remove the entire input shaft assembly with valve. Screw it into the other box, torque it to about 20 foot pounds, then back if off 1/2 inch (measured at the threads) Tighten the lock ring and you should be good to go. This is the "easy" way to do it since the t-bar is allready correctly matched to the input assembly you are swapping as an assembly.
Disclamer... I have never swapped a Camero input into a truck box, I have the parts and home and can see if it will work but it may be a week or so until I can. I have done the swap on car boxes a few times.
Any other way of increasing feel is a compromise.
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Jericho
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add a steering stabilizer if thats not enough, add two, it will add resisitance and dampen some of the road feedback as well as smooth some feedback from the tires.
rustystud
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Good job on the information Chaski ! Not many people know about the Torsion bar unless you have rebuilt a steering gear before. Your also correct in saying this is the only "true" way to adjust road feel.
This was a retraining in "if you want it done right do it yourself" when I got the truck the steering was so bad I had about 90 degrees of free play. I was busy and had plenty to do so I subbed out a new box to a precision tune. They installed a light duty version, makes sense as it was $250 installed. The right heavy duty version, just the box cost me $250. A new box and alignment and I am very pleased with the steering. I also changed the pitman arm.