<VV> Steering Box Movement

[ricebugg at comcast.net]

All:  While I have long deleted the original posting, we need to consider the circumstances of the question.  Owner thought something was amiss.  With someone in the drivers seat, he poked his head under the car and saw the steering box move.  Didn't have to put a dial indicator on it.  Saw it move.

 

Under no circumstances should the steering box move.  Ever.  For any reason.

 

We know steering effort given any combination of tires, rims and PSI is highest sitting still.  It's the old "The steering get easier the faster I go" syndrome.  Rolling tires turn easier than static ones.     

 

I cannot imagine anybody with enough upper body strength being able to torque the steering wheel against and combination of tire/rim/PSI who would not move the tire/rim/PSI combination before seeing the steering box moves.  Insert exclaimation points here.  Get the picture?!  Bolt the car to a wall and turn the steering wheel until exhaustion sets in, the steering box should not move.  If it does....

 

Just because we have never heard of this happening before, does not mean:




A. It isn't happening on cars whose drivers are to numb to notice or;

B. that serious internal chassis rot in the steering box area won't begin, or hasn't begun to happen, on cars that are near 45 to 55 years old.  (You know you're getting old when it is easier to subtract from your current age how old you were when something happened to determine how old something is rather than to use fingers and toes to add it up.) 

 

Some of you experts - be you real or imagined - need to stick you head under a bunch of cars and see what, if anything, is going on.  Probably need to figure out a sure and certain test method.  This may be a a one time only thing unique to a car, or the first example of a serious long term problem for Corvairs.  Steering box failure at the point of mounting to the chassis would seriously make our cars unsafe at any speed.
 
This topic kept me awake this morning.  It is now 6:15AM CST.  I'm suppose to be asleep. But....
 
Might as well get going now, probably need to get going now.  We have a out of state funeral it go to tomorrow.  Gotta go dig my driveway out from the overnight snow fall and get packed etc.  

 
Historically Yours,
                        James Rice