Steering Feel

[exint2]

Hi All

 

Apologies for the rather vague post, but how should a decent (bog standard) TR4A front end feel.

 

Not having driven, non assisted steering for 20 years and never wire wheels, I don't know if the feeling of vagueness or "Flex" is just how it should be.

 

How true is it around the straight ahead - how much self centring is normal?

 

Trying to assess if I need to look at it (bearings and everything else feels fine in a "wobble test") or whether a 50 year old car just "feels like that"

 

thanks

[RogerH]

Hi (have you a name),

welcome to the forum.

 

Firstly it will not feel like a modern - quite often better, but never the same.

 

The front end needs to have ALL the bearings and bushes in good condition.

The toe in and camber (front and rear) will have a great affect on the feel.

The type of bush used at the front will effect things. The standard rubber bush works well but not for long. The ;blue' SuperPro work very well forever.

The TRunion may need lubrication and or cleaning renewing. All these things are easyish if you are a masochist.

 

I have recently sorted the camber and toe on my 4A on front and back and it is good, fairly light and points the correct way.

 

Roger

 

PS - the top ball joint and TRack rod end also need to be doing their job properly.

Edited October 7, 2015 by RogerH

[John Bracher]

Just to add to Roger's (cracking, as ever) info,

make sure your steering rack mounts are done up correctly!

I once test drove one (being sold!) on which one was broken, and the other was loose!!

This gave a very 'interesting' feel to the steering.......

Luckiliy, I was wearing dark trousers at the time!

 

Also, don't forget you are in a car with (relatively) skinny tyres compared to a roadhugging 'modern'!

If you re-bush (SuperPro) get it properly 4 wheel geometry set-up ASAP afterwards.

Can make a big difference even if only 'small' adjustments are needed.

 

You could hopefully get a ride in another 'local' member's car if you ask around?

[riverstar]

When I first bought my 4A I found the steering ok but I had graduated from a 1934 Austin, however after a while I found the steering and road holding began to irritate me. The vehicle had been running on a set of old Michelin ZX tyres so the first thing I did was to buy a set of Vredestein Sprint Classic and was very happy with the results then a few years down the line decided to re bush the car with Super Pro .

 

There were times that I wished I hadn't started especially when I encountered repeated problems with both trailing arms but I am glad I did as the results far exceeded my expectations, my steering is tighter more responsive with improved Road holding and a smoother ride.

 

For me it was well worth the time, effort and expense

 

Chris

[TR 2100]

You could hopefully get a ride in another 'local' member's car if you ask around?

More likely, get a local member to have a short drive in your car.

 

AlanR

[Mark1965TR4aBRG]

Mine is solid and direct with just about zero slop anywhere.

 

As above - stiff and low springs, front anti roll bar, poly bushes, correct set up, good wheel bearings and spacer kit, ally steering rack mounts and new ball joints - Dunlop SP1's and minilites - mid 20's psi

 

I did once drive a bog standard car on wire wheels and was relieved to get it back in one piece..

 

You would not be disappointed to improve matters.

 

The revelation to me were the bearing spacers - no more pad knock back and much much more feel.

[MikeF]

_{Getting back to your original question - there should be no slop in the straight ahead position. By this I mean if you stand out side the car and wiggle the steering wheel you will see the road wheels move with your hand. This is not the same as driving the car though. now you have the suspension geometry rubber mounts, wear and all the things mentioned above. Depending on their age and condition your wires can also introduce "vagueness". The steering will be heavier than a modern at parking speeds but feel just right when above say 10mph.}

_{My car (plain 4) was quite horrible when I got it as rubbers and uprights were nackered, also rack, springs and shocks.}

_{As my car was a budget constrained rolling restoration, I changed things in a serial way.}

_{Replacing the uprights and getting a rebuilt rack, track rods made a big difference on lost motion. Changing the rubbers for poly and fixing wheel alignment made a huge improvement to steering accuracy and feel. And with new shockers the ride was better. Noise. body shake was hugely reduced.}

_{It was still a little vague though. Repalcing the wires for MInilites made a big difference in that area.(Probably rebuilt or replacement wires would have done the same, I just prefer Minilites, Fixing the rear springs, bushes and shocks reduced the amount of noise, body shake and improved ride comfort, but not steering. Be different on an A in this area as you will need to get the geometry right there too.}

_{Personally I find the car now drives well and has confident accurate road placement and stability, especially under braking. For comparison to moderns: not as well as my [bMW] mini cooper which is ace, but way better than our X-Trail (no surprise). and better than our (now gone) Golf cabriolet. Being a 4, it jumps about a bit on poor road surfaces, which his nearly all of Oxfordshire just now. Presumably you won't have that problem in your A.}

 

_{Hope this helps.}

 

_Mike