[Staowners] actually driving a '54 Alpine - HELP!

[starcars8 at comcast.net]

Here's my two cents worth. It is fairly easy,with the help of a second person, to determine if there is any wear in the steering linkage. With the wheels on the ground have a helper "rock" the steering wheel from side to side to the extent of the freee play. While this is going on oberve the linkage,starting at the drag link [pitman arm U.S].If there is play in the steering box the arm will not move.Apply this at each connection on the linkage,working away from the steering box. Pay particular attention to the relay lever through the front cross member.  If any component is worn you will see the prior section of the linkage move without moving the next piece.e.g if the track rod end at the pitman arm is worn the arm will move but the connecting rod won't.Indicating wear in the track rod end. Hope that's clear enough to make sense of.The only adjustment that's possible is to the steering box via the lock nut and screw on the top cover. As a rule of thumb tighten the adjustintg screw
 until it bottoms out and back off a quarter turn.Then check to make sure that the steering doesn't bind on a full lock as most wear occurs in,or close to, the straight ahead position. If it does bind,back off the adjuster a little at a time until it's free. Another wear candidate is the fulcrum pins on the upper and lower control arms at the steering knuckle. This won't affect the free play at the wheel but may contribute to steering wander.  Caster angle will also affect the self centering and straight ahead capabilities. Good example of caster is to watch the wheels on a shopping cart and note how they always return to the wheel trailing behind the centre point of the pivot. Same principal applies to auto mobile steering geometry.                              Pete

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: scotty <taybrig at shaw.ca> 

HI all,
           My 53 alpine has the 'required' 3-4 inches of play in it and I drive it everywhere with cross-ply tyres on it, and I mean you really have to drive it all the way, I don't know how they did it back in the day but I wanted originality, I am getting used to it though...Kevin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mal Clark 
To: raymead at comcast.net ; Staowners at sunbeamtalbot.info 
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 5:58 AM
Subject: Re: [Staowners] actually driving a '54 Alpine - HELP!


Ray hi, all the Alpines I have had, and been associated with, do have a fair bit of play in the steering wheel,one early write up in a magazine quoted 4 to 6" free play in the wheel,one area to check, is the relay lever on the steering,thats the lever that goes through the chassis,front to back, the bushes in there wear, giving way to a bit of movement,in the steering set up, Good luck Mal Clark.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: raymead at comcast.net 
To: Staowners at sunbeamtalbot.info 
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 2:55 AM
Subject: [Staowners] actually driving a '54 Alpine - HELP!


Hello all,

My '54, which I just bought last November (you all might remember it -
the one with the Toyota 22R engine and 5 speed transmission) is finally
being driven with some regularity!!!!   

I had a local English mechanic go thru the suspension, shocks, brake
system, etc., etc (basically everything but the engine/trans) and all was
either in good shape, or repaired/replaced...........

Well, when I started driving it, it was wandering all over the road.

Took it to a guy who everyone swears is the best in the world (well,
in this area anyway) at front end work...........

He did an alignment - toe-in or whatever the heck he said was WAY OUT!

Now it tracks/drives as it should - BUT......................

There is play in the steering wheel.  Not terrible, but more than I would like.

As one of the most mechanically challenged people in the world, my first
thought was to contact Tony Bamfort, talk to him about it, probably order
all the bits and pieces that affect steering, and have my local English mechanic
replace everything.

Then I started thinking - for all of you out there who have been driving/
repairing/restoring these things for years, just how should it drive?????????

Is there "normally" play in the steering wheel?????   (I know it is hard
to define and describe, in writing, "play", but would appreciate any comments..........
(to include any comments re "upgrading" the steering if that is possible).

I really want to drive this car, so I'd like to make that as enjoyable as possible!

tks much,  ray mead (near Scranton, PA)
'54 Alpine
'64 Porsche 356C
'02 Thunderbird






_______________________________________________
Staowners mailing list
Staowners at sunbeamtalbot.info
http://sunbeamtalbot.info/mailman/listinfo/staowners_sunbeamtalbot.info




_______________________________________________
Staowners mailing list
Staowners at sunbeamtalbot.info
http://sunbeamtalbot.info/mailman/listinfo/staowners_sunbeamtalbot.info




Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.19/953 - Release Date: 8/14/07 5:19 PM
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://sunbeamtalbot.info/pipermail/staowners_sunbeamtalbot.info/attachments/20070822/3669f42f/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
An embedded message was scrubbed...
From: scotty <taybrig at shaw.ca>
Subject: Re: [Staowners] actually driving a '54 Alpine - HELP!
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:42:16 +0000
Size: 743
Url: http://sunbeamtalbot.info/pipermail/staowners_sunbeamtalbot.info/attachments/20070822/3669f42f/attachment.mht