Bizzaro Power Steering

[Desert Driver]

My '71 recently had the power steering system rebuilt. The power steering feel is opposite of every other car I've owned with P.S. At slow speeds it takes a lot of effort to turn the wheel. However at higher speeds the wheels turn with almost no effort at all. Under 55mph I can deal with it...but on a highway going 75mph it's scary. The restorer says this is normal. But Is it really normal, or was I given advice from a bizzaro world? 

[PackardV8]

Yes, even though DC comics did not introduce us to Bizarro until the 1960s, Studebaker Enginering actually was doing bizarro work in the early-1950s.  The Studebaker front suspension was designed in the pre-power-steering era.  To make it easier to parallel park, there is negative caster in the kingpins.  The result is more darty than today's high-positive-caster designs.

A front end technician, given the Shop Manual, and asked to put  get it back to zero or even some positive caster if the adjustment will allow, can help it some.  Getting toe-in correct for radials also can help.

But no, there shouldn't be any particular effort with the wheels at rest or at slow speeds.  Something's not right there.  Again, the Shop Manual PS valve adjustment instructions can help.

jack vines

[Avanti83]

Heed what Jack said. 

We are lucky in my small berg to have a 50ish owner of an alignment shop that prides himself on being able to correct about anything alignment related. He started working at the shop and they do trucks, cars, classic car, Studebakers, kingpins suspensions. He purchased the shop a number of years ago and has a great reputation and makes a good living at it.

Bottom line - Find a shop that does trucks as well as cars and take the manual in with you and ask if they have experience with kingpin setups.

My 83 has a completely rebuilt front suspension and wide radials on 8" wide rims. It will run down the road at freeway speeds and seems pretty stable. Find a good shop and let them solve your problem.

[Desert Driver]

Wait a minute...Sherwood Egbert's full page ad said the Avanti was America's most advanced automobile. (guess he thought no one would pick up on its Lark underpinnings)

Now my search begins for credible documentation on alignment specs for this '71. Because so much of my Avanti is Studebaker sourced, would the alignment specs on the '71 be that much different than the 63/64's that were assembled in South Bend? Any suggestions on where to source alignment specs? 

 

[Avanti83]

I'll defer to Jack's post. Use the manual and set the caster as he described. A good shop will understand what he said. That's what I did.

Edited August 23, 2018 by Avanti83