Normally I'd never complain about super responsive steering but this car is just TOO twitchy!

83 Firebird base V6
88 Formula 16" with good 245/50 tires
Stock everything else in the suspension (for now!)

If I barely move the wheel the car darts in that direction. Really hard to drive in the twisties at any speed!

Also if I hit a bump it'll jump in that direction.

Doesn't feel like skipping or sliding around on the bump part.

Best I can compare to is my old go cart!

Where should I start?

 

Replace the steering box

 

What would have happened to it?

Think adjusting the nut a bit might help?

 

You can band-aid repair it all you want or replace the steering box. It sounds like the internal valving is allowing too much pressure across for the power assist. Any number of things could be wrong internally.

 

It almost sounds like you're dealing with a large dead zone in the center of your steering that you're having to constantly compensate for. Is it responsive near the center? Or just darty?

To be clear, Im not talking about the steering box, more about slop in the steering chain preloading to one side or the other, so that whenever you change direction or something all that slop bounces around through the whole steering chain.

 

I would be more apt to think the ball joints and tierods are severely worn and causing unwanted steering imputs.

 

sounds just like my truck when i changed all the tie rods and ball joints, before i had it realigned ... the toe was to far out and it acted just like what you are saying ... try putting a tape on the front inside of the front rims and get a measurement, and then do the back inside of the front rims, to make sure you have toe in, and not toe out (you may need to use a strait edge on the rims so you can measure low enough to clear everything )

 

Cool, I'll upgrade to an Iroc steering box (rebuild via Rockauto), check out my tie rods and ball joints (though they were fine a few weeks ago when I got a sticker), and have it aligned. Needed ideas as it's really hard to drive!

And yeah, it's TOO responsive. Barely touch the wheel and it darts in that direction!

 

Yes, check for toe out.

 

I don't think the box can fail to the result of having MORE response.
Its possible the overcenter adjustment is too tight, but I doubt that's what it is.
Sounds like it's not that the box is too responsive, but the car is responding too much to the road, forcing you to respond in turn. This would likely be caused by a bad alignment or loose steering or suspension components.
Don't forget to check the rear as well, if the track bar has play it can effect the steering.

 

I did just have the car on a lift and felt nothing loose anywhere except maybe old bushings. Those are on the list but I don't attribute them to this problem.

It'd be funny if it was only an alignment issue! Going to do some more suspension work first though.

 

Bad bushings could be the culprit, but if you force them around with a prybar you should be able to see the deflection. How about ball joints? May not be able to see it distort with just your hands. You can check by lifting one side up, then use a lever to push the wheel up while observing the ball joint.
While I don t think it applies here, Alky may be right about over boosting. It would be easy to check this out with a car on the lift. Get the front wheels off the ground and run the engine. See how much effort it takes to turn and then bring it back. If it feels like you can't control it well, then that may be the culprit. But I'll bet it feels just fine steering with the wheels off the ground, right?

 

also, wide tires on the front will do this when you are on a road with ruts in it. i have 55's on the front and when i get on a rutted road, my front end hunts for a happy place.

 

if your bump jumpin, you need shocks n struts.

easy job on a 3rd gen

 

You are right, but the jump from 245s to 255's is not going to be noticable. Wider tires will absolutely make any slop in the steering system super obvious and cause you to constantly have to correct, though. The tire are pulling against any deadspots through the chain and bouncing back and forth through those ranges as you try to correct. You can tell a difference when it pulls and you have to keep correcting, vs when it pulls and you can just hold the wheel in one spot to maintain a straight path.

After I rebuild my front steering system, steering box, and reset my toe a lot of this stuff went away completely.

 

Wait... you mean these cars can actually handle well? They aren't just 80's eyecandy?