I have power steering on my 74 RR. The assist is too much, I feel totally disconnected from the road, no wheel feedback or resistance. As a cheap fix, could I underdrive or restrict pressure to increase the effort? Dont really want manual unit. Any opinions?

 

I know on my Barracuda that there was always alot of play in the steering not sure if that can be adjusted.

 

Have you checked the tension of the belt? maybe it's too tight?

 

Scotty, is the unit from another car ? I am thinking pulley sizing ? driven pulley may be smaller than original or driver bigger ?

 

Ah yes,

How we have gotten used to rack and pinion steering of newer cars.

When I drive one of my other cars with rack and pinion, coil over springs and all wheel drive, sometimes I want to fall asleep. It's too comfortable at times.
But, when I drive my 72 Plymouth Satellite, I have to really drive it.
Even with a new PST suspension, sway bars and new power steering box it's still a two hand on the wheel car.

How is the wheel end play when the car is not running?
If you put a restrictor inline, how will that effect the temp. of the fluid?

Good luck

Mopar_71

 

There is no play in the wheel or gearbox. Its so overpowered that there is no resistance in the wheel. Now this was cool when folks liked the land-yacht experience of driving on a cloud back in the day. Maybe I am spoiled by the steering of the newer cars. I just like a little feedback, or resistance in the steering. Re: fluid temp, I have no clue. I'll talk to the pipefitters at work and see if they have some sort of valve that I can try to vary the pressure with. What sort of pressures am I dealing with here?

 

Without any force on the steering wheel 350-1500 pounds of pressure is what you are looking at. Make sure if you do put a restrictor like a manual valve inline that it can handle those kinds of pressures.
If you do, make sure it's also on the supply or inlet to the pump.

Does the wheel turn the same while moving at idle speeds as to freeway?