When do you know its time?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 83
When to replace steering box and leaf springs...
I love my Autumn Bronze 66. Life got busy and I didn't even drive it last year. Took it out this year and it just glides! The range rover next to me on the interstate couldn't figure out how I was passing him at 75mph! That all being said, having not driven my Toro in nearly 2 years two things caught my attention. The butt seemed to be sitting lower than I remember and there seems to be a lot of play in the steering despite new rod ends. Maybe this all was preexisting but it got me wondering. When does one know its time to replace the steering box and when do you replace the rear leaf springs? I don't want to just do it and find out it doesn't help. Maybe that's how the car was in 1966. Even my 12yo son asked me why I had to move the steering wheel so much when driving in a straight line. I just aligned it too.
Any advice is appreciated.
Jeff
Any advice is appreciated.
Jeff
Last edited by TheBirds; Aug 23, 2018 at 11:53 AM.
Phantom Phixer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,530
From: Apopka, FL
I love my Autumn Bronze 66. Life got busy and I didn't even drive it last year. Took it out this year and it just glides! The range rover next to me on the interstate couldn't figure out how I was passing him at 75mph! That all being said, having not driven my Toro in nearly 2 years two things caught my attention. The butt seemed to be sitting lower than I remember and there seems to be a lot of play in the steering despite new rod ends. Maybe this all was preexisting but it got me wondering. When does one know its time to replace the steering box and when do you replace the rear leaf springs? I don't want to just do it and find out it doesn't help. Maybe that's how the car was in 1966. Even my 12yo son asked me why I had to move the steering wheel so much when driving in a straight line. I just aligned it too.
Any advice is appreciated.
Jeff
Any advice is appreciated.
Jeff
As long as the steering box isn't leaking oil , and it can be properly adjusted , there is no reason to replace it .
The suspension riding height is also specified , as well as how to check it , in the 1966 Oldsmobile shop manual .
If the ride height is OK , don't worry about the springs
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Aug 23, 2018 at 09:41 PM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 83
Thank you very much. I will attempt to adjust and measure. Sometimes it looks to be riding like expected then from certain angles the rear looks low. I will measure the ride height and hopefully keep the springs.
Sorry for the confusion about the title of my post. I didn't mean to mislead, just trying to be funny...
Sorry for the confusion about the title of my post. I didn't mean to mislead, just trying to be funny...
CH3NO2 LEARN IT BURN IT
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 5,638
From: Land of Taxes
I liken it to riding a comfortable couch down the road. Thats one of the things seared into my memory from circa 1968-1970 or so, the awesome ride. Other great memories are being in the car when mom would get rubber out of it on stop n turns. Dad revving the 425 while I crouched by the back bumper close enough so I could get stereo sound from the pipes. Waxing the bumpers at age 5 or so. The lack of a drive shaft tunnel, the cool speedo...and what was that little thingy in the middle of the dash under the little screen(the comfortron thermostat).
Cool car. I will have one again, bucket list style. Drive it!
Cool car. I will have one again, bucket list style. Drive it!
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