1971 Corvette Power Steering problem

I just added power steering to my 1971 Corvette and it's having trouble. When I start the vette the wheel turns all the way to the right sitting still, by itself. I double checked the hoses and they are all in the correct position. I can drive the car and the power steering works but the wheel wants to pull to the right on it's on. What is the problem?

rbjeffco38466.798900463

You need to adjust the control valve. You're lucky it hasn't broken your wrist!! If it's off far enough, and you stick your hand thru the steering wheel to start the car...... can you say ? On the end of the control valve, there is a cap, sorta like the dust cap on the front wheel bearings. Take this cap off, and you will see a large slotted adj. 'screw'. With the frt. wheels off the ground, start the car,(watch your hands!!), and then you can turn the adj. in or out, to 'center the wheel. As you turn it one way, the wheels will go left or right, the other way, well...you get the picture. You want to adj. it so the wheel stays in the center, by itself. It's pretty cool how it works, but it can get frustrating if there's a problem with the cont. valve that adjusting won't fix. Give this a try, and you should be heading down the road in no time. Please watch your hands and fingers, because the wheels AND steering linkage, including the cont. valve, will be moving back and forth as you do the adjusting. Just take your time and be careful.

Depending on where you got your control valuve, they should be centered. When you installed the PS valve, did you screw it on all the way and back it off just a tad? When you put the new pitman arm on was the stud centered in valve?

Thanks for the information.  Sounds like an easy fix.  My son can hold the wheel while I adjust the valve. He will want to test drive it anyway. 

VS - I did not back off the PS valve after I screwed it on... Everything went together ok with the other front end components. BTW... You did a great job on the rear end rebuild for me. It drives and looks great!  

http://www.VetteRegistry.net/member_pages/7301_7400/7355/DCP_0405.JPG

rbjeffco38469.7613310185

That solved the problem.  Works fine now! Thanks!!!

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