Bad steering problem

[JohnsBird]

My friend John just purchased a 62 Hardtop with about 70k on it. I am joining the forum cuz my buddy John , The T-Bird owner, is afraid of Computers so I am doing the research. The car has been stored for the last 7 years in the dry heated basement of a retail store up here. This is a Calif. car with hardly any rust, a small hole in the trunk floor over the R rear spring shackle. and a little bubbling on the Q_panel on that same side, caused by a bad trunk weatherstrip leaking. Thats all the trust we could find and we looked hard. The interior is almost perfect, 2 small tears in the passenger seat back and cracked dash, needs a headliner. What would cause the steering wheel to spin quickly to the left, and lock that way, when the car is started. I know it is in the power steering system somewhere, and suspect the steering box needs replacing, but I am new to TBirds and don't want to muff it up. All we have done so far is disconnect the PS to get it home and clean it thoroughly. Except for the hole in the corner of the trunk it seem rust free. Any help is appreciated.

 

[2-77s 1-85 2-86 TCs]

That sounds wierd. I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but it seems like the pump, the lines to the rack, or the rack itself may be clogged somewhere, pushing fluid one way and not the other, causing it to spin one way. In otherwords, there's no fluid going the other way to compensate for the rest of the fluid, making it turn one way. That's what it sounds like to me, something of that nature. However, like I said, I'm no expert at this. Maybe someone else would have a better idea. What did you disconnect?

Rick

 

[tbird5866]

I believe you are right about a bad gearbox on the car. The system consists of the pump and the gearbox and the pump doesn't know which way you are turning the wheel. The gearbox can be rebuilt if you choose not to replace it. I've used Lares in MN. Phone no. 800-555-0896. Or you can buy a gearbox from Thunderbirds Southwest 800-722-8697.

 

[Joe Vandatta]

Take the gear out and exchange it for a rebuilt.
Joe

 

[JohnsBird]

Thanks for your help with my problem. The plan is to take it out and bring it to Lares, which is about an hour from my house. Thanks again, I'll be back , of that I am sure.
Joe