hello new member here

A

acarvic

New Member
i have purchased brians 1967 arden green rover 2000 auto lovely car but i am finding it very heavy to steer dont suppose there is anything i can do to make the steering lighter apart from that goes really well. andy from the north east
 
It's a bit subjective, if you're used to a modern with PAS it will be heavy, but start with the tyre pressures, then work through all the steering to see if it has a tight joint, and make sure the steering box and idler have enough oil. As a last resort you could change the steering box for the V8 type.
 
Tyre size will make a difference too. If you don't fancy the later steering box, you could always convert to PAS.
 
By modern standards it will be heavier, don't rush into changing it, give it a while and see if you get used to it. It will have benefits as well. Your arms will be like popeye's. :D
 
Silicone tyres make a marked difference to steering heaviness, MPG, adhesion etc see if you can find some to suit.

Graeme
 
And try and do all your steering with the car rolling, winding it from lock to lock at a standstill will make it heavy, particularly if you've got your foot on the brake as well.
 
I found my Rover a little heavy to steer, initially, but within a day or two, I got used to it, and I've never had any problems. It's rather nicely weighted when pressing on though!
 
i have always found the steering light,i just always pump the front tyres right up,but compared to a modern car they are heavy,hope you like it and keep it mint :D
 
I've never actually driven a 'modern' car (except to pass my test), so I don't really know any better! All I know is that a P6 is far easier and smoother to drive than a Morris MInor. To me, it might as well be a modern car, as I'm completely used to it.
Give it some time and you might find the same yourself.

The best bit is watching my dad drive it. He's been driving for 35 years and driven all sorts and everything, but has spent the last 5 years behind the wheel of an automatic power-assisted-everything BMW. He agrees that the P6 is far easier to drive than a Mk2 Jag, but insists that it is not straightforward if you've just stepped out of a modern car! .....He's getting better at it now!
 
Welcome to the forum Andy. Nice to see another North Eastern member on here. My last car was a mk3 Cortina with no power steering. Like Bri I used to keep the front tyres pumped up which helped. The car also had a tiny 'sports' steering wheel fitted which didn't help, and it was an absolute sod to park at times. BUT, I got used to it and even started to enjoy it :LOL:

Will.
 
Welcome Andy. I would agree with everyone else and suggest that you maybe try the P6 for a while to see if you get used to it and maybe also check for any obvious things that is making it tight. You could maybe jack the front of the car up and get an assistant to move the steering wheel while you check the steering link and ball joins, If you have a manual, you could also check the backlash on the steering box is set up correctly. Certainly, with the front wheels off the ground, the steering should be very light and smooth with no play or backlash.

I only notice my P6's steering being heavy at very low (parking) speeds. As soon as I am moving, it seems just fine. In fact, I prefer non-PAS cars as I reckon you get more feedback from the front wheels than you do with modern cars whose steering I consider to be over assisted and over damped.
 
JVY said:
I only notice my P6's steering being heavy at very low (parking) speeds. As soon as I am moving, it seems just fine. In fact, I prefer non-PAS cars as I reckon you get more feedback from the front wheels than you do with modern cars whose steering I consider to be over assisted and over damped.
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I agree. I imagine some modern PAS systems (BMW's and the like) will be very communicative, but I wouldn't want an older system- I'd be worried I wouldn't feel in control. I also like heavy clutch pedals and very light throttles- you feel in touch with the actual mechanics behind the driver controls.
 
h and Welcome.

You've got a startlingly good car there! As to the steering, start out by seeing if you can live with it being hevy at parking speeds. The payback is precision and excellent feedback through the wheel when motoring. There are a few tricks to sort out heavy steering..

First off get the tracking optically checked and adjusted to spot on zero, don't accept a setting that is withinn Rover's stated tolerences - they work much better at exactly zero.

Next make sure you have good quality tyres - the best you can afford. It's worth going up a width to 175/75 X 14 too. Starngely this seems to lighten the steering.

Obviously go through all the ball joints etc to check for tired or stiff ones. See if there is any play in the quadrant on the bottom of the steering idler - if there is, then it has probably already lost its oil and will be stiff from this. Solution is a service exchange replacement. The steering box should have almost no play in it at the wheel. If you can swing the steering wheel from side to side without affecting direction then the box is in need of overhaul and adjustment. You should be able to manage that yourself, if not I can direct you to people that can! Obviously it also needs to be topped up with the correct oil.

Don't fit the later 2200 steering box, its much heavier than the one you have currently. It is possible to convert to 3500 power steering though. The steering box is available new and there is a conversion using an SD1 type pump. Give me a pm if you really find you can't live with the manual steering.

Summary - in good condition the P6 steering is the equal of modern rack and pinion set ups - you just have to accept that it won't be possible to swing the steering easily from lock to lock with the car stationary. If you still can't get on with the parking scenario, then convert to power steering, but the responsiveness when motoring is not up to the manual set up.

Chris
 
well what can i say finding the car heavy to drive it's not a problem to other members of my family however as i suffer from osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) it has me a little worried . i have now decided to SELL, i have re advertised the car to try and get a v8 with power steering in exchange or my purchase price back in the short time of owning the car i have fitted electronic ignition amd cured a slight oil leak. Andy
 
Well at that price I can understand your reticence. That seems an awful lot of money for a P6B pas box, a couple of hoses, and an SD1 PAS pump. The only specialist part I can think of offhand is the fabrication of a drive pulley, and you could lose that altogether, and remove the power drain it would cause, by using a modern electric PAS pump as fitted on all sorts of late cars.
 
I recently helped a mate who was converting an old sunbeam to pas, using an electric pas pump, worked well, although the pump was noisey when the engine wasn't running, soon drowned out once engine was running. Not a bad idea to use an electric pump though, saves a lot of messing about with pulleys and mounts etc.

I have also considered the possibility of using a modern electric column from say a Corsa, these give the advantage of being able to adjust the level of assistance.
 
There's lots of folk doing the Corsa conversions now. That's what the rally boys all use on MK 2 Escorts etc
It's invisible under the dash (must be easy with the P6 glove box) so wont spoil the interior to the eye.

Massive in the classic Ford scene. I have some links at work :wink:

IMO the V8 PAS is heavy compared to most moderns, even with the non PAS wheel fitted :)
 
The only problem I considered was that I'm not sure there is enough room between the wheel and the steering box in the P6. All the Escorts etc use a conventional rack somewhere low down, usually in front of the engine, so there's a lovely long column to build into.

I might have to buy one and offer it up, my coupe project is stripped out at the moment so quite easy to get at, just have to move all the junk I'm storing in it :LOL:
 
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