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TR2/3/3A Stiff TR3 Steering

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Ok, so I see that this thread is more than 10 years old, but it seems a good place to start. I took the maiden voyage in my newly restored '59 TR3a today! The steering is very, very stiff. I bought the car in pieces 5 years ago. THe only parts that were refurbished were the front suspension. Everything was painted and looked like it was ready to go. Upon putting it together, I realized that the upper arms were what looked like they came from a TR6, or possibly TR4. I tried to measure the angle of the vertical links and I was pretty sure they were from a TR4, so I assumed he was looking for a little negative camber? I hoped that he new what he was doing, as he gave me a bunch of TR3 control arms. A couple of years later, putting the suspension together I discovered that one of the vertical links was bent, as it was stiff with axial rotation. I found another vertical link which worked smoothly. It's been 5 years ago, but I think I remember checking to be sure it matched the other side. But now, I can't remember. Fast forward.... I lined it up best I could with string and a ruler. I have not taken it to a shop for alignment yet. THe car is a pleasure to drive at speed. It goes down the road straight with no shaking, no drifting. It self centers pretty well, but slow speed turning is very stiff, in either direction. I expected it to be stiff in a parking lot, but driving at 10 MPH around a curve is very difficult. I'm 6'2" and 260 lbs. I can barely make it around a curve. I jacked the car up, and with the wheels dangling, the steering is light. I can turn from lock to lock with one finger. I put jack stands under the spring pain so the suspension is loaded up, and the steering move pretty easily and very smooth from one side to the other. Wheels on the ground is obviously a different story all-together. THe tires have normal air pressure. All the parts are lubed. THe tie rods, silent blocs are new. The steering box looked OK when I cleaned it up. Nothing looked worn, and moved smoothly I checked the pre-load and it seemed fine. I am obviously missing something. I can't believe this is normal. There is no way my wife can drive this out of the driveway. I had a 72 GTO with manual steering which was easier to steer than this car. My 8N tractor is easier to steer. Where should I start?
Joe
 
I was going to ask how it was with weight off...and you answered it. If anything is bent it will normally be accompanied with very firm steering even with the wheels off the ground.

So, from what you have described, it sounds like you may have wheels with more offset than stock. What wheels are you using?
 
Are the silent-blocs in the center link the original factory (rubber) type or the upgraded low-friction ones? The reason that I ask is that on my TR3A, the previous owner assembled the low-friction (white delrin) swivel pins incorrectly, which cause the car to be very hard to steer.

Also, just as an aside, having the original rubber type silent-bloc pins in place should not cause hard steering.
 
My first guess with hard steering is the idle arm or perhaps too much tire on the road surface. However, it sounds like you have tried all the obvious stuff, so maybe it is the Derling deals if you have them. Maybe a second set of eyes at quality old school alignment shop might help.
 
Me too. Sometimes I am in one room watching the same TV program as my wife is watching in another room... loud enough I can hear both. But the length of the house makes the audio is out of sync. Anyway, like that.
 
When I replaced the silent blocks considerable fitting was necessary to make the bushings work freely .
A large casting rib had to be ground flat on the idler arm and the bushing length or washer thickness,I forget, had to be adjusted to move free when tightened.It definitely was not put in and tighten.
Tom
 
On the steering silent block conversion that was on my car, the white plastic bushings in the center link were just a little too long, and they stuck out below the bottom edge of the link. When the pin was tightened, the end of the bushings were tightened hard against the center link, causing a lot of friction. Originally I thought the friction was in the upper steering column felt bushing, but with the center steering link removed, a few minutes work with a file corrected the problem.
 
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