Steering wheel won't return to center.

I just got the Satellite back from the front end shop after getting an alignment. I had set it up after rebuilding everything good enough to drive it there about 15 miles away.The steering wheel won't return by itself after a turn. Other than that the car handles as expected. I have read somewhere about the car not centering up due to improper alignment, but it handles well otherwise. The steering box is a rebuilt box I got from Summit with stock specs.The 68 box was on backorder everywhere due to lack of cores, so I got a 73 and up box and pitman arm. Measured it every way I could think of and didn't see any difference other than shaft diameter. The steering column was R&R and looks properly aligned.I looked in the factory service manual and don't see any of the listed possible causes present, Any ideas guys?

This is just me, but I'd bring it back to the front end shop and ask them. If you paid them to work on it, it should be right when you leave. Did they test drive it? How far in to the turn does it stay? does it come back some? If a car is in alignment, I would think that if you turned slightly while going down the road it should stay where you put it, to some degree. Does the car go straight when you take your hands off the wheel?

I agree...Bring it back.

Did you get a print out of the alignment specs? Is this a power steering car?
Sorry if I seem slow on the uptake.

If there's nothing wrong like something rubbing or binding, sounds to me like they didn't dial in enough caster. Do you have to 'drive' the car at say around 70. Other words, do you have to continually make adjustments in steering the car to maintain a straight course? Generally, without enough caster, the car will want to wander some at higher speeds....I like to dial in as much as I can get....

This is a common problem with an easy fix that you are not hearing here. Unfortunately I don't have the answer but certainly someone else does as this has been discussed many times on other web sites.

#1 is fubar in alignment.
#2 is steering box adjustment not done with the box on center.

With the age of your car the shock towers may be sagging a little. Its no big deal just part of aging like arthritis in people. Year One, Dant's and Mancine sell an over size camber, caster cam kit for A & B body cars. With what your saying the Tech got all the caster out of it he could. I'll bet the print out would show it barely in spec, but thats not enough you need middle to high side of caster spec. That's what flies you around corners and brings the steering back to center. Back in the day we had these kits on the shop shelf because damn near every small block A body was by the time it was three years old.

thanks for all the input guys,I went back through the suspension today to double check everything on the steering linkage/suspension install and all seems ok. I will be in touch with the front end shop Monday and find out more about the alignment. One thing I did notice was the adjustment cams are not close in setting from side to side. I checked my other car and looked at a few others at the cruise lot,and they all apearred to be very close from side to side. I replaced one UCA during rebuild as the ball joint end was split.This car has been around the block a few times and being a convert I was wondering if the variation side to side in normal?

Manual steering cars typically have different alignment specs than power steering cars. The difference on the manual cars is the caster is actually negative for easier turning at slow speeds. Also the aforementioned improper steering box adjustment is a possible culprit.

Update on centersteer issue.Took back to alignment shop and had them check out the alignment. Best he could set up was 1 degree positive caster. Car steers fine at speed but still wherever you turn the wheel to, that is where it stays. Spoke with a guy from Steer and Gear at Carlisle about the steering box and he told me to pull the column out and raise the front end off the ground and turn the coupler on the box. The steering box should want to return to center by itself. I tried this and no dice. I then disconnected the pitman arm from the cross link. The wheels will go side to side w/ minamal effort by hand, so I don't have any binding in the suspension or steering linkage. Tried turning the coupler again and still won't return . I can turn the box lock to lock, with or with out the car running, and don't feel any bind although it get tighter in the center of the run. I ordered another Cardone box and will swap that out to see if that is the issue. Anybody else know if the box should want to return by itself with no linkage connected? I bought an old 67 Cuda years ago that would turn all the way to the left while running if you didn't hold the wheel.When you started it up the wheels would automaticly turn all the way left. Only drove it home like that before I stripped it for a drag car and swapped in the manual box.Thanks for any input guys....

I can't honestly say if it would want to return without any linkage or not. (Never tried it). I know that the problem with your cuda years ago was the control valve adjust. Done that one quite a few times. Could just be your box is set too tight. Do you have a Factory Service Manual?

Oh and Moog offset UCA bushings would probably get you more caster.... 1+ is a bit thin for a power steering car.

If there's nothing wrong like something rubbing or binding, sounds to me like they didn't dial in enough caster. Do you have to 'drive' the car at say around 70. Other words, do you have to continually make adjustments in steering the car to maintain a straight course? Generally, without enough caster, the car will want to wander some at higher speeds....I like to dial in as much as I can get....

i agree with cranky. and BRING IT BACK!

i agree with cranky. and BRING IT BACK!

(Pssst, he did)

Oh and Moog offset UCA bushings would probably get you more caster.... 1+ is a bit thin for a power steering car.

Thanks for your reply. 1+ was all he could put into it and keep the camber in spec.The box I just pulled out is a new rebuilt Cardone unit. The adjustment is sealed for warranty. I have another coming tomorrow for warranty exchange. I will try it first and road test. I do have a FSM for the car.I sprung for the Firm Feel box in my 67 years ago and like it alot. Tried to save a few bucks on this one and wanted the wife to be able to drive it, so I went w/ the stock box. The guy at the front end shop suggested backing the adjustment on the box off 1/2 turn, but that would void the warranty as the unit has a wax seal. I'll post again tomorrow after I get it back together. The front end and brake swap worked out well, took it to Carlisle,300 mi round trip, and other then the wheel not coming back it drove great.

I don't remember the # off hand, but the Moog bushings can be installed to give you extra caster if you need it. I'll be interested to hear how the replacement box does.

Just installed the replacement box and...............still no worky. Going to drive it for a while and regroup. May try the offset bushings or look into the repo UCA that are supposed to have the geometry corrected to allow for more caster.BTW the steering box won't return with the front end up off the ground, tried this box too, must have just been some salesman BS.

Yeah, I'm not thinking the box would return with the wheels off of the ground. One degree positive caster aint a whole bunch, but you should get some sort of return out of it. Is it possible that the column itself might be on a bind? Check the shaft for excessive play. (It's just a thought). Heck, I've even see aftermarket steering wheel adapters muck up the whole deal.

I know with A body cars, not getting enough caster is common but the B's generally don't have that problem. Was the car ever wrecked on the front end or had bad rust issues up in the front?

The column doesn't appear to have any drag on it, at least when it is out of the car. The car doesn't have any rust or frame issues around the suspension mounts and doesn't appear to have been wrecked.When I put it back together this time I made sure the rag joint wasn't bottomed out in the coupler and greased the joint.The column was reinstalled along with the shim in the front column mount. I didn't drive the car much before I tore it down for the rebuild as the LCA bushings were pretty much MIA. I will drive it as is for now, it isn't that big of a deal, but will continue to try to flag down the issue. Thanks again guys for the input.

The column doesn't appear to have any drag on it, at least when it is out of the car. The car doesn't have any rust or frame issues around the suspension mounts and doesn't appear to have been wrecked.When I put it back together this time I made sure the rag joint wasn't bottomed out in the coupler and greased the joint.The column was reinstalled along with the shim in the front column mount. I didn't drive the car much before I tore it down for the rebuild as the LCA bushings were pretty much MIA. I will drive it as is for now, it isn't that big of a deal, but will continue to try to flag down the issue. Thanks again guys for the input.

Keep us updated on this one. I'm really sorry I didn't have the fix all answer.

There never is a "fix all" answer with these 40+ year old cars w/unknown histories. I do appreciate all the brainstorming and input from all the knowledgable people on this site.

Adjustable strut rods (like hotckis makes) will allow you to dial in more caster than factory.

Can you post the measurements the shop wound up with? From reading the posts, I gather that this is a power steering car. The control valve adjustment is for neutral cancellation of hydraulic assist. It has little - if any - influence on return to center. The function of return to center is mainly dependent upon the Caster adjustment, and only a factor when the vehicle is operated. Are the cams installed properly? Sometimes they will get forced in the wrong direction causing them to bind or come out of their mounting cavities. The cams should start life with the thicker portion of the washer facing down. They should never need to be rotated more than 90 degrees in or out from that position. If that is all good, then an offset UCA bushing or an adjustable strut rod is in order. If you have some pics to post so we can see the orientation of the cams, that would be helpful too....Good luck with it!

Loosen the retaining nut on the adjuster for the steering box and try backing the adjuster out a little.
I did not read all of the posts on this thread so I am not sure if this has been relayed by anyone else.
So much redundant information out there, but with my manual box on my car had been mal adjusted by the previous owner and with the adjuster in to far would not return to center as it should have.
If the box is in good shape and is properly adjusted it will return to center unless there is something terribly wrong with you front suspension.

You're not going to get much returnability with 1 degree positive or negative caster. If the tech is struggling with bringing camber into spec and not achieving caster something in the geometry is wrong. As Cranky mentioned, has the car been hit before? If it has been tagged in the front, that may have caused the upper ctrl arm mounting area to roll in which in return would reduce camber. The tech would have to use most of the adjustment in the adjustment cams just to regain camber, which in turn limits any ability to adjust caster. Is the car at the factory ride height? I am not 100% certain but you should have about 3 degrees caster and be within 1/2 a degree from side to side. I am going to my shop today to wheel align a Bimmer, I will see if I have spec's on your car... Whats the SAI/IA spec? Post some actual numbers from the alignment shop would help.
Also, measure the lower ball joint position. How? take a tape measure and from the front torque box jig hole measure from the edge of the hole (Lt/Rt) to the centre of the lwr BJ (be accurate and keep the tape straight). Compare the left and right measurements, they should be within 3mm or 1/8" of each other, this will affect caster.
-J