PV steering

[arcturus]

Put them up to 28 which equated to 35 when hot which it does here! Car felt skittish although turning improved. Have brought them down to 30 when hot. Will see how it goes.

[Pickled herring]

I run my '65 PV on 32 all round. Tyres are Continental Contact 165/80 x 15"

Suits my driving style fine.

Stuart

[arcturus]

having followed advice and increased tire pressure the steering still tightens up on S bends and sharp corners etc. Other than tire pressures what else should I be looking at. Problem is I don't have access to another PV to make comparisons. With wheels off the ground and on a stand there is no problem.

[Derek UK]

Your current tyres may not have modern build and construction so the way they distort and react to cornering is possibly not as good as you are used to. White wall tyres do tend to be more for show.
If you're running the same pressure all round I'm loathe to suggest that you try an extra couple of pounds in the front as having more psi in the front than the back is unusual. There maybe some vehicles that are very heavy at the front that needs this but they are unlikely to be everyday cars.
I would suggest that you get the toe in checked accurately. Don't know the PV figures off-hand but your car on those tyres may suit 0º or parallel rather than the toe in that it might have. If it turns out to have, say, 2º or more ask if they can tell you what it is and mark the position for that before adjusting to zero. That way you can adjust it back to somewhere in between if needed. When I first got my Estate it had been fitted with a new steering ball joint for the MOT. This had been fitted carefully by counting the number of turns etc but proved to handle terribly on roundabouts with extreme tuck in. My friendly local tyre shop couldn't get the mirrors on his basic optical gauges to bring anything into line so I had to take it to one who had a computer system. That one found that I had 10º of toe-in! Not surprising the handling was so bad. Now at -1.5º it is very neutral and will steer virtually hands free anywhere.

[arcturus]

Thanks Derek. I don't think that it's all down to the tires as I had the same problem before I fitted the whitewalls.
Here are the recommended numbers
Unloaded car but including fuel.
Toe in 0-1/8"
Camber -1/4*. - +1/2*
Castor -3/4* - +1/4*
King pin inclination 5*

Which if any of these numbers if out, would be a likely cause of my problem?
I will go back to the tire shop when I have the time and have them checked out.
The thing is that under normal road driving(not going around roundabouts etc) the car steers and drives very well, in fact better than my 144!

[Derek UK]

What you really need to find out are the settings on your car now. As you know, the adjustment of the camber and caster are a bit unusual on the PV so I would leave those until last if the car hasn't had new parts fitted for those joints. Comments re toe in in my previous posts. Camber, I'd not go to the + side of zero. A fraction of negative usually best. Someone who is rallying a PV would probably be the best person to suggest some numbers.
Suggest perhaps a mail to Rob and Emma for PV numbers for general use with some light road rally driving thrown in. Ask for adjustment tips.
volvo@amazoncars.co.uk

[arcturus]

Thanks again will sort it all out. having new tire fitted this week on refurbished rims at front. Will contact Rob as suggested and have tracking seen to.