Q: My 356 wanders on the highway. It really is a chore to keep it in a straight line even though it has been fully restored and aligned. My mechanic says everything feels tight but I have to wonder why it feels so loose. – Guido
A: The most common problems that I have seen on these cars are incorrect tire pressure, worn king and link pins, and worn tie rod ends. Tire pressure is a common issue not only on 356’s but on all cars. Use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for pressure. Do NOT rely on the info that is printed on the tire since those values are for maximum load and have nothing to do with your car.
King and link pins can be checked with the weight off the car by grabbing the tire top and bottom and viewing the side to side play in those parts. Link pin wear can be adjusted and they often need to be adjusted. King pin wear can only be corrected by replacing the pins and bushings. Recently I discovered (by a vendor error) needle bearing link pin kits. If you need to replace the king and link pins, these “heavy duty” link pin kits are pretty slick.
Tie rods are a very common problem since checking them is traditionally been done by wiggling the wheels back and forth while the car is jacked up. While checking them this way may detect grossly worn tie rod ends, the method I use is to compress them between the top and the stud with a pair of large “Channel Lock” pliers. If you detect more than a sixteenth inch of wear, I would suggest that they be replaced. Some cars I have inspected have over an 1/8 to 1/4 inch of movement. When a tie rod end is worn, once the car is on it’s weight, the steering will feel loose even if it felt okay when it was jacked up. — MC