Steering will not return on my 1965 bug

[designruby]

My ex husband was working on the front end of my vw and did SOMETHING to it that when you drive it and turn left, the car stays going left, unlike most cars where the steering will correct it's self and go back to center. It is the same if I turn right. No return. I have have no idea what he did. I know it was under the car, not the steering column or steering wheel. I know he said something about "he should have taken it to a shop and had the machinist do it because he needed a special tool"... We are now estranged and I need to drive this because my prius is getting repo'd. Can any one guess what he did? What can I do to fix it? Local shops have told me they have "no idea" and would have to put up and on a rack and "diagnose" it, then change me again to fix it. I can do much of the work myself, I've pulled the motor many times, but the front end is a mystery to me. HELP!

[usbubba]

Sounds like he tightened up the steering gear box worm gear too much. The "special tool" is a big (15/16th inch - I think) bolt that can be used to tighten the gear box from below. Too tight WILL cause the steering to not return to center and will be very hard to turn. Fix is to loosen it up a little. Best to do this with the front end off the ground. Also the small screw on the top of the steering box can cause the same problem if too tight. Good luck.

[Blue Baron]

There's an access plate behind the spare tire that covers the steering box. Remove the plate (if it's still there) and you'll see a big nut with a screw in the middle. With the car jacked up and the front wheels pointing straight ahead, loosen the big nut and back off the screw until you can feel a slight bit of freeplay in the steering wheel. Tighten up the big nut and you should be set.

The perfect setting is when there's as little play in the wheel as possible with no binding.