Hey I just had a question for someone if they could answer...

My steering wheel seems to be "off" compared to my tires. My tires could be pointed straight but the steering wheel would be at an angle pointing at like 2 oclock. Is this an alignment issue that can be fixed with proper alignment job done at a shop? Or is this something I can fix at home?

Any suggestions/answers would be helpful. Thx

 

Not sure if my post was clear enough, so heres a pic to demonstrate...



As you can see the steering wheel is at an angle. But the front tires are actually pointing straight. Not sure why it does that and what can fix it (without taking it to a shop)

 

Sounds like the steering wheel is misaligned.I would park the car ensuring the wheels are pointed straight, then I would take the steering wheel off and realign it on the spline shaft of the steering column so that it is straight.

 

N/M Just saw the picture. Try taking off all of the hex bolts to the steering wheel and rotating the wheel clockwise Which would be 45 degrees

 

If I do that, the holes won't line up. When I went to install the wheel, I tried to get it to adjust but it wont. I don't know if I need to mess with the steering column or anything or just need to have a shop deal with it.

 

If thats so then the grant steeringwheel adapter that you put on before you could get the wheel on needs to be taken off and rotated and put back on. It really should be easy to align. It looks like you put it on, so this should be cake.

 

crud I should probably also mention the stock wheel was on that way as well. It didn't appear like that after I put on the grant.

 

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Yes, it's an alignment issue. You need the toe adjusted

 

Ah so if I go to a mechanics shop and get alignment done, wheel should end up being in line with steering wheel?

 

It is positively an alignment error. Do not try and unbolt the steering wheel to center it.
Why?
The tierods are favored to one side of the other and by simply re positioning the steering wheel does not correct the "centering" of the center link and thus the even lengths (or close to) of each tierod assembly for ..
1) lock to lock purposes that they have full travel
2) the travel arches are as long of radius possible reducing bumpsteer
3) adequate threads are recess on both sides evenly assuring proper depth of tierods into the sleeves

 

Ahh... well even if i took off the steering wheel, it was still lined up (the bolt holes) and werent moving anyways. Thanks for helpin with advice, I guess i'll take the sucker in for alignment. Hope it wont cost too much.

 

I'm far from being an expert, but this is what I believe the proper way to center a steering wheel.

At the steering box, verify that the flat on the sector shaft (? the shaft that the steering column is clamped to) is parallel with the steering box cover/box mating surface. This ensures that the pitman shaft travel is centered; has equal amount of travel turning left and turning right.

With the sector shaft in this position, The steering wheel should be "straight". If not, remove and reposition.

Now, check the toe in/out. Adjust the tie rod ends so that toe is in spec.

I know some shops just remove the steering wheel and repositon it so that it's straight.

 

RTFC is exactly right.

But I bet that may shops wont do the job right.

To square the steering turn the wheel until the distance from the center of the pitman arm measured to the of the outside grease fitting of the idler arm is the same distance as the center of the idler are to teh outside grease fitting of the pitmant arm.

Think about it. You now have a perfect X and the steering is centered. If the wheel has never been off, it should now be dead nuts strait.

All alignment should now be made from this position of the steering wheel regardless of where it is pointing. But most shops do not take the time to do this.

 

The wheel mount has a centered location marked on it which should be straight up and matched to the wheel when installed. Assuming that the steering shaft is not twisted this should line up the flat in the steering box input shaft to the top and have the box centered (there is a location in the box that will have the least preload and allow equal play in either direction and the location that the box will try to center to).

Assuming that someone didn’t screw up something in this assembly, the steering box should be at it’s correct center point with the wheel sitting straight, and considering the wheel has a larger radius then any other point that you can measure it is probably the most accurate means of finding the true center for the whole assembly.

If at that point the pitman/idler are not parallel/wheels centered… you’re chasing a problem someplace else.