Alignment woes

[DWBOX2000]

I have been trying to get one of my cars aligned. It pulls to the right. The 1st alignment shop said it was the rear end that wouldn't align. I had that fixed at another shop (my mechanic). That shop said the front was screwed up and couldn't align. Brought to another shop (3rd) to look at the front (due to time) and they just dropped off at the local alignment (where car went 1st) shop to align. Get car back, shop said able to align. Car still pulls to right.

Now my question is, when I replaced the steering wheel, the wheel was a notch off center. Is that related? Do I need to straighten wheel 1st then align?

Thanks.

[KFC911]

An off center steering wheel would annoy me, but shouldn't have any effect on the car's actual alignment.... unless you're still holding it at 12 and actually steering the car to the right.

But yea ... fix the steering wheel .

[DWBOX2000]

Yes the wheel and the pull bother me. Thanks for your help. Fix steering wheel, back to shop.

Thanks all.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

edit- the car is a 94, so probably nevermind, although this does get me wondering about recent cars-

Historically, I'd agree with KC and say annoying, but irrelevant, but on a newer car, perhaps it does make a difference? If, say the wheel is off a notch, and the alignment shop straightens the wheel to level, then everything else in the front is going to have to be compensated. If there is some newfangled sensor hidden somewhere, or some fancy newfanged electric assist steering or something, I wouldn't be surprised if the steering shaft/steering rack itself had to be at TDC as well as the wheel to center steering angle sensor type inputs.

I dunno though, just thinking out loud, but I wouldn't be surprised if a new car needed both the wheel and the shaft in alignment for some overcomplexifying reason.

Easy enough to realign the wheel back to TDC before any more adjustments.

[1990C4S]

The rack should be centered with the steering wheel in the correct position, but that spec is related to turning radius in each direction, not alignment.

I used to build steering gear assembly lines...go lock-to-lock and count the revolutions accurately. Count rotations to the mid-point of the rack, the steering wheel should in set up there.

[Zeke]

If we knew where you lived we might know how the roads are crowned. All roads have a slope or a crown. In SoCal the freeways lean to the center and the roads are crowned. The only way to test a car is to find a level road with little crown and drive centered on the line in the middle. Let go of the wheel and take note. Now go back the other way, same stretch and take note.

If it pulls right in both directions one or the other of your front suspensions is adjusted to the limit and needs shims. You'll never know the truth unless you do this on 100 mile tires and somewhat corner balanced.

Otherwise any job or assessment is incomplete.

BTW, dogtracking and steering correction is not 'pulling'. If a car dogtracks and has a solid rear axle the frame is jacked.

[rfuerst911sc]

Please clarify: is the car pulling to the right while driving ? Or when braking ?

[DWBOX2000]

When driving. I'll try in large parking lot going both ways and see what happens. My other cars don't do this.

[rfuerst911sc]

Loose/worn wheel bearings ? Worn suspension bushings ?

[DWBOX2000]

Car had 95k but is a 1994. Back to shop.

Thanks everyone.

[T77911S]

on a lot of cars the caster is NOT adjustable.
if that is off it will pull.
if it is not adjustable the shops may not be checking it due to time.

you didn't say what kind of car it is and I am assuming its not a 911 since it is in off topic

[911 Rod]

Ya knowing what kind of car would be helpful.

[DWBOX2000]

Bite tongue.

It's a 94 Mercedes E 320 since it was asked.

I believe you guys answered my initial question. Thanks.

[bkreigsr]

Have you tried switching the four tires side-to-side?

[speeder]

Yep, make sure that it's not tires before going any further. A bad tire, (that looks perfect to the naked eye), can cause a car to pull or drift in one direction.

On that car, and all other Mercedes-Benz cars of the era, there is a plug on the bottom of the steering box which you can remove and find the center of the gear, where the car should be aligned. There is a special tool, really just a threaded plug, for holding it in that exact place while being worked on but you can also just observe the divot(?) in the shaft through that hole with a good flashlight and know when it is centered.

The steering gear box will not leak when you remove that plug if it is centered. Once you find that spot on the gear, make sure that your steering wheel is pointing dead straight or correct it at this time. This will of course not change your alignment settings but the car MUST be aligned with the wheel centered in this position. The steering gear box has a "self-centering" feature engineered into it as well as the turning circle in each direction will be effected if this is wrong. You cannot bypass this step, it is not optional on a MB car.

Start there and switch tires around if needed plus have a good shop take a second look at all suspension components. No one competent will align a car with worn parts...it just isn't possible. The gear being centered and the wheel being installed on the correct spline are crucial, for several reasons.

[DWBOX2000]

Thanks Speeder. I’ll try the tires first and get the steering wheel straight and go from there.
Thanks again.

[asphaltgambler]

So - a few things further to discuss: 1st if you drive the vehicle down a straight and fairly level road at 55 mph, take your hand(s) off the wheel, does it drift or more serious pull to the right?

-OR- are you trying to straighten the steering wheel while driving and then the vehicle goes right?

[911 Rod]

Lets not forget has taken it to 3 alignment shops.
Someone has to know what they are doing.

[T77911S]

perhaps a bad bushing.
did you tell the mech that it pulls to the right.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

Have you tried switching the four tires side-to-side?

+1

Several times I called the alignment shop afterwards saying the car "drifts" one way or the other or the steering wheel is off a little.

He says swap the front tires. I do and the tires are the problem.

However, my wrench knows that he aligned it. These guys are saying they can't.