Steering wheel 2 deg off

geoz · 04-26-2009, 02:38 AM

hi there,

well, it is not a huge problem, the car tracks well, there is no strange behavior from the front end, it's more a cosmetic issue & bugs me that the steering wheel is not straight. i have not yet had a closer look at it, just tried to search on the site, but i was wondering if anyone had a suggestion how to fix this.

i don't think it is a question of changing splines, can't imagine there are so many of them. i would also like to steer clear of re-aligning the steering. question: is there a little bit of room to move the steering gear left & right? just a millimeter or so could fix this. i thought of fixing the wheels & then try to move the box until the steering wheel is level.

am i on the wrong track?

cheers

georgie

Turboo934 · 04-26-2009, 03:28 AM

One nut on the steering wheel, 27mm, remove wheel & straighten.

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

Not necessarily... Adjusting the steering wheel only works if another spline happens to line up. If you want it perfect, you use the tie-rod adjustments - shorten one side, and lengthen the other. This way the steering stays perfect, and the wheel is perfectly 12 o'clock.

carnutzzz · 04-26-2009, 04:15 AM

It's so easy to remove the wheel and move it one tooth over I would probably start there. Don't forget to mark it before removal.

rgrimm · rgrimm's Garage

I'm guessing that one tooth is going to be more than a 2 degree change, but that's the easiest, so I'd start there. But it's probably going to come down to the tie rods.

JB36 · 04-27-2009, 02:25 PM

For some reason my local independent doesn't see straight. After some some alignment work, I was told the wheel needed to be starightened. Needless to say, it wasn't straight. This isn't the first time and I was so aggravated that really didn't want to even complain. Today I tried to move the steering wheel and despite the small splines, the adjustment over corrected in the oppostite direction. I tried a couple of times, but the movement wasn't small enough.

dad911 · 04-27-2009, 02:32 PM

Shop should have done that as part of the alignment. The tie-rods need to be adjusted an equal amount.

boyt911sc · boyt911sc's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishcop

Not necessarily... Adjusting the steering wheel only works if another spline happens to line up. If you want it perfect, you use the tie-rod adjustments - shorten one side, and lengthen the other. This way the steering stays perfect, and the wheel is perfectly 12 o'clock.

Georgie,

For fine steering wheel alignment/adjustment, following above suggestion is the best way to get what you wanted. Place a masking tape on the 'rod' and make a marking. Take note of the number of turn/s made for adjustment and do the same number of turn/s on the other side (opposite direction). Check and inspect.

Tony

Talewinds · Talewinds's Garage

You have to use the tie rod adjustment. I have the same problem and just moving by one spline will put you even farther off than you are now, but in the other direction.

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

Do a quarter turn out on one end and in on the other end of the tie rods. I just did this and she is true.

It take about several adjustments to get it perfect.

I got a piece of cardboard to lie on and my two wrenches and turned the wheel to the side to get access to the tie rods. It was extremely easy.

Drove on the center of a 1 way Street, 3 tries later and BINGO. What I found was neat is that if I drive on the outer extreme crown of the road the wheel wants to be level.

Very cool.

LM3929 · 04-27-2009, 03:43 PM

Start at the beginning, make sure that the problem is or isn't with the steering wheel by turning the steering wheel from lock to lock and see where the steering wheel be centered , if the wheel is correctly aligned then adjust the tie rod ends.

Lorne M.

dw1 · 04-27-2009, 06:32 PM

A few weeks back, I replaced my wheel with an extended-hub one and mounted it 1 tooth off on the shaft spline.

The angle was 9 degrees. Makes sense, as there are 40 teeth on the spline.

2 degrees? I'm not sure I could detect that, except on a very straight, uncrowned road.

geoz · 04-27-2009, 06:50 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree that moving the steering wheel will most likely not solve the problem, there are just not enough splines on the shaft. I expected to change the setting on the rods, but was more concerned with how I can change the distance without upsetting the tracking of the wheels.
I'll most likely try Draco's suggestions, and then use a felt pen to mark the original position of the nut as a reference.

cheers

georgie

LM3929 · 04-27-2009, 07:29 PM

One more suggestion.

After making sure that the steering wheel is centered, lay on the ground/floor and eyeball the amount of rear tire that you can see using the front "bulge" to the rear bulge and compare how much tire you can see to the other side and then balance each side to each other using about 5/16" of rear tire as your setting point.

And if you are like me all I do to adjust the toe-in is loosen off each tie rod retaining bolt/nut and drive a short chisel in between the gap that usually opens the adjuster sleeve up enough to move it using the chisel as my adjuster.

Don't forget to move the car back and forth about two tire rotations to reset the tire stance.

Lorne M.