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I had the steering rack & pinion replaced over 2 months ago. Ever since the the first day from repair, I've kinda wondered if the steering wheel was "centered" properly. The steering wheel always appears to be cocked" more to the right slightly than in a centered position. My question is: how can I make sure the steering wheel is perfect "TDC" as it should be and not just my imagination? Thank you.
Last edited by Donne Trav; 04-13-2011 at 10:24 AM.
Reason: spacing
Find a nice, long stretch of highway and see if the wheel is straight when cruising. If you're going straight you'll be able to tell if there is a problem. If the wheel is off a bit, once you straighten it, the car should change as well.
Find a nice, long stretch of highway and see if the wheel is straight when cruising. If you're going straight you'll be able to tell if there is a problem. If the wheel is off a bit, once you straighten it, the car should change as well.
Try and find one that is flat side to side too.. If it slopes or has a crown, the wheel will have to be held to one side a tiny bit to correct for that.
Wheel centering is easy and is part of a front end alignment. If it proves to be off, take it back to the shop that installed the rack and aligned the steering in the first place.
Wheel centering is easy and is part of a front end alignment. If it proves to be off, take it back to the shop that installed the rack and aligned the steering in the first place.
Did you do it or a shop?
If it was a shop that did the rack, they should have done a 4 wheel alignment afterward as part of the procedure. And they should have ensured that the wheel was centered. Take it back and complain.
Try and find one that is flat side to side too.. If it slopes or has a crown, the wheel will have to be held to one side a tiny bit to correct for that.
Wheel centering is easy and is part of a front end alignment. If it proves to be off, take it back to the shop that installed the rack and aligned the steering in the first place.
Are you saying this is not done by removing steering wheel to rotate
it a "cog" or 2 on the gear shaft, but under the hood in the steering
assembly? Thank you for the reply.
Are you saying this is not done by removing steering wheel to rotate
it a "cog" or 2 on the gear shaft, but under the hood in the steering
assembly? Thank you for the reply.
If it's out by a lot, like a 1/4 turn then it should be pulled it will just need the left and right tie rod ends tweeked. If the wheel is out by say 1" to the right then a couple of threads (toe adjustment) in on one side and out on the other side and you'll be centered.
Turn it full lock each way. If at lock, it is the same angle to each side, then it is centered to the rack and just needs toe correction, if it is different at each stop, then it needs centering on the shaft itself.
Are you saying this is not done by removing steering wheel to rotate
it a "cog" or 2 on the gear shaft, but under the hood in the steering
assembly? Thank you for the reply.
The steering wheel will only go onto the shaft in one position...so no you cannot move it a cog or two.
Adjustment is through tweaking the outer tie rod ends.
Lift front of car so tires are off ground.
Turn wheel full left...use something to reference a point on the wheel...turn wheel full right and note position with respect to reference point.
Center is exactly in the middle.
Will probably take a few cycles to find the exact center. Use masking tape on the wheel and column to make an alignment mark....take back to shop or just have an alignment done and make sure they center the wheel.
Of what 'significance' is this post to a thread that's 10+ years old that had nothing to do with 'appearance', just 'centering'? A post in the wrong 'Generation Forum' for sure. What do I think of your new wheel? Your $$$ so .......................................
Of what 'significance' is this post to a thread that's 10+ years old that had nothing to do with 'appearance', just 'centering'? A post in the wrong 'Generation Forum' for sure. What do I think of your new wheel? Your $$$ so .......................................
He is so proud probably posted on all generation sections.
You guys know that this forum has the "related thread" feature at the bottom of the threads. Well, less of a feature and more of a bug: it makes it a lot easier to accidentally scroll to the bottom and post in some old thread that's only tangentially related.
04-13-2011, 10:22 AM
Steering Wheel Position??
