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Had to remove steering wheel and hub to replace the upper column bearing. Before I got started, I made sure wheels were straight ahead. Double checked from underneath the pitman arm was straight up and down. Steering wheel was centered.
The car tracks straight, doesn't drift and steers correctly. The steering wheel spins back after completing a turn. No tire wear, alignment is good.
Did the bearing swap, all went well on reassembly. Torqued the steering shaft nut to spec, 30 ft lbs. But, the steering wheel is now cocked to the right. Also, I checked the turn signals and they cancel out, left or right.
Am I correct in my thinking I can simply adjust (rotate) each tie rod sleeve an equal # of turns, opposite directions to bring the steering wheel back to center?
Right now, with the steering wheel centered, the front wheels are turned slightly to the left. Conversely, with the wheels straight ahead, pitman arm straight up and down, the steering wheel is cocked to the right. I'm thinking, need your blessings on this, that rotating (keeping track of the # of revolutions) the driver's side tie rod sleeve so the tire moves in towards the center of the car and then rotating the passenger tie rod sleeve an equal # of opposite turns to bring the passenger tire out to the right towards the outside of the car. Doing this, again correctly, should keep my alignment, right?
Here are pics of the cocked steering wheel, pitman arm orientation and those sleeves on the tie rods
I kinda forget, but can't you just remove the horn cap, pull the 5 (or 6) screws holding the steering wheel onto the hub, and turn the wheel left one hole and re-insert the screws? It looks to me like its out by 1 screwhole clockwise.
If you didn't move the wheels/linkage during the bearing change, you should not be touching any of that now. Did you pull the column out of the rag joint in order to do the work on the bearing? Bill
Last edited by NightshiftHD; 02-27-2017 at 09:33 PM.
Yea, I would not change the tie rod settings as you'll wind up having to go to an alignment shop and trust someone there. You should be able to correct it from inside car at column. The main shaft and hub have little alignment notches that should both point at 12:00. Then the hub is of course splined to the shaft.
If your steering gear and linkage is still straight ahead you must be off at the hub, shaft, steering wheel. Probably have to take nut back off, pull hub off shaft and re-align it again.
I changed my rag joint couple months ago and had my entire shaft out of the car. Had to re-align everything without touching front wheels or rod ends. Came out OK but my steering wheel is slightly off to the left a hair with both notches lined up telling me that my tie-rod sleeves need adjusting. Not gonna do it as it is only off a hair. I could correct it by pulling hub back off and moving it 1 spline but not gonna do it.
Your wheel is off that much with the wheels straight ahead? Thats a bunch but you should be able to correct without moving tie-rod ends. If your steering wheel was straight before you must have a matchup issue in the upper column end. Hub to shaft.
I would take the steering wheel off and reinstall to a different hole. But you should turn the wheel full left and then full right counting your turns. The true center of the range of the steering box and the adjustment of your tie rods will never be perfect, but you can get it good with the tie rod adjustment.
"""""but after moving the steering wheel to different holes--- sitting parked is not a good way to judge that you are centered. YOu want to go drive it straight to see where your center is! How far from center what you think is good while driving it, compared to your rough judgment while parked"""".
""""Go drive it"""", after each change and then after your tackle the tie rod or tie rods (plural). But first double check your turns, for close to equal!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 02-27-2017 at 10:02 PM.
Jim, do as you see fit, but I would not move those tie-rod ends if the car drove straight and true before. You are off at the steering hub and main shaft right under the steering wheel.
I kinda forget, but can't you just remove the horn cap, pull the 5 (or 6) screws holding the steering wheel onto the hub, and turn the wheel left one hole and re-insert the screws? It looks to me like its out by 1 screwhole clockwise.
If you didn't move the wheels/linkage during the bearing change, you should not be touching any of that now. Did you pull the column out of the rag joint in order to do the work on the bearing? Bill
NightshiftHD, you & everyone else here were right about pulling out that hub & reclocking her. Haven't driven her yet but I'm worlds closer. Here's how she looks now:
I sure over thought this. Those splines on the hub are very fine. Patience clocking her paid off.
Had the drivers seat out & had the seat bottom panels replaced in black leather. Got 5 years out of replacement seat covers. (Corvette America). I guess driving her fracked those 2 seat bottom panels ('65). The upholsterer said those fracked panels were vinyl. Nothing money can't fix , right?
Oh, to follow up on the question of replacing just the upper bearing...no need to pull the column, just the hub. The steering was replaced years ago & the replacement shaft did not have an index.
Late to the party, but as an alignment tech I can tell you that if you changed the tie rod sleeve adjustment, you would have messed up the toe adjustment. The only time you want to play around with the tie rods is when the car is hooked up on an alignment rack and you can see where your settings are, period. Glad you kept it simple!
Late to the party, but as an alignment tech I can tell you that if you changed the tie rod sleeve adjustment, you would have messed up the toe adjustment. The only time you want to play around with the tie rods is when the car is hooked up on an alignment rack and you can see where your settings are, period. Glad you kept it simple!
I have detailed my rubber cleated bathroom shower rod home toe adjustment procedure in the past, but you would probably have a nervous breakdown watching me align a 185 mph capable car without a rack.
I have detailed my rubber cleated bathroom shower rod home toe adjustment procedure in the past, but you would probably have a nervous breakdown watching me align a 185 mph capable car without a rack.
HE might, but setting front toe on these cars is not difficult at all without a Hunter/Bear alignment rack.
The main thing is to be sure the tie-rod sleeve nuts are tightened securely after adjustment. Many years ago (1972) the alignment guy forgot to do this on my car. Later that day the front wheels decided to go in different directions. Not good. Shortly thereafter, I started to do my own front alignments.
Larry
Last edited by Powershift; 03-01-2017 at 07:48 PM.
Curious about how the witness marks lined up after repositioning the steering wheel - any problems with the self cancelling feature for the turn signals?
I have detailed my rubber cleated bathroom shower rod home toe adjustment procedure in the past, but you would probably have a nervous breakdown watching me align a 185 mph capable car without a rack.
Not at all, TC! I set the toe on my Model T with calibrated strings, and have used wee-gee board set-ups for down and dirty alignments on vehicles in the past. But, for the vast majority of owner/operators, the safest bet is the alignment rack. Didn't want the OP twisting his tie rod ends while looking at the steering wheel and thinking that if it was centered, all must be OK. There are many folks on this forum that can accomplish much with very little, and have been doing it forever. There are also those that are better off playing it a bit safer and going more traditional routes. You're one of the old racers that can pretty much do it by the seat of the pants. Most can't.
Had no index on the steering shaft but did, years ago, make sure the pitman arm and coupler in the engine compartment were correctly installed. Then, verified with an alignment (professional 4 wheel alignment).
02-27-2017, 08:54 PM
Centering Steering Wheel
Shortly thereafter, I started to do my own front alignments.