Centering Steering Wheel ?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
Centering Steering Wheel ?
When I drive my car straight down the hiway, my center spoke on my steering wheel is at 5 o'clock position, instead of 6. I have centered my steering box, and have checked the alignment marks,and the hub mark is at 12 as is the mark on the horn bracket, but the mark on the end of the mast is one tooth off to the left of the hub mark...... like maybe 1/16" off. My question is, can I leave it like this, and make up the difference when I center the steering wheel with the tie rod adjustment...... or do I need to pull the column back and move the mast one tooth to the right. Also, if I have to pull the column, where should I make the adjustment, where the flat part of the mast goes into the rag joint.....or where the rag joint connects to the steering box input shaft? Or does it make a difference? The car drives fine now, with very little play in the steering wheel......thoughts?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
I thought about that Jeff, but I think I remember JohnZ saying that was a no-no. Maybe one tooth wouldn't be a bid deal. Have to go buy a wheel puller., the person I loaned mine to moved out of state, along with my puller. 
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
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From: Conroe Texas
Some auto stores, such as AutoZone, have a free loaner tool program. You leave a deposit, they give you the tool, when you return it you get your deposit back.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
Thanks for the replies. I was thinking that if I rotated the hub counterclockwise one tooth, so as to align with the mark on the shaft, my steering wheel would be even further away from being centered....... plus I would now have two items not aligned with the centered steering box. I think I will center the steering wheel adjusting the tie rods, and if it drives fine, with no excess play in the wheel..... I'll call it a done deal.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: New Jersey. The deer ate my Garden State.
I did this to mine about five years ago with no problems.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
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From: cooper city florida
My thinking on that is in post #6, plus no matter what I do, I don't think moving the shaft or hub one tooth, is going to be enough to move my center spoke from the 5 o'clock position, to the 6 o'clock position. In other words, I'm thinking that I will still have to make the final adjustment at the tie rods, to center the wheel. Of course, I've never done this before, so my thinking could be somewhat faulty.
Sorry, did you mean rotate the hub as many teeth that it takes to center the wheel, and forget about lining up the hub to the mast? If you move it too many teeth, aren't you risking turn signal cam problems?
Sorry, did you mean rotate the hub as many teeth that it takes to center the wheel, and forget about lining up the hub to the mast? If you move it too many teeth, aren't you risking turn signal cam problems?
Last edited by 65 vette dude; Apr 18, 2010 at 08:36 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
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From: Conroe Texas
If the hub is installed with the centering mark "straight up" then the cancelling pins will be in the correct spot.
If your front wheels are perfectly straight right now, but your steering wheel is not, then your steering wheel is currently not properly indexed with the signal switch. Pulling the wheel/hub and rotating it until it is straight, will restore the relationship between the switch and cancelling pins.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
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From: cooper city florida
The signal cam relationship is between the signal switch in the column (does not move) and the cancelling pins on the steering wheel hub (do move).
If the hub is installed with the centering mark "straight up" then the cancelling pins will be in the correct spot.
If your front wheels are perfectly straight right now, but your steering wheel is not, then your steering wheel is currently not properly indexed with the signal switch. Pulling the wheel/hub and rotating it until it is straight, will restore the relationship between the switch and cancelling pins.
If the hub is installed with the centering mark "straight up" then the cancelling pins will be in the correct spot.
If your front wheels are perfectly straight right now, but your steering wheel is not, then your steering wheel is currently not properly indexed with the signal switch. Pulling the wheel/hub and rotating it until it is straight, will restore the relationship between the switch and cancelling pins.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
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From: Conroe Texas
Remember the steering column shaft has no direct coorelation to the operation of the cancelling cam. The column shaft is keyed with a flat on one side that will ensure the upper rag joint clamp bolt can only go in when the column shaft is in approximately the right spot (but not exactly the right spot).
In the case of my 65, the index mark on the center of the steering column shaft is long gone, lost well before I took ownership of the car. I've never had an issue with my signal lever once I figured out the steering hub index mark had to be at the 12 o'clock position when the front wheels were straight.
Perhaps this document will help...
http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...Components.pdf
Jeff
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
[QUOTE=62Jeff;1573803033]No I'm talking about moving the hub until the steering wheel is straight, when the wheels are also straight.
Remember the steering column shaft has no direct coorelation to the operation of the cancelling cam. The column shaft is keyed with a flat on one side that will ensure the upper rag joint clamp bolt can only go in when the column shaft is in approximately the right spot (but not exactly the right spot).
In the case of my 65, the index mark on the center of the steering column shaft is long gone, lost well before I took ownership of the car. I've never had an issue with my signal lever once I figured out the steering hub index mark had to be at the 12 o'clock position when the front wheels were straight.
Perhaps this document will help...
http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...Components.pdf
Jeff[/QUOTE
Thanks Jeff, I'll borrow a wheel puller from AutoZone tomorrow, and give it a shot....stay tuned.
Remember the steering column shaft has no direct coorelation to the operation of the cancelling cam. The column shaft is keyed with a flat on one side that will ensure the upper rag joint clamp bolt can only go in when the column shaft is in approximately the right spot (but not exactly the right spot).
In the case of my 65, the index mark on the center of the steering column shaft is long gone, lost well before I took ownership of the car. I've never had an issue with my signal lever once I figured out the steering hub index mark had to be at the 12 o'clock position when the front wheels were straight.
Perhaps this document will help...
http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...Components.pdf
Jeff[/QUOTE
Thanks Jeff, I'll borrow a wheel puller from AutoZone tomorrow, and give it a shot....stay tuned.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
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From: Conroe Texas
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
OK..... the dirty deed is done, dirt cheap. Man that was too easy. The steering wheel is now perfectly centered while driving, there is no additional play in the steering wheel, and the turn signals work fine. Many thanks, to Jeff and Trophy Blue, for their help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,073
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From: Maine
Don't need a wheel puller
Jack
