Help needed to pull steering wheel
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,397
Likes: 35
Help needed to pull steering wheel
My steering wheel is off center and needs repositioning. Can anyone direct me to a site that gives a good step by step procedure including materials needed? Are there any pitfalls to watch out for? I am off center by about 15 dregees.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra CA
It's likely not the wheel that is off..
Could be alignment..
If alignment seems OK..
You can center the wheel by turning both tie-rod ends the same amount in the same direction..
That will re-center the wheel without changing your toe settings.
Could be alignment..
If alignment seems OK..
You can center the wheel by turning both tie-rod ends the same amount in the same direction..
That will re-center the wheel without changing your toe settings.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,340
Likes: 664
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
Note that the steering wheel needs to be centered to the "high point" in the steering box.
In other words, the steering gear box is designed with a high point where it is most accurate and tight. It will feel "looser" if it is not centered.
Bottom line is that you need to determine if the steering wheel is aligned with the high point, or not. If it isn't, then it can be shifted. If it is aligned, then the tie rods need to be adjusted instead of shifting the steering wheel position.
The service manual will supply the info, or take it to an alignment shop.
Plasticman
In other words, the steering gear box is designed with a high point where it is most accurate and tight. It will feel "looser" if it is not centered.
Bottom line is that you need to determine if the steering wheel is aligned with the high point, or not. If it isn't, then it can be shifted. If it is aligned, then the tie rods need to be adjusted instead of shifting the steering wheel position.
The service manual will supply the info, or take it to an alignment shop.
Plasticman
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Re-positioning the steering wheel on the shaft so it's centered/level going down the road is a "Bubba" fix; both the top end of the steering shaft and the steering wheel hub have index marks on them that are supposed to be aligned with each other and positioned at 12 o'clock so the worm shaft in the steering gear is centered on its high point with the steering wheel level. Corrections to the level position of the steering wheel going down the road are made with the tie rod sleeves when setting toe-in, not by re-positioning the steering wheel hub on the shaft. 
