Steering wheel alignment with shaft
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
Likes: 1
From: Lubbock TX
Steering wheel alignment with shaft
I am in the middle of a Borgeson swap in my 75 with power steering.
I have been following a thread here on the install. Everything was going fairly well (except trying to pull the pitman arm without a vice!) until I got ready to align the wheel with the Borgeson unit.
My steering wheel has always been off. The turn signal cancel works well one way, but the other one was a little off.
I figured I would just wait until this swap to deal with it...and I'm at that point and it seems I have a problem.
I put the flat portion of the input shaft at 12 o'clock. I read that the chisel mark should match that...but if I am looking at the correct mark (on the end of the shaft?), it is off. Looks like 1 o'clock position...and the steering wheel is in the 10-11 o'clock position.
I am just not sure where to start. I am assuming I will need a steering wheel puller? Specific type?
Then where do I go from there?
Thanks for the help! Also, do most people use the 3 new bolts that come with the borgeson kit, or do you reuse the carriage type bolt? Seems odd to not at least use a washer on the outside of the frame.
I have been following a thread here on the install. Everything was going fairly well (except trying to pull the pitman arm without a vice!) until I got ready to align the wheel with the Borgeson unit.
My steering wheel has always been off. The turn signal cancel works well one way, but the other one was a little off.
I figured I would just wait until this swap to deal with it...and I'm at that point and it seems I have a problem.
I put the flat portion of the input shaft at 12 o'clock. I read that the chisel mark should match that...but if I am looking at the correct mark (on the end of the shaft?), it is off. Looks like 1 o'clock position...and the steering wheel is in the 10-11 o'clock position.
I am just not sure where to start. I am assuming I will need a steering wheel puller? Specific type?
Then where do I go from there?
Thanks for the help! Also, do most people use the 3 new bolts that come with the borgeson kit, or do you reuse the carriage type bolt? Seems odd to not at least use a washer on the outside of the frame.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
You need to remove the NUT so you can see the notch in the hub so you can align it with the notch at the end of the column shaft
I CAN tell you RIGHT NOW that your hub IS NOT clocked to the shaft correctly. IT IS EASY TO SEE>>>> even with the nut installed.
KNOWING that you hub is MACHINED to allow the steering wheel to go on only ONE WAY...RIGHT??? And the BOTTOM SPOKE of your steering wheel fits in this NOTCH that is machined in the HUB.
AND KNOWING that the NOTCH in the end of the steering column shaft is pointing towards roughly 1 'o'clock...AND the center screw in the NOTCH for your BOTTOM SPOKE of your steering wheel is pointing towards 5 o'clock....you can see that the hub is NOT CORRECT.
To get you steering column and turn signals correctly clocked. You want the NOTCH in the steering column shaft to point to 12 o'clock....AND the center bolt of the bottom spoke to point to 6'o' clock.
YES.,.you would want to use a steering wheel hub puller.
DUB
I CAN tell you RIGHT NOW that your hub IS NOT clocked to the shaft correctly. IT IS EASY TO SEE>>>> even with the nut installed.
KNOWING that you hub is MACHINED to allow the steering wheel to go on only ONE WAY...RIGHT??? And the BOTTOM SPOKE of your steering wheel fits in this NOTCH that is machined in the HUB.
AND KNOWING that the NOTCH in the end of the steering column shaft is pointing towards roughly 1 'o'clock...AND the center screw in the NOTCH for your BOTTOM SPOKE of your steering wheel is pointing towards 5 o'clock....you can see that the hub is NOT CORRECT.
To get you steering column and turn signals correctly clocked. You want the NOTCH in the steering column shaft to point to 12 o'clock....AND the center bolt of the bottom spoke to point to 6'o' clock.
YES.,.you would want to use a steering wheel hub puller.
DUB
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
Likes: 1
From: Lubbock TX
Thanks!
I didn't realize there would be a chisel mark on the hub itself. It sure seemed a lot more complicated than it was when I first started...turns out this was the easiest part of this whole swap.
I still don't understand how someone can remove the steering wheel and then fail to line it back up. I also can't believe I drove around with a crooked steering wheel for 10 years when it only took 10 minutes to fix!
I didn't realize there would be a chisel mark on the hub itself. It sure seemed a lot more complicated than it was when I first started...turns out this was the easiest part of this whole swap.
I still don't understand how someone can remove the steering wheel and then fail to line it back up. I also can't believe I drove around with a crooked steering wheel for 10 years when it only took 10 minutes to fix!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
I ASSUME you got yours corrected through my explanation????
DUB
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
Likes: 1
From: Lubbock TX
Dub- yes I did get it aligned. Thanks for the help. I should have taken pictures for others, but I forgot. Did have a little trouble getting the star bolt back in due to the puller hitting the threads. Tapped it and all was fine.
I now have a new issue. Steering wheel is perfect at 12 o'clock along with the flat on the shaft. I checked and double checked "center" on the borgeson unit a few times. All seemed good...the pitman arm lined up straight and the wheels match.
However, when I went to bleed the system, I am only getting 1.1 turns to the left and 1.3 turns to the right.
Where did I go wrong? If I move the rag joint, then center will cause the wheels to point to the right or left.
Where do I start? Rag joint? Then align wheels with tie rods?
When centering the borgeson unit, seems like I read 1.5 turns is what it should be. But it looks like there is a little more to go for center. More like 1.6 turns. Is that correct?
I now have a new issue. Steering wheel is perfect at 12 o'clock along with the flat on the shaft. I checked and double checked "center" on the borgeson unit a few times. All seemed good...the pitman arm lined up straight and the wheels match.
However, when I went to bleed the system, I am only getting 1.1 turns to the left and 1.3 turns to the right.
Where did I go wrong? If I move the rag joint, then center will cause the wheels to point to the right or left.
Where do I start? Rag joint? Then align wheels with tie rods?
When centering the borgeson unit, seems like I read 1.5 turns is what it should be. But it looks like there is a little more to go for center. More like 1.6 turns. Is that correct?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
Post the link to the Borgeson kit you are installing. Need to see it.
I am curious why you are trying to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear box. IF you are ...there is a special tool for that.
DUB
I am curious why you are trying to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear box. IF you are ...there is a special tool for that.
DUB
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
Likes: 1
From: Lubbock TX
This is the kit. Part number 999032
Going on a 75 with factory power steering. I swapped the pitman arm over from my original steering box to the borgeson box. It only fits every 90*. So I know I'm not that far off. And I did use a pitman arm puller.
Thanks
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1655&cat=49&page=1 &featured=Y
This is the kit. Part number 999032
Going on a 75 with factory power steering. I swapped the pitman arm over from my original steering box to the borgeson box. It only fits every 90*. So I know I'm not that far off. And I did use a pitman arm puller.
Thanks
This is the kit. Part number 999032
Going on a 75 with factory power steering. I swapped the pitman arm over from my original steering box to the borgeson box. It only fits every 90*. So I know I'm not that far off. And I did use a pitman arm puller.
Thanks
One thing that I am fairly sure you can count on...and that is when the steering gear box is CENTERED...the TWO inner tie rod ends should be EQUALLY VISIBLE from under the car in relation to the lower control arms. So you can basically get to both grease fittings. THAT is what lets me know I have the FACTORY parts set up correctly.
Then I would get the steering column to join to the gear box so the steering wheel is STRAIGHT....then the tie rod sleeves can be adjusted for proper toe.
Sorry..I have several other states to move to before I get there....and few countries also.
DUB