How do you align the steering wheel?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,178
Likes: 2
From: Windermere FL
How do you align the steering wheel?
Looked in the shop manual and from the top but couldn't find it. I had a wheel alignment done with the camberbrace and I'm noticing the wheel is 1/4" off. Do you do this from underneath?
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,178
Likes: 2
From: Windermere FL
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (65Z01)
Gotcha. I wanted to do it myself because the guy who did it first didn't torque down a rear wheel enough and it loosened up day 1. I brought it back and watched him torque each bolt properly. I want to do this myselfi if I can. Will it mess up the rest of the settings? If I can't I'll try to go by another time and get a different guy to fix it right.
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 10:58 PM 8/26/2002]
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 11:02 PM 8/26/2002]
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 10:58 PM 8/26/2002]
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 11:02 PM 8/26/2002]
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (92TripleBlack)
Get it back to the alignment shop. If you tinker with the tie rod adjustments whatsoever, you will change the alignment settings and thus the handling characteristics of the car.
65Z01 is correct, the shop was slightly sloppy in the first place, they should correct it.
65Z01 is correct, the shop was slightly sloppy in the first place, they should correct it.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
From: Micco FL
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (Frizlefrak)
In order to center the wheel unwind one tie-rod-end "X" turns and wind in the other the exact amount of turns (depending on the direction of rotation you need the wheel to go). This will change the steering wheel centering and NOT the alignment (as long as the alignment was correct to begin with and you remember the number of turns).
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 1
From: St Petersburg FL
St. Jude Donor '07,'13
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (92TripleBlack)
Definately a sloppy alignment job. I'm ASE certified in alignments and the first thing you do after calibrating the alignment machine heads and check the camber is center the steering wheel. :(
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 3
From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (PTz-92-LT1)
In order to center the wheel unwind one tie-rod-end "X" turns and wind in the other the exact amount of turns (depending on the direction of rotation you need the wheel to go). This will change the steering wheel centering and NOT the alignment (as long as the alignment was correct to begin with and you remember the number of turns).
However, since I do my own alignments, I had to recenter the wheel.
I suggest turning the tie rod 1/2 turn each side then drive. If you are off .25 inch on the steering wheel, you don't need to change it much.
To determine which direction you need turn the tie rod, drive the car on a flat road. Turn the steering wheel to the straight position. Say the car steers to the left. That means, the left front wheel is pointed out. So, you have to turn the tie rod to pull the wheel back toward the car's center line. The right front wheel's tie rod needs to move the wheel out away from the center line (toe out).
Turn the tie rods 1/4 turn at a time. I would do it 1/2 turn then drive it. When you get the steering wheel centered, the car will be easier to drive straight and you will be one with the car again.
[Modified by Mez, 9:38 PM 8/27/2002]
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,178
Likes: 2
From: Windermere FL
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (Mez)
I basically sat on the guy while he did it for the second time so I know it was done correctly. I would have done it myself but I don't have the equipment. He used a brace to lock the wheel inside the cockpit before doing the job and it must have been off. I'm just going to do this myself. The alignment feels right and was done correctly and it would be much easier for me to do it than go back and fight with them again.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (92TripleBlack)
I do my own alignments an am ASE certified at it too........I also teach it...... and I would fool with my toe or anything else that has to do with alignment unless it was hooked up to an alignment machine........Corvette tires cost too much to play around with this.
The toe is what's off........actually the toe could be right but the "clear vision" is off.......or the centerpoint is off......it's all the same thing just different terms. it is adjusted by redoing the toe. ths won't affect the other alignment settings but the other settings WILL affect toe.
Get a printout anytime you get an alignment also and don't settle for "within specs" if they adjust it you want it "right on the money"..... within spec is only for checking .
Just my two cents :seeya
The toe is what's off........actually the toe could be right but the "clear vision" is off.......or the centerpoint is off......it's all the same thing just different terms. it is adjusted by redoing the toe. ths won't affect the other alignment settings but the other settings WILL affect toe.
Get a printout anytime you get an alignment also and don't settle for "within specs" if they adjust it you want it "right on the money"..... within spec is only for checking .
Just my two cents :seeya
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: corvallis or
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (vettmech)
I completly second that. I own/operate a shop for a living I do not suggest trying to straighten things out yourself. Go back and have it recentered. If something isnt done right with my work I wonat to know about it regardless of who in my hsop performed the work.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (92TripleBlack)
On my '87 the steering wheel is not indexed. When I changed to the new wheel (didn't touch the alignment whatsoever) I got the new wheel on a little off. I need to pull it and turn it about 2 notches and then reset it. Don't know if '92 has a notch on the wheel adjustment. If not, it might be easier to just recenter the wheel instead of monkeying with the alignment. ~Juliet
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (Juliet)
Juliet. that's not the way to do that........sorry ...........if the wheel got crooked by removing the wheel........then I'd say yes remove it and straighten it.........but if it's off because of an alignment then you really need to fix the alignment situation. some steering racks have variable pitch gears in them (not sure about our Vettes though) and it's bad to run them not centered. a lot of weird things can happen one is that it can turn sharper one way than the other .......... :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (vettmech)
........but if it's off because of an alignment then you really need to fix the alignment situation. some steering racks have variable pitch gears in them (not sure about our Vettes though) and it's bad to run them not centered.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (Juliet)
HAHA, Juliet, a stock C3 does not have a rack...it's recirc ball....
you misspoke that one for sure...I know you had to know that....
say hello to Tony and Andy and team for me...
GENE SLATER :D :D
you misspoke that one for sure...I know you had to know that....
say hello to Tony and Andy and team for me...
GENE SLATER :D :D
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (mrvette)
Yeah, you're right. It's not a rack. Poor choice of words. Are they called boxes then? What is the proper term? Point I was trying to make is that the C3 steering units ;) still are supposed to have a center where the resistance / effort changes. Here's the thread with that discussion about that bad batch of reman'd steering whatevers which didn't come with a center! http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=213340
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (Juliet)
Well Juliet , yeah the were called boxes or gears and a few other things. I didn't say it because I knew you knew what I meant and I knew what you meant..........and I already gave you a hard time by correcting you, sorry :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: How do you align the steering wheel? (vettmech)
...because I knew you knew what I meant and I knew what you meant..........
