Steering Wheel Off-center

[Orangetang]

Just wondering if I'm overlooking something here... After some wheeling the other day, my steering wheel is off center by about 10 degrees. I'm wondering if it just hopped a spine or if something else has happened. The vehicle drives perfectly straight on the highway, and doesn't pull to either side, the wheel is just not straight. Other than this, the dirvers CV axle is grinding on near-full lock left turns. I was expecting to be replacing the cv axle eventually as it sometimes would grind while backing out of a parking stall, though not nearly like it does now.

 

I was planning on pulling the steering wheel off and re centering it, but it looks like a big job. Any other ways to do this? Is the cv axle cooincidental?

[Simon]

Sounds like when Pezzy bent her subframe. Have a look at yours and see if it's bent.

[denisb]

Sometimes when they do alignments, you're steering wheel will not end up center and they have to recenter it. Maybe if you got an alignment done lately they forgot to check.

 

Simon, you said Pezzy had a sub-frame issue and had that issue....Did the Pathy not pull? I'm kinda surprised that a bent frame part would not have affected how straight the truck would have drove.

 

Usually missalignments, bent suspension or steering parts are the cause for a steering wheel going off center....however it usually comes with some sort of steering deterioration.

 

Denis

[Simon]

To be honest, I don't remember....she'd have to answer that.

[Pezzy]

I hit the subframe right where the rack & pinion attaches to it, my steering wheel pointed one way, and the truck pulled the other way.

[XPLORx4]

Don't remove the steering wheel to recenter it. 10 degrees off is not that much. There's no way the steering wheel could have "hopped a spline". Instead, you may have slightly bent a suspension component, shifted the steering rack, or bent the subframe. Even if the vehicle doesn't pull, your alignment could still be off. Check the subframe for damage, and inspect the steering rack bushings and the rack's position on the lower crossmember to see if it has moved, and get an alignment. If the rack is secure and nothing else is bent, an off-center steering wheel is easily corrected by toeing-in one wheel, and toeing-out the other.

Edited September 7, 2007 by XPLORx4

[FUELER]

They always center the steering wheel when you do an alignment...

[XPLORx4]

They always center the steering wheel when you do an alignment...

 

You mean, they always try to center the steering wheel. I've had more than a couple occasions where the steering wheel is not perfectly centered afterwards, and I've taken it back to be done again.

[Orangetang]

Thanks. I've always wondered if they can flex and hop a spline, since the HD mechanics always pull the wheel off, center it and put it back on for our work trucks. They're not rack and pinion though. I'll take a look and see what I can find. Also, looking for a decent place to do an alignment here. Nissan can't, and I'm shopping for camber bolts locally, so I might do that before taking it in.

[FUELER]

You mean, they always try to center the steering wheel. I've had more than a couple occasions where the steering wheel is not perfectly centered afterwards, and I've taken it back to be done again.

 

 

Exactly, thanks for the correction, they SHOULD center the wheel during alignment

[XPLORx4]

Any reputable tire store that has alignment equipment should be able to do what you need.

[nissandoms47]

You cant even pull the steering wheel off to recenter it. Its specifically splined so it only goes on one way. Just go get an alignment.

[vengeful]

Firestone Lifetime Alignment. The last alignment you'll ever have to pay for.

[Orangetang]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I need that camber fixed anyway, so I'll try to book an appointment tomorrow. Sadly we don't have anything like a Firestone here, just KalTire, OKTire, FountainTire, CanadianTire, Tirecraft and some smaller local shops. You say they'll install alignment bolts if I need them? I'd hate to have it aligned and then need to dothe camber afterwards and screw it up.

[Orangetang]

I bought the only camber bolts I could find today, from NAPA. BRUTALLY expensive. They were $32.99 each, but he gave me the 'discount' so they were $54 after taxes. I could tell he was sympathetic, since they sell bolts that are less than half the price, but don't stock them, because why would you.... Anyway, if I find cheaper in the morning, he said bring em back... An appointment at Midas has been made for 1pm tomorrow and I talked to one of the service guy who said, we'll charge an arm and a leg for the bolts, so install your own before you come, and we'll get her adjusted for you...

 

 

Now, I'm curious if all camber bolts are equal or if I should just keep the ones I got. There were options for what kind I could get, single or double or something, I'm not sure. I can post pics of the bolts if you guys need be. Advice would be nice, since I havn't ever used these before and I don't understand why there would be such a huge price gap between the ones online and the ones at NAPA.

 

Secondly, I just put my name on the list for some spacers, which will more than likely wreck my alignment all over again right? On top of that, will a camber bolt capable of +/- 1.75 degree ajustment be enough for that height?

 

THANKS!