[Cloud9...68]

The fact that my only issue is that my steering wheel is turned maybe 15 degrees when the wheels are pointed straight tells me that all I should have to do is point the wheels straight ahead, remove the steering wheel, turn it straight, and reinstall it. The LAST thing I want to do (other than rebuilding the rack again, which is a bullet I've thankfully finally dodged) is pull the rack off, or remove the crossmember, as I just had a full alignment/corner balance.

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[mbardeen]

Yes, you can re-center the steering wheel. I did so on mine. The best way to do it is buy the steering rack lock bolt (https://www.paragon-products.com/Product...ode=P-9116 ). This will center the rack and keep it there, so you can get your steering wheel right where it should be. I'll also be taking that with me to the alignment shop so they'll align the car with the rack centered.

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[MB968]

Clarification question, see if I understand this: so you pull out some plug, and move the rack back and forth while running the cone point bolt into the hole. It centers and holds the rack while you do any work. That could be a handy tool to have.

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[mbardeen]

Exactly, MB. You don't even have to move the rack that much, since the hole and the bolt are tapered. Just get it close & tighten it down. For $4 it's great.

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[Cloud9...68]

Matt,



Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize this aligment hole existed. I was just going to point the wheels straight ahead by eyeball, but the alignment hole method sounds much more accurate.



Any words of wisdom/tips/tricks as far as steering wheel removal? As I said above, I've never removed mine, but at one point, I was going to do it, and got as far as taking an allen wrench to the little bolts on the back of the wheel when I changed my mind, but I did start to try to remove the bolts, and they seemed to be very tight. Did you have any trouble removing these bolts on yours? Thanks.



Again, it's very strange that I didn't have any trouble getting the wheel straight the last time I R & R'd the steering rack. For some mysterious reason, this last go-around was about 100 times more difficult and troublesome than the last time I did it, and I can't think of an obvious reason why.

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[flash]

there is a centering point on the rack. you should be starting there. it will make the same number of turns to the left lock and to the right. this is important.



then, you adjust the tie rod ends to center the wheels.



then you center the steering wheel as needed.



since the wheels are pointed straight and the car drives straight, there is no need for a new alignment, even if you adjust the tie rod ends, as long as you adjust them both the same amount (i.e. 2 turns in extension on one means 2 turns in compression on the other). it must be exactly the same amount on both, but it's pretty easy to do.



you can also make yourself some toe plates to check the measurements. i did. very simple.

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[Cloud9...68]

Flash,



What you say makes sense, but since the wheel was (as far as I could tell) perfectly centered before, meaning that the current off-center situation was caused solely by my struggles with the rack re-install, and I never touched the tie rod adjusting nuts, wouldn't centering the rack, removing the steering wheel and re-installing it in the straight-ahead position, take care of the problem? Why would I have to adjust the tie rods? Thanks.

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[flash]

ignore the steering wheel for the moment for the purpose of this discussion.



it was only perfectly centered if the above procedure had been followed. otherwise, there would either be a different length left to right on the tie rods, or the spline orientation on the steering shaft is different.



to repeat, first you start with the rack centered. that will make the number of turns to the left lock and the right lock the same. this is important.



then you adjust the tie rods to meet that. if you adjust the tie rods before centering the rack, which sounds like happened in your alignment, then you will have fewer turns in one direction than the other.



regardless of steering wheel position, if you turn the wheel, is it the same number of turns to the left lock as the right?

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[Cloud9...68]

Ah, OK, thanks for the clarification. I'll follow the procedure you recommend. I wish I had known (how many times have I said that during the course of this project...?) about the centering point on the rack - I would have bought the tool Mbardeen describes, and given it to my alignment shop like he's planning to do. But it sounds like following your procedure now will get me back to the correct point.



Not sure if it's exactly the same number of turns of the wheel to the left and right - I'll have to check it when I get home. I believe it must be close, but if it's only off a little, I probably wouldn't have noticed.



So, how hard is it to remove the wheel?

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[mbardeen]

Flash, the rack itself has an alignment dimple on it for the purposes of determining if it's centered or not. That's the purpose of the alignment lock. No need to turn back and forth. If it's locked, it's centered.

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[Lear35A]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1370873299' post='144018']



regardless of steering wheel position, if you turn the wheel, is it the same number of turns to the left lock as the right?

[/quote]

If not, you must pull the u-joint off the spline and start again.

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[mbardeen]

I've heard removing the steering wheel is a bear the first time. I'm sure mine has been out previously, so the bolts came out pretty easy. If you've still got the airbag, be sure you disconnect the battery prior to removal. Also, keep the airbag on the ground, airbag side up. You don't want it turning into a projectile if it happens to go off.

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[flash]

mbardeen - i know the rack has the dimple. that's what i'm talking about when i say "center the rack". start there, then adjust the tie rods to point the wheels forward. since an alignment was already done, merely turn both tie rods the same amount, but in opposite directions. that will center the wheels relative to the rack, without requiring another alignment.



then it's a simple matter of pulling the wheel and putting it where it belongs. a couple of screws on the back to remove the airbag (make sure the battery is disconnected for at least an hour first to discharge the capacitors in the system). then just the big nut in the center.

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[mbardeen]

Ah, sorry Flash, obviously I need another cup of coffee to help with my reading comprehension this morn.

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[Lear35A]

[quote name='mbardeen' timestamp='1370873838' post='144021']

Flash, the rack itself has an alignment dimple on it for the purposes of determining if it's centered or not. That's the purpose of the alignment lock. No need to turn back and forth. If it's locked, it's centered.

[/quote]

I just checked mine and I get 3 steering wheel rotations lock-to-lock. Seems to me that you will pick up that dimple each rotation of the wheel. So it would be possible to be 360deg off one way or another. That could explain why Cloud had difficulty getting things to go back together and why his steering wheel is off center now.

OTOH, if from wheels straight ahead, Cloud gets 1 1/2 turns both left and right to lock then it would make sense to reset the steering wheel.

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[Cloud9...68]

I have to say, the number and quality of responses to my questions really speaks well to the quality of this community. I now have a good understanding of what I need to do. Much appreciated.

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[flash]

you'll only see the dimple once. it's on the rack, so the gear only passes it once.



yes, if he gets the same number of turns left as to right, then only a steering wheel reset is needed. that's why i asked what he had in post #28.

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1370874490' post='144030']

you'll only see the dimple once. it's on the rack, so the gear only passes it once.



yes, if he gets the same number of turns left as to right, then only a steering wheel reset is needed. that's why i asked what he had in post #28.

[/quote]

Agreed. I'll check the number of turns in each direction. I suspect a steering wheel reset is all I need, because I'm pretty sure what happened is that the rack moved a little as I was trying to get the splines of the steering gear into the coupler.



With the steering gear still out of the rack, and the rack in position on the crossmemebr (but not yet tightened down), I straightened the wheels by eyeball as best I could given the limited distance from the front of my car to the wall in front of it in my garage, and measured the distance from the tie rod adjusting nuts to a reference point on each side of the rack. Then I removed the rack, and did my best to install the steering gear (without breaking any of the fragile teflon seals), with the steering gear oriented in the correct position to mate with the pinch bolt on the coupler, maintaining the measured distance from the tie rod nuts to their reference points. If I had known about the centering screw, it would have made this job vastly easier and more accurate. Then I took the assembly back to the car and attempted to install it, with the wheel staying in the straight-ahead position (without an assistant to keep it from moving), and without the rack moving. Obviously, without the centering screw, this was a near-impossible task, thus my currently out-of-alignment wheel. How I got it on straight the last time I put it back on, I'll never understand.

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[Lear35A]

OK I understand the dimple position now.

I still don't see why the steering wheel would need repositioning. If the wheel was correct when he took the rack off (but did not move the cross member, tie rods or a-arms), what would have changed necessitating repositioning the steering wheel?

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[flash]

depends on the condition of the inner sockets and such. it takes very little compression of the parts to change toe setting. same goes for left to right rack location. move that thing 1/8" one way or the other, and you're starting over.

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