Adjusting steering wheel position after tracking

[boost monkey 0]

Hi guys,

 

So the plum got aligned yesterday, and now my steering wheel points to about 5 o'clock, which means the 4-spoke bit is up at the top and covering the dials in the straight ahead position! Not great :|

 

The guy who aligned it said that I can't just pull the steering wheel off the column and straighten it that way because the weighted auto-centering mechanism in it will be out of whack and won't work anymore. Is that true? :shrug:

 

Can i just pull the wheel, straighten it on the column and be done, or am I in for a lot more blood sweat and tears with disconnecting the UJ again? :pale:

 

cheers for your help,

 

Jon.

[dr_mat 0]

So the plum got aligned yesterday, and now my steering wheel points to about 5 o'clock, which means the 4-spoke bit is up at the top and covering the dials in the straight ahead position! Not great :|

 

The guy who aligned it said that I can't just pull the steering wheel off the column and straighten it that way because the weighted auto-centering mechanism in it will be out of whack and won't work anymore. Is that true? :shrug:

 

First of all the guy who aligned it is talking bollocks. Secondly he should have clamped the steering wheel in the dead straight position BEFORE adjusting the track rods anyway, you shouldn't need to touch it. Thirdly you should take it back, shout, and make them do it again, properly this time.

[Toad 0]

So the plum got aligned yesterday, and now my steering wheel points to about 5 o'clock, which means the 4-spoke bit is up at the top and covering the dials in the straight ahead position! Not great :|

 

The guy who aligned it said that I can't just pull the steering wheel off the column and straighten it that way because the weighted auto-centering mechanism in it will be out of whack and won't work anymore. Is that true? :shrug:

 

First of all the guy who aligned it is talking bollocks. Secondly he should have clamped the steering wheel in the dead straight position BEFORE adjusting the track rods anyway, you shouldn't need to touch it. Thirdly you should take it back, shout, and make them do it again, properly this time.[/quote:1fwqxk20]

 

The rack has been off and the UJ swapped, so I guess it was inevitable that it would end up in the wrong place.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

just pull the wheel off a straighten it,as matt said that lad is talikng shizz!

[Supercharged 2]

First of all the guy who aligned it is talking bollocks. Secondly he should have clamped the steering wheel in the dead straight position BEFORE adjusting the track rods anyway, you shouldn't need to touch it. Thirdly you should take it back, shout, and make them do it again, properly this time.

 

Exactly, and if he believed what he was saying them why didn't he clamp it - makes no sense :cuckoo:

 

Yeah, as above Jon just adjust it yourself, as long as it's tracking straight then it will be fine, there is no self centering on Corrado's, the Toe and castor settings kind of provide this so as long as the trackrods have some adjustability both sides (ie one side doesn't have loads more threads showing to the other side) then it will be fine...

 

It is a git to get it straight tho so i prefer it when they lock the wheel in place really - I suggest you take a 15/16th's or 24mm socket and a ratchet out for a drive!

[Valerian 0]

Hmmm.....well....he should centralise the rack before he adjusts the tracking rods.

If he didn't then you'll find you have more steering lock one way than the other.

So...centralise the rack....then adjust the rods....then take the steering wheel off and centralise that if need be.

[Supercharged 2]

Hmmm.....well....he should centralise the rack before he adjusts the tracking rods.

 

^Hmmm, thats a good point - didn't think about that...

[Valerian 0]

Hmmm.....well....he should centralise the rack before he adjusts the tracking rods.

 

^Hmmm, thats a good point - didn't think about that...

 

Not sure about our Veedub racks but some steering racks have a dowl hole for locking the rack in the centre position.

[boost monkey 0]

So...centralise the rack....then adjust the rods....then take the steering wheel off and centralise that if need be.

 

Cheers, yeah really hope they did it in that order, I don't much fancy having a different amount of lock either way!

 

Cheers to everyone for the replies, unfortunately I won't really be able to test my straight skills :camp: until I fit the new rear beam and do all that shizz as the car is now out of MOT.

 

Thanks anyways though, least I can stick it in a rough position so the dials aren't obscured :salute:

[was8v 0]

Before you do anything, check the number of turns from straight wheels to lock each way. This will tell you if the rack is actually centred when the wheels are straight.

 

If so then go ahead and move the wheel. Otherwise take it back again, and again and again.....

 

Oh and check your steering rack boots arent all twisted up round the track rod from where they adjusted it.

[boost monkey 0]

Cheers was, I will bear that in mind and will check the boots too :salute:

[PROVR6 0]

When I put mine on I parked up dead straight and put the steering wheel on. However when I started driving in a straight line I found the wheel did not look straight. Had to make a mental note of how far out it looked, parked up straight again and put the wheel on slightly off center and was straight when driving. Took 2 attempts though as I over compensated. There deffo is no auto centering.

[boost monkey 0]

cool cheers.

 

I think maybe what I thought was auto-centering was just the weight of the steering wheel: with the UJ disconnected, I span the column 360 a couple of times and it always came back to rest in the same orientation which made me think that there was some slight weightedness to it.

 

cheers for the new replies, glad I don't have to touch the UJ again! :grin:

[VRTrickster 0]

Hmmm.....well....he should centralise the rack before he adjusts the tracking rods.

If he didn't then you'll find you have more steering lock one way than the other.

So...centralise the rack....then adjust the rods....then take the steering wheel off and centralise that if need be.

 

So hows the best way to get the rack centralised? Ive had everything off rack and column. Im trying to get it pretty much there before I take it to stealth for a geometry.

I have roughly set the left rod to the 406mm length in the bentley manual. I only adjusted the right as it states but Ive almost run out of thread so the steering wheel is obviously off centre to the rack!

With the rack connected Ive turned the wheel fully right and left then checked the steering wheel position at full lock both ways then halfed the difference. this should get it pretty close surely?

 

Any tips or advice would be great? Also does the front normally toe in or out?