Off-Center Steering Wheel
06-14-15, 08:07 PM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Off-Center Steering Wheel
Even after a couple of alignments, new matching tires, I find that my steering is still off-center.
If I turn significantly to the left (i.e. a couple of turns, full or almost-full lock), and return to center, I find that 11:55 is now the new "center" where the wheels are straight.
If I turn significantly to the right and return to center, 12:05 is now the neutral point.
I installed new poly bushings prior to my last alignment and the rack should be secure, but maybe some lateral movement there could be causing this? My other thought is bent tie rods or a bad rack (internals) itself. Does anyone have similar experiences?
I took some video of the rack doing full lock either way. Does the rack look like it moves too much?
If I turn significantly to the left (i.e. a couple of turns, full or almost-full lock), and return to center, I find that 11:55 is now the new "center" where the wheels are straight.
If I turn significantly to the right and return to center, 12:05 is now the neutral point.
I installed new poly bushings prior to my last alignment and the rack should be secure, but maybe some lateral movement there could be causing this? My other thought is bent tie rods or a bad rack (internals) itself. Does anyone have similar experiences?
I took some video of the rack doing full lock either way. Does the rack look like it moves too much?
06-14-15, 08:49 PM
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
06-15-15, 07:14 AM
#5
Have you taken the steering wheel off and reset it? There's a little round tab and yellow instructions behind the steering wheel on the column that must be spun around a couple of times to get the wheel on-center. But it involves pulling out the airbag and wheel.
Go somewhere where you can't kill anybody (lol) - like an empty parking lot where you can drive/track straight for a bit and try it to line it up without securing it with the center nut so you can pull the wheel off and test a few times.
But get it done right in a few tries or else your airbag light will come on...and stay on. And will need to be reset.
Go somewhere where you can't kill anybody (lol) - like an empty parking lot where you can drive/track straight for a bit and try it to line it up without securing it with the center nut so you can pull the wheel off and test a few times.
But get it done right in a few tries or else your airbag light will come on...and stay on. And will need to be reset.
06-15-15, 07:35 AM
#6
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Have you taken the steering wheel off and reset it? There's a little round tab and yellow instructions behind the steering wheel on the column that must be spun around a couple of times to get the wheel on-center. But it involves pulling out the airbag and wheel.
Go somewhere where you can't kill anybody (lol) - like an empty parking lot where you can drive/track straight for a bit and try it to line it up without securing it with the center nut so you can pull the wheel off and test a few times.
But get it done right in a few tries or else your airbag light will come on...and stay on. And will need to be reset.
Go somewhere where you can't kill anybody (lol) - like an empty parking lot where you can drive/track straight for a bit and try it to line it up without securing it with the center nut so you can pull the wheel off and test a few times.
But get it done right in a few tries or else your airbag light will come on...and stay on. And will need to be reset.
06-15-15, 12:20 PM
#7
Don't know. I had the same problem and it ended up being a loose LCA bolt (also caused a bad shimmy). That got fixed. But it has come back again after a power steering hose replacement and subsequent flush. Hoping another alignment will straighten it up again.
But try that. The good thing about resetting the wheel is that it doesn't cost any money and you can do it easily yourself. Just don't punch yourself in the face!
But try that. The good thing about resetting the wheel is that it doesn't cost any money and you can do it easily yourself. Just don't punch yourself in the face!
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06-15-15, 04:34 PM
#8
Don't know. I had the same problem and it ended up being a loose LCA bolt (also caused a bad shimmy). That got fixed. But it has come back again after a power steering hose replacement and subsequent flush. Hoping another alignment will straighten it up again.
But try that. The good thing about resetting the wheel is that it doesn't cost any money and you can do it easily yourself. Just don't punch yourself in the face!
But try that. The good thing about resetting the wheel is that it doesn't cost any money and you can do it easily yourself. Just don't punch yourself in the face!
06-15-15, 04:49 PM
#9
Bent rim (unable to see visually)
Alignment needed
OE-from-92 shocks with no rebounding capability left
And whatever loosened because of the constant the constant, wrong input and stress to the body and components
Issues with multiple causes are tough to figure out.
06-16-15, 04:18 AM
#10
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Above 60 mph. But that was a combination of things
Bent rim (unable to see visually)
Alignment needed
OE-from-92 shocks with no rebounding capability left
And whatever loosened because of the constant the constant, wrong input and stress to the body and components
Issues with multiple causes are tough to figure out.
Bent rim (unable to see visually)
Alignment needed
OE-from-92 shocks with no rebounding capability left
And whatever loosened because of the constant the constant, wrong input and stress to the body and components
Issues with multiple causes are tough to figure out.
06-16-15, 12:01 PM
#11
you can clearly see the rack move some, which is not right.
I Am not positive but sometimes the large poly round bushing that hugs around the rack on passenger side (shown at the beginning of the video) does not tend to clamp down as tight as the original bushing that was in there. I have noticed similar on my car after doing poly bushings but never bothered to figure it out, but when I installed those I noticed that the large bushing with the slit in it for sliding over the rack did not bolt down as tight as the original bushing.
still make sure you torqued the bolts on the smaller bushings on the drivers side well, the ones you get from the bottom through the crossmember deal those should be tight as to hold it left and right also.
I Am not positive but sometimes the large poly round bushing that hugs around the rack on passenger side (shown at the beginning of the video) does not tend to clamp down as tight as the original bushing that was in there. I have noticed similar on my car after doing poly bushings but never bothered to figure it out, but when I installed those I noticed that the large bushing with the slit in it for sliding over the rack did not bolt down as tight as the original bushing.
still make sure you torqued the bolts on the smaller bushings on the drivers side well, the ones you get from the bottom through the crossmember deal those should be tight as to hold it left and right also.
06-17-15, 08:18 AM
#12
Intermediate
Thread Starter
you can clearly see the rack move some, which is not right.
I Am not positive but sometimes the large poly round bushing that hugs around the rack on passenger side (shown at the beginning of the video) does not tend to clamp down as tight as the original bushing that was in there. I have noticed similar on my car after doing poly bushings but never bothered to figure it out, but when I installed those I noticed that the large bushing with the slit in it for sliding over the rack did not bolt down as tight as the original bushing.
still make sure you torqued the bolts on the smaller bushings on the drivers side well, the ones you get from the bottom through the crossmember deal those should be tight as to hold it left and right also.
I Am not positive but sometimes the large poly round bushing that hugs around the rack on passenger side (shown at the beginning of the video) does not tend to clamp down as tight as the original bushing that was in there. I have noticed similar on my car after doing poly bushings but never bothered to figure it out, but when I installed those I noticed that the large bushing with the slit in it for sliding over the rack did not bolt down as tight as the original bushing.
still make sure you torqued the bolts on the smaller bushings on the drivers side well, the ones you get from the bottom through the crossmember deal those should be tight as to hold it left and right also.
06-17-15, 09:29 AM
#13
keep your eyes on the edge of the bushing around 9 seconds when the wheel turns and then again at like 12 seconds. happens again at 16 seconds in, just about every full turn you do.
the part of the rack that was under the original bushing will be a lighter color from the rest of the rack, and you can see more of it when you turn one way and less of it when you turn the other.
its not much, but there is a little movement. this kind of movement would not allow the steering wheel to center properly everytime as the rack will sit different in the bushing depending on which way you turned most recently... I think anyways and would suggest looking into it as well as any others mentioned.
Seeing this video makes me want to go change mine out for the solid aluminum bushings. not sure I trust the poly anymore I had some bit of the same feeling on mine.
the part of the rack that was under the original bushing will be a lighter color from the rest of the rack, and you can see more of it when you turn one way and less of it when you turn the other.
its not much, but there is a little movement. this kind of movement would not allow the steering wheel to center properly everytime as the rack will sit different in the bushing depending on which way you turned most recently... I think anyways and would suggest looking into it as well as any others mentioned.
Seeing this video makes me want to go change mine out for the solid aluminum bushings. not sure I trust the poly anymore I had some bit of the same feeling on mine.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 06-17-15 at 09:33 AM.
06-18-15, 06:27 AM
#14
Intermediate
Thread Starter
keep your eyes on the edge of the bushing around 9 seconds when the wheel turns and then again at like 12 seconds. happens again at 16 seconds in, just about every full turn you do.
the part of the rack that was under the original bushing will be a lighter color from the rest of the rack, and you can see more of it when you turn one way and less of it when you turn the other.
its not much, but there is a little movement. this kind of movement would not allow the steering wheel to center properly everytime as the rack will sit different in the bushing depending on which way you turned most recently... I think anyways and would suggest looking into it as well as any others mentioned.
Seeing this video makes me want to go change mine out for the solid aluminum bushings. not sure I trust the poly anymore I had some bit of the same feeling on mine.
the part of the rack that was under the original bushing will be a lighter color from the rest of the rack, and you can see more of it when you turn one way and less of it when you turn the other.
its not much, but there is a little movement. this kind of movement would not allow the steering wheel to center properly everytime as the rack will sit different in the bushing depending on which way you turned most recently... I think anyways and would suggest looking into it as well as any others mentioned.
Seeing this video makes me want to go change mine out for the solid aluminum bushings. not sure I trust the poly anymore I had some bit of the same feeling on mine.
06-18-15, 08:53 AM
#15
Order new steering rack bushings......
Get solid ones, and replace them, it's kind of a PITA, but trust me. I had this problem with a 98 SC300 I bought awhile ago. I would go to turn, and the steering wheel would reset at a different position. Hella scary to drive.
Get solid ones, and replace them, it's kind of a PITA, but trust me. I had this problem with a 98 SC300 I bought awhile ago. I would go to turn, and the steering wheel would reset at a different position. Hella scary to drive.