How to re-align my steering rack?
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
How to re-align my steering rack?
Hey guys,
A while back, I did my steering rack bushings, and when I put the bolts all back in, I realized my steering was a bit off, and recently it's just REALLY started to bother me. To put it in perspective, straight is ~25degrees to the right.
I understand how to do it, but I didn't know if there was a method apart from having someone inside the car hold the steering wheel straight, have someone hold the front wheels straight, and have me under the car tighten everything down; essentially trial and error.
I know I could just pull the steering wheel off and re-align that; but that seems like me to be the redneck fix. Any advice?
A while back, I did my steering rack bushings, and when I put the bolts all back in, I realized my steering was a bit off, and recently it's just REALLY started to bother me. To put it in perspective, straight is ~25degrees to the right.
I understand how to do it, but I didn't know if there was a method apart from having someone inside the car hold the steering wheel straight, have someone hold the front wheels straight, and have me under the car tighten everything down; essentially trial and error.
I know I could just pull the steering wheel off and re-align that; but that seems like me to be the redneck fix. Any advice?
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
While yes, that would work; I think you're missing my point. I would prefer to do this myself. I was wondering if anyone had done something similar before and could offer an advice as a DIY fix.
Figure out which way they need to go and give each tie rod the same amount of turns in the same direction necessary to straighten the wheel. Do it a little at a time, and test in between until the wheel is straight. That is the slightly improved redneck fix.
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Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
What I assume happened is when the I had all the bolts out, the teeth from the rack and from the steering gear ceased to line up at their proper spot any more.
So a) just taking the steering wheel off will just treat the symptom of that problem, not the problem itself.
b) Why pay someone else to do an alignment? The car's alignment is a non-issue, and is fine. I have the time and the know-how, I was just curious if someone else knew a shorter way to do it than my guess and check method. Handing out money is not my preferred method of fixing a problem, especially not when I have the tools available to me.
So a) just taking the steering wheel off will just treat the symptom of that problem, not the problem itself.
b) Why pay someone else to do an alignment? The car's alignment is a non-issue, and is fine. I have the time and the know-how, I was just curious if someone else knew a shorter way to do it than my guess and check method. Handing out money is not my preferred method of fixing a problem, especially not when I have the tools available to me.
So you actually removed the steering shaft? If not, there is no way any teeth could have moved. What probably happened is the car was aligned with the worn out bushings, and when you replaced them, the rack became more positively located and the old alignment is no longer true. You can adjust the tie rods like I said to fix that.
your steering wheel should not be in a different position after replacing the steering rack bushings.
if you didn't adjust any tie rods, the only thing that would change the position of the steering wheel is disconnecting and reconnecting the steering shaft from the rack (the splined rod) as stockhatch said above.
if you didn't adjust any tie rods, the only thing that would change the position of the steering wheel is disconnecting and reconnecting the steering shaft from the rack (the splined rod) as stockhatch said above.
That's not entirely true. If his bushings were gone like mine, the rack could have been moving around. If someone aligned it with the sloppy bushings, when he replaced them and subsequently relocated the rack, the wheel could be offset as a result.
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
Much appreciated for the advice sir!
Mine was the same way and only a new front end alignment (toe issues) fied it.