Steering Wheel Alignment

Thomas

Guys,

when I'm driving my car in a straight line the top of the centre 'box' (where the horn & car make etc is ) of the wheel is slightly tilted to the left. If I straighten the wheel so that the top of the 'box' is perfectly horizontal then the car veers slightly to the right.

This isn't a driving or steering problem but looking at it bugs the hell out of me. Is it possible to easily loosen the steering wheel, straighten it and then tighten the wheel again to correct this?

Thanks,

Tom

Seth Brundle

I presume you mean the badge in the wheel!
This would be a symptom of something wrong - the cause could be anything from tracking to worn/damaged steering or suspension components. Most likely tracking though - about €20 upwards at a tyre centre.

TempestSabre

I thought that on some cars you can adjust the steering wheel on the column, and others you only have limited adjustment. (theres fewer splines).

Thomas

The tracking and wheels were checked recently so I think it's only a matter of adjusting the wheel on the column slightly. This isn't a big job then? Could I do it myself easily enough?

the_batman

I got my tracking done recently and they set the steering wheel first and locked it in place with some device in the car. Then they adjusted the wheels manually.

Seth Brundle

has the misalignment of the steering wheel come on since the tracking was done?

Thomas

My brother has had the car for two years and the tracking was done a couple of months ago with the new tyres. He says he never even noticed the badge slightly off the horizontal and reckons I'm being too nit-picky. I mean the car drives fine and in a straight line with no problems but damn if I look down at the badge it does bug me when it's not completely horizontal.

Esel

Thomas wrote:

..I mean the car drives fine and in a straight line with no problems but damn if I look down at the badge it does bug me when it's not completely horizontal.

Don't look at the steering wheel, look at the road, or else it may be you that is completely horizontal.

TempestSabre

Drives me crazy when its not straight awell. Sign of a poor mechanic if its left like that IMO.

Anan1

It's something I ask them to take particular care with when getting a 4 wheel alignment done.

Lynfo

esel wrote:

Don't look at the steering wheel, look at the road, or else it may be you that is completely horizontal.

LOL good point!

crosstownk

TempestSabre wrote:

Drives me crazy when its not straight awell. Sign of a poor mechanic if its left like that IMO.

It drives me nuts too. Depending on how far out it is, it can also interfere with the correct cancelling of the indicators.

Sauce

I had something like this. If your tracking is ok, it can sometimes be solved by switching the tyres around

Seth Brundle

If the tracking (and presumably balancing) is OK then changin the tyres shouldn't affect the steering wheel alignment.

ismynametoolong

It is no problem to get this sorted but dont go taking off the steering wheel
as i imagine you are only out by 1 or 2 degrees out enough to make the badge look off centre moving the wheel on the splines will adjust it by a minimum of 10 degrees and make it worse . Find a garage that has four wheel laser alignment and that knows how to use it and is not operated by a 16 year old.Make sure they start at the back of the car and then clamp the steering wheel in the straight ahead position before adjusting the front.I personally would not get wheel alignment done in a tyre centre as i have seen cars come out worse than they went in . Oh and its a pointless excersise unless all four tyres are of equal thread dept with no adverse wear preferably new .

TempestSabre

Sauce wrote:

I had something like this. If your tracking is ok, it can sometimes be solved by switching the tyres around

Explain that to me...

TempestSabre

ismynametoolong wrote:

.... Find a garage that has four wheel laser alignment and that knows how to use it and is not operated by a 16 year old....

Does one even exist?

Seth Brundle

TempestSabre wrote:

Does one even exist?

I believe that Dave McCann in Clonsilla is one!