How do I straighten my steering wheel?

Have you taken the car to be aligned yet?

I'm assuming you're aligning the car to take it to the alignment shop.

If you place the steering wheel at center, remove your tie rods. Using a tape measure, center your tires up and then place your tie rods as if you were putting them back on. Adjust to fit. You should be be putting them on about the same amount. Most guys suggest that when you take off your old rods, count the number of rotations it take to remove them, then put the new ones on the same amount. If they don't line up then, adjust both sides the same amount to compensate.

You might want to set the "toe-in" first than adjust like mentioned above to center steering wheel.

downpiped said:

Yea...im taking it to get is aligned...I had it pretty close...then I took it for a test drive...hit a bump knocked the passenger camber out...Im ordering those TCP eccentric eliminators so that wont happen again...anything less expensive than those out there??? But my steering wheel has always been a little off...even before the swap

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you can always center your tires straight, then pull your wheel and pop it back on straight. i'd do that after you take it to the alignment shop though.

enferno said:

you can always center your tires straight, then pull your wheel and pop it back on straight. i'd do that after you take it to the alignment shop though.

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I don't think I'd recommend that. That means that one tie rod end has more threads in than the other (unless I'm way off base) so long as the assembly was properly aligned before.

any good alignment shop will center your steering wheel when the align the front

truck90278 said:

any good alignment shop will center your steering wheel when the align the front

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Yeah, just look for the sign in front of the shop that reads, "Good alignment shop." Seriously, my luck has been about fifty/fifty.

It helps if the shop is located near a flat road where they can go over 30 mph. It also helps if the alignment tech isn't a dip***t.

dbfarr said:

Yeah, just look for the sign in front of the shop that reads, "Good alignment shop." Seriously, my luck has been about fifty/fifty.

It helps if the shop is located near a flat road where they can go over 30 mph. It also helps if the alignment tech isn't a dip***t.

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Ain't that the truth. And the dip***t tech will be the one that removes your steering wheel to center it.

thehueypilot said:

Ain't that the truth. And the dip***t tech will be the one that removes your steering wheel to center it.

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Unfortunately, I have to say your right about the 50/50 chance of finding a good shop. However, they are around if you watch out for them. I have been using the same one for ~25 years. One thing I've noticed is that most of the shops (all types of automotive shops) that are exceptionally goog frequently have a customer base which includes special interest vehicle owners. When you see those kinds of cars in their shops, they usually do very good work. they are usually not the cheapest, but when you go the cheapest route you know what you get.

truck90278 said:

Unfortunately, I have to say your right about the 50/50 chance of finding a good shop. However, they are around if you watch out for them. I have been using the same one for ~25 years. One thing I've noticed is that most of the shops (all types of automotive shops) that are exceptionally goog frequently have a customer base which includes special interest vehicle owners. When you see those kinds of cars in their shops, they usually do very good work. they are usually not the cheapest, but when you go the cheapest route you know what you get.

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I gave up on finding a good shop because most now have the fancy computer equipment that does not include our classic cars and besides that I don't want someone I don't know taking my car on a test drive. I broke down and bought the alignment equipment from Summit and I now do my own alignments at home. After four alignments I have already paid for the equipment. The first time it took a little longer but now that I have the hang of it, it goes a lot faster.

thehueypilot said:

I gave up on finding a good shop because most now have the fancy computer equipment that does not include our classic cars and besides that I don't want someone I don't know taking my car on a test drive. I broke down and bought the alignment equipment from Summit and I now do my own alignments at home. After four alignments I have already paid for the equipment. The first time it took a little longer but now that I have the hang of it, it goes a lot faster.

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I'm seriously considering that, I am a little tired of having to explain how to align the Randall's rack to techs. Even after a detailed explanation, the elbows still end up pointed at the sky rather towards the back of the vehicle as clearance for the crossmember dictates.

Currently, I am putting together a document with peekchures explaining what I need done. Sounds real good, but, with paying someone else to work on your car, if they don't care, they don't care. Most of the time, they just don't.

I hope I'm not hijacking, but...

QUESTION: Are there any tools that give you the ability to make caster adjustments?

I just had some tires mounted and balanced and I had to show the guy how to properly install metal valve stems, than ended up doing it for him. Now if I could only afford my own tire machine and computer balancer I would be set........

Are you asking for the type of wrench or the equipment to change the caster? This is the equipment: http://store.summitracing.com/partd...&N=700+4294925139+4294919397+115&autoview=sku

Here's the method I used when I put on some Baer Tracker bump steer eliminators; it made me feel like a real techie guy and I didn't have to go the alignment shop at all:

1. Rotate steering wheel to full lock, then crank it to the opposite full lock, counting the revolutions. Divide by two and turn the wheel back that many turns, to center it. Put the steering wheel on, centered.

2. With all four wheels on a flat surface (although my garage floor actually is not all that flat), and making sure the fronts aren't jacked up from being lowered off a jack, you take a piece of string and have an assistant hold it against the sidewalls of the rear tire on the driver's side, and then you hold your end against the sidewalls of the front tire. Now adjust the driver's side tie rod to make it all square up. This is not going to work out perfectly if you have bigs-n-littles or the like, but for most cars it will get you into a pretty good ballpark.

3. Using a string or a tape measure, and referencing a tire tread feature at the same point on the front and rear of each front tire, use the passenger side tie rod to bring the passenger side square.

4. Now you have zero toe-in. Now play with the tie rods to get the toe-in you want, adjusting each side equally.

Of course all this takes a bit of trial and error, and it's not as exact as a laser equipment or whatnot in the hands of somebody competent, but as other posts have indicated there's no guarantee you'll find such a somebody. I'd say I've found more good than bad alignment techs over the years, but getting an understanding of how to DIY and putting in some trial and error will get you there too.