Uncentered Steering Wheel

Hello All,

The steering wheel in my '99 GT has recently become uncentered when the car is driving straight. I'm hoping some might have more ideas about what I could check. This is how my steering wheel is positioned now...

This started about 1000 miles after replacing the original rear control arms; don't think this is really a factor. A wheel alignment where the toe was corrected (both wheels at +0.15°) also centered the steering wheel. But 300 miles later the steering wheel returned to being uncentered, yet the car still tracks straight.

Another point is that even with the CC plates, there wasn't enough movement to bring the caster negative to get into spec. But according to J&M that isn't such an issue. I suppose they should be at least the same, which is yet to be the case.

Based on the details below, do some of you have any suggestions for what else I could look at?
- lowering springs - Eibach Pro dropped ~1.25”
- poly isolators all around
- Energy Suspension offset steering rack bushings
- Tokico struts - HB3140
- Tokico shocks - HE3723
- rear control arms (upper + lower) Steeda steel with 3-piece torque box bushings

- J&M CC plates
- tie rod ends good. inners 2 years old.

- steering wheel shaft-to-rack-input connection secure
2 year old alignment marks still in alignment
- no vibration or shimmy
- looseness in steering wheel - none

- wheel alignment 10/17/2014
toe: spec 0 - 0.25°
left: +0.15°
right: -0.05 [out]
caster: spec 2.5 - 4.0° (3.5° optimal)
left: +3.8°
right: +4.2° [out]

- wheels - Drag DR33 17x7.55
- tires - Yokohama YK520 245/45R-17
- air pressures all correct

Thanks,
Chris

trombonedemon said:

Rag joint? A solid steering shaft, should help.

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Hmm...I'll have to take a close look at that. I did look at it and it wasn't obviously disintegrating.

With a failing rag joint do you think if I turned the steering wheel fully to the right and then some that the steering wheel would be closer to centered?

I ask because we've had 7"of snow and it's 27°...and I want to be lazy right now.

--Thanks,
Chris

Mattstang04 said:

If you find the rag joint is no the culprit, maybe the rack itself is worn. The inner tie rods could be loose and sloppy or even the input gear from the steering shaft has got some slop in it over time. The car is a 99, how many miles are on the rack? Is it original?

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Now that it's gotten a bit warmer here (above 7°) I'll be taking a very close look at the rag joint. I was wondering about the rack itself, too. As far as I know it's the original from the good ol' 90 - miles: 158,712.

When I bought the car it had 9x18" wheels on the front with beat tires and tie-rod ends that needing replacing. At 50-60mph the was a pretty fair shimmy in the steering wheel. Above 60mpg the shimmy was fast enough that it just became vibration. I can see that situation beating-up a steering rack if let go long enough - I suppose. I don't know how long it was ran like that before I bought the car.

I'll also need to really look at the slop. For the most part there really isn't much at all. Since getting the car back in Aug-2011 I've replace inner and outer tie-rod ends on both sides.

More to come...and thanks for your ideas.

kalvick said:

i bought one of these and it fixed the exact same problem you are talking about. dont even deal with the rag joint fix. just get this instead..... http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Steering-Shafts-C14.aspx

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Did you see what was causing the problem? Like was the rag joint visibly messed-up? Just curious.

Thank you very much for the link to MM's steering shaft, too. I really liked the link they had to Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords' article about the installation and before-and-after performance.

Once I get a real close look at the rag joint we'll see where things go from there. Part of me is hoping it is the rag joint so I can get that shaft.

Thanks.

bhuff30 said:

Have you had the alignment checked since the issue started? Maybe the adjustment plates slipped, which can definitely affect toe. Otherwise, you'll just have to get the front up in the air and do the wiggle test.

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Well...after the problem first appeared I had an alignment. Everything was just fine...for about 300 miles, then the problem came back.

So before getting into the habit of having an alignment every month along with checking my tire pressures ( ). I've left it as is and am trying to see what might the root cause.

kalvick said:

some Firestone places offer lifetime wheel alignments for a one time $180. you could go every day and get an alignment for as long as you get a car if you wanted too

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Heh heh Funny you mention that. I use to do that with Firestone. But the alignments never held, but they just kept doing them and not saying a word. Then I took the car to Brakes Plus for new rotors and they asked if I also wanted to have a bad tie-rod replaced -doh! Alignment held for a long time after that.