centering steering wheel yourself......

anyone done it? how'd you do it? i have had my alignment done twice recently...both times they have the steering wheel off center, and now i aint got time to go back for a while, so im gonna try it myself. however..if it involves messing with the tie rod ends.....not going that route.(did before and had my alignment all messed up)

 

Have you ever had the steering column out? I took mine out to weld the slip joint and ended up putting it back in one spline to the left. I still need to fix it.

 

no. i think what happened is when the stealership installed my new steering rack under warranty....they put it back in and were a spline or 2 off.

 

Possibly. You might have to fix it that way then. I'm not really sure why the alignment shop couldn't get it straight.

 

i dont know man. they have had it straight before...sometimes they get it right...sometimes they dont.

 

Have them put it on the alignment rack and center the steering wheel. Then re-align it. Should be just fine.

 

they have twice already....and i dont have time to go back for a while.

 

sounds like you need a new alignment shop

 

You dont have time to take it back but you would have time to take the column out and reposition it? Or adjust the tie rods on both sides to compensate? Any possible fix would take a lot more time than having an alignment done again. Shouldnt take any longer than an hour if you can get an appointment...

 

My experience with my 2nd Gen:

You can pop the steering wheel off and just re-center by setting it on a different spline, BUT you're risking tearing your spiral cable (which controls your cruise control, horn, air bag, etc.).

Don't know how much is the same for the 1st Gen., but it should be similar. The right way to do it is to center the wheel and adjust it at the alignment shop.

 

You have to adjust the tie rod ends on both sides exactly the same amount and in the same direction to center the wheel. Kinda hard to do with out the alignment machine. Sounds like your current shop is not that good.

 

actually....im thinking of taking the sleeve off where the rack meets the steering shaft and adjusting that way.......shouldnt take too long if it can be done that way.

 

If you mess with TRE's your alignment will be off. Loosen the two 12mm (I think) bolts that hold the lower shaft to the spline on the steering rack. Then you can push the coupling up. Have someone else hold the lower shaft while you center the wheel then have said person reconnect to the rack. 10 minute job. I do it all the time when the alignment folks don't get it right.

 

this is what i was looking for. thank you very much. im gonna try it here shortly.

 

Just got my truck back from the dealership to take care of the steering column rattling TSB 0119-10. My steering wheel is now off center, just enough to tick me off.

Attached is the TSB doc.

 

Exactly the same this just happened to me. And before they did the work I told the service writer to be certain the wheel was properly centered because I would be quite annoyed if it was off-center. Probably shouldn't have said anything........
According to the TSB sheet, the new and old intermediate shafts need to be marked in exactly the same place and then installed exactly the right way. I think unless you or I did it ourselves, nobody is going to do the work so meticulously - they just don't care enough and it takes more time.

 

BS....If my truck is at any shop for a certain job it will NOT Leave until I am happy....looks like a few of you need NEW shops or to get into your service writers FACE....

 

Way to speak your MIND!

 

Yeah, well I didn't find out until I was on my way home from the stealership, so I did go back and the writer said that I could bring it back in, but then I thought about another 3 hour wait in the waiting room and decided that I knew what needed to be done better than they did and would do a better job myself. If I had stayed there for another spell and then they still didn't get it right I would have been even madder.

 

Now I am really confused; wheel is off-center after you leave the yard ???..Sorry BUT if it off it is OFF from the minute you start up to leave....There would NOT BE another 3 hour wait...pi$$ed off customer in the service area or on the sales floor takes precedence over EVERYONE else...No, not screaming & $hit BUT getting managements attention real quick...

Sorry ,unless you have an alignment rack ...not working...you can take all the internet help and wrap it , smoke it and still have an OFF wheel...but it is your truck,money and time...
Good Luck....