Seering shaft shimmy

Hello everyone and welcome to my screw up. So I've, just yesterday replaced my intermediate steering shaft(a real bitch due to rust and all that jazz). The issue I had was upon reassembly I realized the splines are off by one position (steering wheel slightly turned when wheels are straight). I kinda just said screw it and drove the truck into work today but I want to know if this is something I need to correct or is it just a cosmetic issue.

 

That would drive me nuts!
When I did mine, I bungee corded my steering wheel straight
Yea think a alignment would fix that

 

Just cosmetic. Welcome to TW.

 

It's an easy fix.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-lair.495066/page-1735#post-17358252

 

You guys are unreal with your response time. I couldn't even get my gf to decide on supper that fast!! Good to hear it's just a cosmetic issue, I kinda figured but wanted to know for sure. It's funny cause when I did the job I made hash marks but there was enough slop in the joint that it made no difference lol. Tbh I'm probably just gonna run that lean boy. Ol' bess ain't exactly show room fresh.

 

Thanks for the warm welcome people

 

Take the shaft off and try again. It can be align out for X dollars but it will change the stop points and you have demonstrated that you can do the shaft, if you leave it alone it probably will screw up the turn signal cancel also.

 

Ahhh I see. I wasn't too concerned about the turn signal canceling but I don't want to damage the stops. I incorrectly assumed the stops would be in the steering rack end not up in the column

 

They are but if you align it to correct the off center you will loose some turning radius.

 

Ahhh ok I understand now thanks for the clarification. Guess I better do it right

 

@buffedout
I think we have a doggie match.

 

You’re not losing any turning radius or damaging any stops or clock spring or anything of that nature by being one spline off. If you choose not to fix it, nothing bad will happen.

 

To get the steering wheel straight you have to take from one tie rod and add to the other. It really is a simple fix but if you align the splines after the fact you'll have to do it all over again. I have no ideal how many splines on the shaft there are but compared to the rack the pinion is a small gear. The OP admits he didn't get it right Toyota did day one. He already knows how to did it so it's up to him to decide if he want's the steering wheel to be straight. It would drive me nuts.

 

I’m not arguing that, I agree it’s an easy fix. But nothing bad will happen if he does nothing.

 

No it won't but the context here is good information for others to avoid the same mistake we learn by example the OP did a service to others that might replace their steering shaft. I was pointing out issues that having an off center steering wheel can cause.

 

If you had VSC on your truck it would bitch and moan as the steering wheel isnt centered and would turn off traction control.

Before you move anything, do yourself a favor, get a good ruler or pair of calipers and measure the exposed threads on either tie rod, if they are even then yeah move the spline one notch, if they are not even adjust via the tie rods (if adjusting the tie rods in the direction of difference would net you a straighter wheel). If tie rod exposed threads are opposite of what would net you a straight wheel id be inclined to get those exposed threads close to the same measurement then go from there.

 

He's not wrong. ^^

Better to get it out and get it nice and centered than to sit there and screw around trying to get it right a different way which could cause other steering issues down the road.

 

All good info to know for sure guys, I like the discourse. I'm gunna save 5$ in plastic clips and leave it. It's not exactly a beauty queen(it is to me)

 

You ain't wrong