Steering Wheel alignment

[twalker920]

Ok all, I've had 5 alignments done on my VX, replaced the rear trailing arms (with heavy duty ones) after we found the originals were more bent than a politician, and yet still my VX has not totally recovered from a certain rock field adventure that VXorado and Bartman may remember at Spring Creek.

The truck tracks fine...I think the alignment is as good as it's going to get. The problem is the steering wheel is still tilted to the left when driving straight, and it's driving me batty.

Any thoughts on what to do to get my steering wheel back to where I can drive with my hands at 10 and 2 like a proper race car driver? I assume the wheel is keyed to the steering column.

Other than yet another alignment (I've tried two different shops already) I don't know what to try.

Help before my OCD forces me to just drive in giant circles to keep the wheel level!

[Mile High VX]

I though that the steering wheel was just a set of splines and you could take it off, rotate it, and put it back on with no issues?

[Triathlete]

When the alignment shop does an alignment they should check that the steering wheel is straight. If not its poor workmanship on the shops part.

[MSHardeman]

What Earl said. You should be able to just remove the steering wheel, turn it a bit, and re-install it to get it straight. I think VX Kat did a steering wheel replacement write-up and she showed where/how to remove the air bag to get to the nut that holds the steering wheel on. I picked up a steering wheel removal tool at Harbor Freight for just a few buck, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I'd be happy to send it your way (if you promise to send it back or bring it to Moab with you), but it might be easier to stop by Harbor Freight (or AutoZone, NAPA, etc.) and pick one up.

Billy's right too, though. The alignment shop should have checked to make sure that the wheel was straight in the first place.

[VXorado]

Yep, just remove it and re-center the steering wheel. I've done this several times and only takes a few minutes.

I was able to remove my steering wheel without a special tool.

[bartmanS4]

X3 on the removal and re-index although it may still be very slightly off when you are done. A couple of tips for doing this:
1) Make sure you lock your steering column before you try to loosen the center nut.
2) Once you loosen the nut don't fully remove it. Leave it on the shaft with it most of the way off. Then you can jerk at the wheel to pull it off without punching yourself in the face.

[MSHardeman]

Excellent advice Scott. How did you figure out tip #2?

[bartmanS4]

Excellent advice Scott. How did you figure out tip #2?

LOL, fortunately NOT by experience. It came from all those car fix up shows I watch. I think this tip came from Wheeler Dealers. Thanks Edd China!
Scott

[Baldmason]

You should take it back to the last place that did your alignment. The alignment should be in warranty. And if the the problem is just a crooked steering wheel, all it needs is a toe adjustment on both sides. The shop that did it last, did not do a proper alignment.

J.R. Adams

[twalker920]

The last shop I had it taken to is really far away (my dad took it for me) and they were recommended as the best alignment shop in Denver by several people and a bunch of propaganda.

I don't have the time to get it out there and back with my current work schedule. Removing and aligning the steering wheel sounds like the easy fix. I'll give that a go. Also, my tires are wearing perfectly evenly so in that respect I'd rather not have it messed up (FWIW I am totally sold on these Goodyear Duratracs...had them since I got my VX and they weren't new then and they have gone another 22,000 miles with still more than half tread left...plus great grip in ice and snow. Ok salespitch over)

It does track straight down the highway, unless I try to hold the wheel level.

Thanks for tips all, especially the non-face-punching one Scott!

[mattferguson14]

this should be nothing more than a quick alignment adjustment to your tie rods. if you get the front end in the air, you can adjust them yourself with nothing more than a crescent wrench. You can eye-ball the alignment and be pretty darn straight, but may want to take it to a shop to get extremely accurate. Like Triathlete said, just make sure the wheel is straight before you start your adjustments.

[HeckaTrebeka]

You can eye-ball the alignment and be pretty darn straight, but may want to take it to a shop to get extremely accurate. Like Triathlete said, just make sure the wheel is straight before you start your adjustments.

I believe, also, that you can just turn both tie rod nuts equally and you would still have the same alignment as before. Something to consider, and really easy/cheap/quick to do

[twalker920]

Rotated the steering wheel one spline clockwise. Much better. May take it in for one more fine tune alignment at some point...probably after Moab lol.

Did NOT hit myself in the face with my steering wheel...thanks Scott!

[bartmanS4]

Did NOT hit myself in the face with my steering wheel...thanks Scott!

I'm here for ya!

[Y33TREKker]

Good to hear you worked it out on your own. I've had a similar alignment experience with my car recently.

Took it to a Ford dealer because of the previous GOOD alignment experience I had. This time though, different alignment guy, and totally BAD alignment experience. (Couldn't get my steering wheel straight after three attempts and finally threw up his hands and said that was as good as "my car" could get... ...because it couldn't possibly be that he didn't know how to do a proper alignment).

Anyway, I've heard varying opinions on moving a steering wheel a spline or two one way or the other to get it re-positioned correctly, and whether that messes up the clock-spring for your turns signals, etc, but I can honestly say I've never had any later problems after I've re-splined my steering wheel to get it recentered using steering wheel pullers.