Steering wheel off centre
Discussion
Hello folks,
I hit some motorway debris which caused my alloy wheel to crack, and understandably, the steering wheel/ tracking was badly mis-aligned as a result.
Since then, I've had the suspension checked by my trusty mechanic, who found no damage, and took the car for a 4 wheel laser alignment. I also asked them to check for suspension damage, and again they found none.
However, after the alignment, the steering wheel is even more off centre than before! Oddly, the steering wheel has gone from being off centre to the left, to being off centre to the right. They've tried twice to sort it, and haven't had much luck (slight improvement the second time). The wheel place says that the steering rack "may have jumped a tooth" after the impact with debris, hence the steering wheel is not centered (which sounds like BS to me).
Anyone have any ideas for further investigative/ corrective work?
Thanks
I hit some motorway debris which caused my alloy wheel to crack, and understandably, the steering wheel/ tracking was badly mis-aligned as a result.
Since then, I've had the suspension checked by my trusty mechanic, who found no damage, and took the car for a 4 wheel laser alignment. I also asked them to check for suspension damage, and again they found none.
However, after the alignment, the steering wheel is even more off centre than before! Oddly, the steering wheel has gone from being off centre to the left, to being off centre to the right. They've tried twice to sort it, and haven't had much luck (slight improvement the second time). The wheel place says that the steering rack "may have jumped a tooth" after the impact with debris, hence the steering wheel is not centered (which sounds like BS to me).
Anyone have any ideas for further investigative/ corrective work?
Thanks
Edited by Codswallop on Sunday 15th December 16:19
There is no way a steering pinion would jump a tooth on the rack without the rack being damaged.
Did they check front wheel alignment, or 4 wheel alignment?
The front wheels alignment is based on the alignment of the rears, if the rears are out, the front will also be wrong and lead to exactly what you have now - a misaligned steering wheel. If they've just done the fronts and the rear was out, it will also give you a misaligned steering wheel.
If they've done 4 wheel alignment and your steering wheel is still of centre, go and find someone who knows how to do 4 wheel alignment properly.
ETA: just re-read your OP, and you had 4 wheel done - can you post up a printout of the after figures?
Did they check front wheel alignment, or 4 wheel alignment?
The front wheels alignment is based on the alignment of the rears, if the rears are out, the front will also be wrong and lead to exactly what you have now - a misaligned steering wheel. If they've just done the fronts and the rear was out, it will also give you a misaligned steering wheel.
If they've done 4 wheel alignment and your steering wheel is still of centre, go and find someone who knows how to do 4 wheel alignment properly.
ETA: just re-read your OP, and you had 4 wheel done - can you post up a printout of the after figures?
ohtari said:
If there is genuinely nothing wrong with the suspension, and this has been confirmed by a specialist, then the steering wheel can be re-centred.
It's just a splined shaft, that can be removed at a universal joint and relocated.
Only if you want to ruin the factory set lock-to-lock and end up with more lock one way than the other. It should never be necessary to do this after a proper alignment. It's just a splined shaft, that can be removed at a universal joint and relocated.
HustleRussell said:
"The rack's jumped a tooth"... That's a new one on me. What a f
king pisstake.
In all probability the tracking is correct but the toe is unequal across the two front wheels. It is not hard to get it right, they're incompetent.
^^ +1.king pisstake. In all probability the tracking is correct but the toe is unequal across the two front wheels. It is not hard to get it right, they're incompetent.
Did they give you an alignment print out, OP?
Edited by E30M3SE on Sunday 15th December 16:29
HustleRussell said:
"The rack's jumped a tooth"... That's a new one on me. What a fking pisstake.
king pisstake. Superhoop said:
There is no way a steering pinion would jump a tooth on the rack without the rack being damaged.
This was my thinking too.Superhoop said:
Did they check front wheel alignment, or 4 wheel alignment?
The front wheels alignment is based on the alignment of the rears, if the rears are out, the front will also be wrong and lead to exactly what you have now - a misaligned steering wheel. If they've just done the fronts and the rear was out, it will also give you a misaligned steering wheel.
If they've done 4 wheel alignment and your steering wheel is still of centre, go and find someone who knows how to do 4 wheel alignment properly.
ETA: just re-read your OP, and you had 4 wheel done - can you post up a printout of the after figures?
It was supposedly a full 4 wheel alignment, although the chap doing it said there was no way to correct rear toe-in on my car, and that the offside rear had too much toe in, while the nearside rear was correctly set up.The front wheels alignment is based on the alignment of the rears, if the rears are out, the front will also be wrong and lead to exactly what you have now - a misaligned steering wheel. If they've just done the fronts and the rear was out, it will also give you a misaligned steering wheel.
If they've done 4 wheel alignment and your steering wheel is still of centre, go and find someone who knows how to do 4 wheel alignment properly.
ETA: just re-read your OP, and you had 4 wheel done - can you post up a printout of the after figures?
Think I'll try an find someone more competent. Just need to try and get my money back off these lovely people for not doing their job properly
Anyone able to recommend a place near Canterbury in Kent?
They are taking the p**s. It's just a question of adjusting both rack end connections (not sure what the technical term is ?drag link) with the wheels straight until the steering wheel is straight. Its the same bolts that do the toe in. Look at this video and then show it to your mechanic so he can get the idea of how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRI3IdpbSs4
HTH
Cheers
HTH
Cheers
HustleRussell said:
Only if you want to ruin the factory set lock-to-lock and end up with more lock one way than the other. It should never be necessary to do this after a proper alignment.
Ahh, didn't think of that!OP, when you say you got it aligned, was this a tyre shop by any chance?
If so, take it to a pro!
I've had similar bad experiences with getting my tracking done.
I'd now only use somewhere that does a Hunter 4 wheel alignment - not cheap but at least you only need it done once!
http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/
I'd now only use somewhere that does a Hunter 4 wheel alignment - not cheap but at least you only need it done once!
http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/
HustleRussell said:
It is not hard to get it right, they're incompetent.
The steering mechanism has an adjuster on each side, one by the left wheel and one by the right wheel. If the steering wheel is off centre it's simply the steering wheel off centre. There doesn't need to be any error with the geometry at all. You can take take 5 turns off one side; add 5 turns to the other side; the look of the steering wheel will be different but NOTHING else has changed. It's basic stuff. However, IF they have run out of adjustment that's only possible if there's serious damage elsewhere in your steering/suspension/chassis.
Either way, the answer is to get someone competent to look at it.
ohtari said:
Ahh, didn't think of that!
OP, when you say you got it aligned, was this a tyre shop by any chance?
If so, take it to a pro!
It was a tyre shop. Not a national chain, but very common in the south east. Due to the no naming and shaming policy on pistonheads, I can't say who they were, but the name is 3 letters, followed by the words "tyre pros" OP, when you say you got it aligned, was this a tyre shop by any chance?
If so, take it to a pro!
Codswallop said:
ohtari said:
Ahh, didn't think of that!
OP, when you say you got it aligned, was this a tyre shop by any chance?
If so, take it to a pro!
It was a tyre shop. Not a national chain, but very common in the south east. Due to the no naming and shaming policy on pistonheads, I can't say who they were, but the name is 3 letters, followed by the words "tyre pros" OP, when you say you got it aligned, was this a tyre shop by any chance?
If so, take it to a pro!
Codswallop said:
It was supposedly a full 4 wheel alignment, although the chap doing it said there was no way to correct rear toe-in on my car, and that the offside rear had too much toe in, while the nearside rear was correctly set up.
Anyone able to recommend a place near Canterbury in Kent?
This is the important bit - if one side is incorrectly set-up, then the car will have show rear thrust angle. Even if they set the front of the car up correctly, the steering wheel will be off centre, as the car will try and steer from the back, which you will have to correct by steering the front in the opposite direction. Anyone able to recommend a place near Canterbury in Kent?
What car is it?
Ozzie Osmond said:
The steering mechanism has an adjuster on each side, one by the left wheel and one by the right wheel. If the steering wheel is off centre it's simply the steering wheel off centre. There doesn't need to be any error with the geometry at all. You can take take 5 turns off one side; add 5 turns to the other side; the look of the steering wheel will be different but NOTHING else has changed. It's basic stuff.
However, IF they have run out of adjustment that's only possible if there's serious damage elsewhere in your steering/suspension/chassis.
Either way, the answer is to get someone competent to look at it.
Thanks for the reply.However, IF they have run out of adjustment that's only possible if there's serious damage elsewhere in your steering/suspension/chassis.
Either way, the answer is to get someone competent to look at it.
I do still worry that there may be suspension damage despite being given the all clear. If the impact was enough to crack my wheel, I thought the suspension would have suffered too, but no one has seen anything amiss after a visual/ poking around inspection.
So if the tyre place hasn't managed to centre the wheel after two attempts, is this more likely down to them being somewhat rubbish, or the car having and undiagnosed bit of damage?
Superhoop said:
This is the important bit - if one side is incorrectly set-up, then the car will have show rear thrust angle. Even if they set the front of the car up correctly, the steering wheel will be off centre, as the car will try and steer from the back, which you will have to correct by steering the front in the opposite direction.
What car is it?
I see What car is it?
Car is a 2004 Vauxhall Monaro CV8.
I could see on their display that the rear toe was out on the offside, but the fitter claimed there was no adjustment for it
HustleRussell said:
"The rack's jumped a tooth"... That's a new one on me. What a fking pisstake.
It is possible for the rack to jump a tooth, it requires a large impact and the rack should be replaced. Ive had it on a twice on race cars when the wheel had hit walls. first time it chipped a tooth off, the second time the rack bent enough to allow the pinon to slip a tooth or two. king pisstake. I've seen an on board of a dutch team we raced with who used a single seater rack for a saloon car and the steering wheel jumped 90 deg mid race.
so its possible, but its normally a big impact. if you jack both wheels off the ground you might be able to feel a rough patch as you go from lock to lock. thats a good indication of a missing tooth.
The most likely reason is the garage made a mistake adjusting the geometry, if they didn't alter it, I would send your rack away to be checked/rebuilt.
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