How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
Over the winter (1971 with PS) I replaced the lower steering column bearings, etc; had the gearbox rebuilt by Gary R.; installed a new rag joint; rebuilt the steering cylinder, all new hoses, and new ignition cylinder in column. When I finished the steering wheel was off by about 90 degrees. Went over it several times could find nothing installed wrong. Took it in today to the only chevy dealership in town(pop. 240K) and had their corvette man do a 4 wheel alignment and fix the steering wheel. I had also replaced the rear TA's, struts, shocks, etc. Said the 4 wheel alignment was easy and went great--BUT he could not figure out why the steering column is off by 90%. The pitman arm points forward, equal turns left and right, all marks on colum are at 12:00 and lined up. The only solution he had was possibly adjusting the tie-rod ends enough to get the wteering wheel straight--but wasn't sure he could adjust it that much. Anyone out there have any idea what might be wrong?????? Thanks Paul
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
It sounds like the lower section of the rag joint was not installed on the steering box shaft in the correct location.Bill Clupper #618 -
Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
I think there is a flat spot on the connection between the rag joint and gear box--therefore would be impossible to put it tgether wrong--besides that I marked the joint so I would put it together the same way I took it apart. At least I thought I did. Though the pitman arm, etc could only go together one way. What am I missing????Comment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
If you removed the bolts from the rag joint and put them back on the wrong side then the different size bolts put you 180 degrees off on the rag joint. This half turn may cure your problem. I did this trick but I'm not sure how far off the steering wheel was. A new joint could be assembled wrong also.Lyle
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
I agree--if the rag joint is off and you change it you switch everything by 180 degrees--which would put me 90 degrees off the other way--nothing gained. I know there must be a logical answer to this question--but so far the mechanics and I can't figure it out--that is why I need the NCRS experts out their.Comment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
When the road wheels are straight ahead and the pitman arm pointing straight forward is the flat on the input shaft at 12 o'clock?
If the flat is not at 12 o'clock then I would contact the guy that rebuilt the gear.
If they are as described, the problem is in the flexible coupling or the steering column/steering wheel.
With the flat at 12 o'clock does the flexible coupling look like the following picture (i.e. the stop pins at 6 and 12 o'clock and the pinch bolt head sticking straight up at you.) If the gear and flex coupling looks like the picture then the problem is in the steering column, steering hub, or steering wheel.
With the flat on the gear shaft at 12 o'clock is the notch on the end of the steering column shaft at 12 o'clock and the pinch bolt horizontal as shown in the following picture?
If the flat and notch are as shown, is the chizel mark on the end of the steering shaft at the steering wheel at 12 o'clock? If it is at 12 o'clock then problem is in the steering wheel hub or the steering wheel attachment to the hub. There is nothing inside the steering column that can be off by 90 degrees. (180 degrees yes, but not 90 degrees.)
The above should tell you where you have a problem.
JimComment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
I agree you switch the steering wheel 180 degrees. But you change the center on the pitman arm and could that be the 90 degrees you need?
Jims picture above will be a great tool to help find your problem. He is the man in this area.
LyleLyle
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
Paul,
Here's my experience. I put a rebuilt steering box and a tilt tele column in my 69 at the same time and I was way off with the centering of my steering wheel. I couldn't get the tilt/tele column to activate turn signals, flashers, etc. so I said to heck with it and re-installed my original non tilt/tele column. After all was said and done I was exactly 90 deg. off just like you. I then took my car to the local performance shop here and they re-aligned my car and adjusted the tie rod ends bringing the steering wheel where it is "spot on" centered like it originally was. The only variable by the time I was finished from when I started was my rebuilt steering box that I replaced.
Good luck with fixing your problem.
Jim BlakelyComment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
Paul,
Does the steering column shaft have a chizel mark showing 12 0 clock position where the rag slides into it or is it a groove cut circular for the bolt? If steering wheel is straight and lined up with the shaft mark inside the car, connect the rag to the flat on the steering box then to the steering column steering shaft while keeping everything straight. The toe alignment should take care of the rest and make the wheels straight.
You probably have checked this but make sure the pitman arm is correct for power steering cars. Try working from the inside of the car forward, I bet one tooth on the steering box/rag joint and one tooth on the steering column/rag joint may make a difference. Don't give up!
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
It sounds like you have confirmed the correct index/clocking on all components from the steering gear rearward.
It IS possible to have the gears (sector/ball nut) indexed incorrectly inside the steering gear. I've seen it done a few times.
The results are similar to what you describe and also include a much more limited range of motion in one direction.
One more common possibility is a twisted sector shaft, the result of previous accident damage. Inspection of the splined section of the sector shaft at the lower end will show a twist in the splines if damaged.Comment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
Tim,
The end of the steering column shaft has an elongated notch cut into the splines. It allows the column flange to be positioned +/- 1/4 inch along its length. From a rotation standpoint, you might be able to position the column flange within one or two splines but no more than that.
The pitman arm can only be assembled to the pitman shaft at four equally spaced 90 degree positions. Since the sweep of the pitman shaft is less than 90 degrees you cannot possibly assemble the pitman arm in the wrong quadrant and assemble anything else.
A twisted pitman shaft is a remote possiblity. With the arm off of the pitman shaft you would be able to see the twist in the splines. Also, I don't think that a gear rebuilt by Gary would ever be shipped with that type of visible problem.
JimComment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
I think I MAY have figured out what is throwing things off---now see if this makes sense--I hope so. The steering column marks are at 12; the steering wheel is centered; the rag joint is as in the above pictures; and the flat side of the gear box is at 12---when all these are correct the wheels are not straight. When the wheels are straight everything above the pitman arm/gear box are aligned as stated by off by 1/4 turn. The pitman arm must not be on the gearbox straight--off a few teeth. Can I just loosen the nut on the pitman arm where it attaches to the gear box while the wheels are straight and then straighten the steering wheel and reattach the pitman arm to the bottom of the gearbox. Hope this makes sense--it is the only thing I can come up with. ThanksComment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
Paul,
Pretty sure the pitman arm can only be installed in one of four different clock positions. (if it's the same as C2) There should be four flat areas between the splines on the shaft and four matching flats on the arm itself.
That means the arm can only be installed at the 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 or 9:00 o'clock positions.
It sounds like you have everything clocked correctly all the way from the steering wheel hub down to, and including, the worm/sector shaft.
That would indicate a problem forward of that point. One possibility, as previously mentioned, is an incorrectly indexed ball nut and sector shaft.
One quick way to check the index without disassembling the entire steering gear is to count the number of turns of the steering wheel from center to each of the left and right steering stops.
If the count is off by more than 3/4 turn. it's possible the gear set is off by one tooth.
Inspect the splines on the pitman shaft between the pitman arm and the steering gear housing. If the shaft is twisted from an accident, the twisted splines will appear in this area. Very common.
As previously mentioned, the person that rebuilt the steering gear would most likely have seen this and replaced the shaft but it's still something I would inspect.
If a front wheel alignment in the past did not align to centerline steering, it's possible the tie rod adjusting sleeves were used to set the toe even though the steering wheel/column wasn't positioned correctly.
If there are a LOT more threads showing on the tie rod ends on one side of the car than the other, it's likely this is the problem.
Many alignment shops were guilty of this in the past, and probably still do it today. They often remove the steering wheel hub and change it's clock position to center the wheel.
The last item I can think of that can cause the problem that you describe is frame damage from a previous accident.
If none of the above, I'm out of ideas.
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
The steering box is fine. The pitman arm points straight ahead when the steering wheel is centered, the marks on the column are at 12:00, the rag joint looks like Jim's picture, and the flat spot on the gear box is at 12---but the tires are not straight. From this position it is 1 3/4 turns one way and 1/ 1/4 the other.
When the tires are centered and not the column it is 1.5 turns either way to get to max turning. The shop I took it to did not do any adjusting of the tie rods ends to center the wheel--just did a "4 wheel alignment". Said to bring it back and they would try adjusting the tie rods ends if I wanted for free. I counted approximately 17 threads showing on one side (total of both ends) and 11 threads showing on the other side--whatever this indicates.
As far as the frame being off--would they have been able to do a 4 wheel alignment easily--which he said it was.
Someone suggested rotating the steering wheel one screw--but it only fits on one way.
As far as how it was before--I can't tell you. I bought the car a year ago and immediately put it on blocks and have been working on it ever since. Did not drive it--hauled in on a trailer. Had it inspected before I bought it and supposedly everything was fine.Comment
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Re: How to Center the Steering Wheel--You Think It's Easy--Think Again!!!!!!
I think that's exactly what the problem is. The non equal amount of threads showing on the tie rods would indicate this. Someone has set the tow incorrectly in the past. (not the dimension but the method)
The alignment shop should center the steering wheel/steering gear, THEN set the toe on each wheel, without moving the steering wheel.
Bet the thread count on the tie rod sleeves comes out pretty close to even side to side when adjusted correctly.Comment
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