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I have yet to purchase a car that came with a perfectly "centered" steering wheel. I hate when I am driving straight and the wheel is cocked left or right. In the past I would take my cars to an alignment shop, have them let me sit in the car and hold the wheel straight while they re-centered the wheel toe-in. This got to be a pain...not to mention costly.
Anyway...I learned how to re-center my own steering wheel in about 15 minutes.
Here is what you will need:
* Socket wrench (3/8")
* 13mm socket
* 17mm open-ended wrench
* Flashlight or worklight
* A scratch awl (or) anything you can find to make a mark on metal
Changing the length of both of your tie rod ends (equal distance) will cause your wheel toe-in to re-center...thus changing the position of your steering wheel. (Don't worry, this is the same thing alignment shops do).
And remember - as long as you move both tie rod ends equal distances you will not effect you toe-in distance.
If your steering wheel is cocked to the left when driving straight here is what you need to do:
1. Look up into your driver/passenger side wheel wells and you will see the tie rod ends.
2. Start with the driver side: Make a mark on the threaded adjuster and a mark on the end of the tie rod that both line up (exactly). Make sure you do this before you loosen anything!
3. Loosen both 13mm bolts that keep the threaded adjusting screw from moving (the bolt heads face downward).
4. Use your 17mm wrench and slowly turn the adjusting screw counter-clockwise. Use the following guidelines for how far to turn the screw:
Moving the screw about 1/8" from the original mark you made will cause the steering wheel to shift about 1/4" (or about 2 degrees).
Note: Steering wheel will shift toward the right.
4A. Once you are finished turning the screw re-tighten both 13mm bolts.
Also, note how far you turned the adjuster from it's mark.
5. Follow the same proceedures for the passenger side (while keeping the following items in mind): You will be turning the passenger side adjuster counter-clockwise also. Make sure that you move it's adjuster the same amount that you moved the drivers side.
If your steering wheel is cocked to the right when driving straight you will need to do the following:
1. Follow the above proceedures exactly...(except) turn the adjusters clockwise.
Make sure you do an intermediate road test between adjusting and make sure that both of your front tires are set to the same pressure.
Good luck!!!
, Sun, 15 Apr 2001 21:23:56, Sat, 21 Apr 2001 10:20:44
, Mon, 16 Apr 2001 09:27:36, Mon, 16 Apr 2001 09:59:22
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