Steering wheel off centre

[cy294]

Just had 4 wheel alignment done after having 2 new tyres fitted yesterday and also having had new shocks fitted at start of year.





However, the steering wheel is off centre. I've been back to my garage where I've always gone for tyres and alignment and they have adjusted it firstly under partial load and then no load.



All was adjusted and in tolerance, but the problem remains with the steering wheel off centre. I've attached the print out of my visit back to the garage from this morning, in the hope of any solutions. The figures listed on the right in blue are what the settings are now.



Thanks all.





 

[Jwardy23]

How far is it off centre?
Are the stalks in the same position either side?
I find that if the windscreen wiper stalk is down it makes it look off centre when it’s not.

 

[northanmonkey]

If the wheel alignment place can’t sort that out in 30 seconds flat. I’d never go back there again.
I learnt how to correct toe in / out and steering wheel alignment in the first week of my apprenticeship.

 

[northanmonkey]

I've just looked at your original post. I can't quite see what the corrected front toe values are right to left. If there is a difference between these two values? That's the problem right there!!

 

[cy294]

Here are the values for the front

 

[northanmonkey]

If the steering wheel is set straight ahead when those measurements were taken. The toe values should be equal. Or very close.
Consider the variation between the half toe figure as a percentage.

One question. Was the wheel out of alignment before the tyres were changed?
Looking at the previous values I’d expect the wheel to be further off to the left unless there was one very badly worn tyre and one almost new fitted on the same axle?

 

[cy294]

The alignment was slightly out and so was adjusted to bring everything back into levels. I've also just been to another garage where they use a Hunter Machine, with the levels in the photo. The tech guy said all was good, test drove and could see for himself the steering was off. Adjusted again and problem still remains. Could it be suspension related?

 

[northanmonkey]

What did he adjust?
Was the wheel out of centre exactly the same or improved?
Is there any pulling forces while driving either braking or accelerating.
Is there more effort required to steer in one direction than the other?
Can you quantify how far is the wheel off centre?

 

[cy294]

No it was the same, with no pulling forces when breaking, accelerating. So if I were to wrap some tape at the top of the steering wheel, which represented the centre. When driving and in order to drive straight, the tape at the yop of the steering wheel would be just over the 1 o'clock position. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Crazymind]

I had my wheel off centre after alignment. They have adjusted it a bit but still off centre.
It drives so well I didn’t bother to go somewhere else to fix it…

 

[northanmonkey]

Yep that makes sense. What makes no sense is the fact no one is fixing this.
It’s a bit odd the Rh Rear has 13' of toe & the Lh has 0. Lh front has much less camber than the Rh? But it's within the tolerance allowed by the wheel alignment equipment.
But still this should be an easy fix!
As you drive along the forces on the road wheels will equalize. This is where you have to set your 12 o'clock wheel position to.
When I was a dealer tech back in the early 90's. I would check and adjust the toe angle to the correct spec, go on road test to check steering wheel alignment. If the steering was off to the left, I'd stop, hop out and make 1/4 turn adjustments to both side track rods. LH 1/4 toe out RH 1/4 toe in. Effectively moving the road wheels to match the steering wheel position. Drive on the check the adjustment and repeat until I was happy with the wheel position.Then head back to the workshop to final check the total toe figure was correct after the adjustments. Bosh, job done!

 

[cy294]

Thanks for the replies to date. @northanmonkey would I be right in saying I do this manually?

 

[northanmonkey]

Yep! On your back in the gutter.

That why I dragged my ass out of the dealership and in to F1.

I’m the dusty grubby one.
That photo’s few years old now and I now have a nice clean & comfy job back at the factory.
Never let anyone tell you F1 is glamorous.

 

[cy294]

Well, I've just spent the last hour doing the tie rods quarter turn at a time on both sides. See how that goes.

 

[northanmonkey]

Have you not given it a run up the road?

 

[Greybeard]

I know I’m an old numpty, but…..
in the old days, 70s-80s…
No, the 1970s-80s before the bright sparks chip in!
If alignment sorted correctly and steering wheel still out, moving the steering wheel one spline on its mounting was often suggested.
And I did say If…
Andy

 

[Mike23864]

 

[Greybeard]

Well, I've just spent the last hour doing the tie rods quarter turn at a time on both sides. See how that goes.

Coming from the same old guy who once had to change, in the wet Winter gutter outside parents house, the shell bearings for the second time after fitting a new crankshaft to my Ford Corsair 2000e.
Much older guy who supervised me didn’t explain half the shells had a hole in the middle!

 

[cy294]

Have you not given it a run up the road?


I did earlier, it improved, so I've just adjusted again, but my stomach was calling. So will be giving it a go shortly.

 

[northanmonkey]

Sounds like you’re on the right track.
Keep the adjustment equal and you’ll be fine.
Oh. And well done.